How to Select HVAC for Your Pharma Applications

Introduction to the HVAC system

Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioned - HVAC is an integral part of any manufacturing industry, and its primary purpose is to control environmental parameters. For the pharma industry, it is used to maintain product-specific parameters, such as temperature & humidity, to ensure the highest quality and safety standard in the final finished product. In contrast to traditional and manual methods, a single HVAC system can be used to fulfil multiple area variables of different areas. It eliminates the need for individual resources , such as cooling and heating for a single area or department.

The HVAC system comprises different stand–alone systems with separate functions that play a definite role in its working and application. Not all these stand-alone systems need to come into play during the HVAC operation. I only depends on the area being served and underlying process

Some parameters that HVAC can control includes, but not limited to the following

· Temperature – heating & cooling both

· Humidity

· Ventilation of air through closed areas

· Airflow

· Air quality – by using filters to clean and purify the flowing air from particulates, contaminants and microorganisms

· Maintaining required pressure in the area.

· Additionally, it also allows the monitoring of the area parameters that can be maintained for record-keeping

Some sub-components that are part of the HVAC system include, but are not limited to, the following.

· Air Handling Unit – AHU: it is further divided into blower motor, filtration, dampers, heating & cooling coil. It handles the airflow part of environmental parameter and all of its relevant factors.

· Hot and Cold water supply – to increase or decrease the coil temperature in the AHU.

· Chillers – to provide cold water supply

· Boilers – to provide the steam for various applications

· Control components: to control HVAC operation. Modern HVAC systems utilize the latest electronic & automation components for automatic control and precisely maintain the environmental areas.

Some guidelines for selecting an HVAC system

Some tips when selecting an HVAC system include

What is your total load?

HVAC load is the amount of cooling/heating required to achieve the desired building conditions., and represents the capacity of the HVAC system. Load calculation is necessary when purchasing or developing an HVAC system and is used to determine the required HVAC size for a specific application or area.

Load condition is performed depending upon multiple factors, such as

· Building/area total area

· Number of occupants

· Insulation level

· Lighting, and many more like these

Whenever you require an HVAC system for your application, always perform load calculations for optimum performance and reliable pharma operations. It can help you estimate the HVAC requirements, which you can communicate to the manufacturer.

What to include in sub-components?

As mentioned earlier in this article, the HVAC system consists of different sub-components, each with a definite role in the HVAC operation in achieving the target area properties. Their selection depends on factors such as HVAC load, cost-effectiveness, fuel, available space and noise requirements. These sub-components must be selected appropriately because they will affect the overall HVAC performance.

When selecting HVAC for your pharma applications, utilize different resources, such as an expert pharma HVAC design consultant, manufacturer catalogues, or other possible information sources, to choose sub-components. It can help you design your HVAC system for your application in the most cost-effective way.

What are your area requirements?

The pharmaceutical industry requires strict environmental parameters, and if not maintained, it can destroy the underlying process and product. However, not all areas have strict area control area requirements due to their non–-criticality of the operations being performed. For example, corridors in the manufacturing area have fewer purity requirements than the manufacturing area itself, but an HVAC system is still required to maintain basic area parameters.

When selecting HVAC for your pharma applications, constantly study and determine what parameters, such as  temperature, humidity, pressure, airflow  and alike , your area requires. These area parameters should be resolved before reaching the HVAC supplier for procurement, and can be easily determined through quality department or regulatory guidelines.

What mechanical components are right?

While the HVAC system generates the desired environmental parameters, different mechanical components deliver these parameters to the target area. These components include piping, valves, pumps, dampers and ducts. Effectively selecting and these components also help in preventing different losses, such as friction and leakage during transportation.

When designing an HVAC system for your pharma applications, take special care of the mechanical components. They must be selected to reflect the HVAC capacity and pharma process application. Their selection and sizing can be done by utilizing resources such as external consultants, guidelines, and software calculators. Moreover, they must prevent different losses, such as leakages, and maintain the consistent  environmental parameters throughout the HVAC operation,

Operation Mechanism

Like other pharma equipment, HVAC can be controlled automatically through different automation and control components. They allow the controlling of environmental parameters in an automated manner without human intervention. An example of computerized control is a Building Management System – BMS which can individually control all sub-components from a centralized location. It can adapt to changing environmental conditions and adjust them as required.

When selecting HVAC for your applications, consider your pharma application when selecting the BMS. If your facility is large and where different pharma processes occur, it can be beneficial to opt for a BMS. It can help to cater for your vast area & diverse pharma operations from a single location. However, it can be omitted if your facility is small and contains less or a single operation.

Energy source

HVAC systems consist of different components that can be run simultaneously on various fuel types. An example is electricity and natural gas, which can generate heat for heating coils in the AHU. The primary consideration is the fuel quantity and types for which the component is designed to operate.

When selecting an HVAC system, consider the fuel required in operating HVAC different components. The fuel chosen must be available around the year or during operational days. The fuel type must also be cost-effective and must not become a financial burden on the overall operational cost of the entire HVAC system.

Disadvantages of not selecting the appropriate HVAC system

Let's discuss some disadvantages of inappropriate HVAC selection

Failure to achieve the desired environmental conditions

HVAC systems are mainly used to maintain the desired environmental conditions, and if not selected appropriately, they will affect the environmental conditions. The area or the underlying process will get faulty values, affecting the pharma product. For example, if required humidity levels are not maintained, it will alter the product characteristics, making it harmful for the patients.

The pharma manufacturer will eventually have to recall the product, causing financial loss to them. Additionally, pharma manufacturer has to invest more in overcoming the gap.

Financial Loss

An HVAC system is a substantial financial investment that has a significant economic impact on an organization. The HVAC is not easily replaceable and decision to purchase a new HVAC system comes after careful financial assessment. The organization will suffer financial loss if the appropriate HVAC system is not selected.

The finance department or higher management analyzes the financial impact of HVAC on an organization and sets aside the required budget, then proceeds for procurement, that would become wasted. Also, suppose the HVAC system fails to fulfil the entire facility, forcing the organization to run its operations in shifts. In that case, it will hit the organization's production planning target, contributing to financial loss.

Less operational life

The under rated HVAC system has to operate at maximum performance to cater to the facility's requirements. It will force all HVAC system components to work overwhelm to make up for the gap. This condition will put an extra load more than the manufacturer's recommendation, and affecting the HVAC performance

Additionally, running the HVAC system for extended hours will make it difficult to spare for maintenance activities, such as preventive maintenance. The HVAC system will get less frequent planned maintenance, significantly affecting its performance and decreasing its operational life.

Mechanical components malfunctioning

Mechanical components, such as valves and piping, are designed to work with the desired pharma process in the target area, which in turn is matched with the HVAC capacity, and environmental parameters depend on these mechanical components.

Failure to select an appropriate HVAC system will make the mechanical components faulty for many reasons. For example, under sizing these components can cause leakage. To solve the issue, these mechanical components require re-installing or re-configuration,  to make up for inappropriate HAVC specifications.

Regulatory body objections

The Pharma industry is a regulated market, and regulators keep an eye on it. They regularly visit pharma manufacturing facilities and inspect every aspect of manufacturing and its requirements.  

Environmental parameters are a serious concern for them, which they pay special attention to, and among many, they also review support systems, including the HVAC.

These regulatory bodies can easily detect inappropriate HVAC systems due to extensive documentation, parameter record keeping, and detailed checks for every pharma process.  Any deviation in environmental conditions can be easily detected, which the regulators can easily relate to the faulty HVAC system.

About the Author:

Muhammad Asim Niazi

Muhammad Asim Niazi has a vast experience of about 11 years in a Pharmaceutical company. During his tenure he worked in their different departments and had been part of many initiatives within the company. He now uses his experience and skill to write interested content for audiences at PharmaSources.com.