What Are HEPA and ULPA Filters?

In production environments where dust and fine particles need to be controlled, the filtration system is one of the most important components of an industrial vacuum cleaner. Particularly in cleanrooms, pharmaceutical and food processing facilities, electronics manufacturing areas, and other environments with strict contamination control requirements, HEPA and ULPA filters are commonly used to minimize the amount of fine particles released back into the surrounding environment.

HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) and ULPA (Ultra Low Penetration Air) are both high-efficiency filtration classes. However, they differ in terms of particle retention efficiency, airflow resistance, and typical applications.

Therefore, choosing ULPA instead of HEPA is not simply a matter of selecting a higher filtration class. Businesses should consider the type of dust, contamination control requirements, operating environment, required airflow, system sealing, and the overall operating requirements of the equipment.

What Is the Difference Between HEPA and ULPA?

HEPA – High-Efficiency Filtration

HEPA filters are high-efficiency filters widely used in air handling systems and professional vacuum cleaners. According to the EN 1822 classification referenced by Nilfisk, H13 and H14 are HEPA filtration classes, with overall particle retention efficiencies of more than 99.95% and 99.995%, respectively, under the corresponding test conditions.

HEPA filters are commonly used in applications requiring effective control of fine dust and airborne particles, including healthcare facilities, industrial production, cleanrooms, and various environments with high hygiene requirements.

ULPA – Ultra-High-Efficiency Filtration

ULPA filters provide a higher level of particle retention than HEPA filters. According to the EN 1822 classification referenced by Nilfisk, U15, U16, and U17 filtration classes have overall particle retention efficiencies of more than 99.9995%, 99.99995%, and 99.999995%, respectively.

The higher filtration efficiency makes ULPA suitable for environments where minimizing particle emissions from the equipment is particularly important, such as certain cleanroom applications, pharmaceutical manufacturing processes, and production areas with stringent contamination control requirements.

HEPA vs. ULPA: Comparison Table

Is ULPA Always Better Than HEPA?

Not necessarily.

ULPA filters can retain a higher percentage of particles than HEPA filters, but higher filtration efficiency can also result in greater airflow resistance. If ULPA is selected for an application that only requires HEPA filtration, the equipment may need to work harder to maintain the required airflow.

For industrial vacuum cleaners, filtration performance should not be evaluated solely based on whether the system uses HEPA or ULPA. Filter surface area, filtration chamber design, system tightness, and maintenance procedures also have a direct impact on actual filtration performance.

A very high-efficiency filter installed in a system with leakage points or inadequate sealing cannot fully deliver the filtration performance of the filter itself.

Key Factors When Evaluating a Filtration System

1. Filtration Class

This is the first factor to consider. Businesses should identify the type of dust and the required level of particle control before selecting H13, H14, or ULPA filtration.

2. Filter Surface Area

A larger filtration surface area helps distribute airflow across a wider area, supporting consistent suction performance and reducing the risk of the filter becoming overloaded too quickly.

3. System Tightness

Air should pass through the filter rather than bypassing it. Therefore, the design of the filter housing, sealing gaskets, and connection points all play an important role in determining actual filtration performance.

4. Filter Condition Monitoring

As dust accumulates on the filter, airflow resistance may increase and suction performance may decrease. Some industrial vacuum cleaners are equipped with gauges or filter monitoring systems to help operators identify when inspection or maintenance is required.

5. Filter Replacement and Disposal Procedures

In environments involving hazardous dust or toxic materials, filter replacement is not simply a maintenance task. It is also an important part of exposure and cross-contamination control. Therefore, procedures for removing, packaging, and disposing of used filters should be considered when selecting the equipment.

When Should You Use a HEPA Industrial Vacuum?

HEPA filtration is suitable for many applications that require fine dust control but do not necessarily require ULPA-level filtration.

Some environments where HEPA-equipped industrial vacuum cleaners may be considered include:

• General manufacturing facilities where fine dust is generated.
• Areas where dust control is required to protect equipment and products.
• Professional cleaning applications in healthcare facilities.
• Certain food processing and pharmaceutical production areas.
• Applications requiring fine dust collection without the need for ULPA-level filtration.

The key is to select the appropriate filtration class and equipment configuration based on the characteristics of the material being collected, rather than choosing equipment based solely on the HEPA designation.

When Should You Use a ULPA Industrial Vacuum?

ULPA filtration may be considered when the amount of particles released from the equipment must be controlled to an extremely high level and even the remaining particles could significantly affect the production process or manufacturing environment.

Applications that may require or benefit from ULPA filtration include:

• Certain cleanroom areas with stringent particle control requirements.
• Certain pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
• Environments where the risk of product contamination must be minimized.
• Applications involving powders or ultra-fine particles that require a high level of containment and control.

However, the need for ULPA filtration should be determined according to the specific process requirements and applicable standards of each environment. It should not be assumed that every cleanroom or pharmaceutical facility is required to use ULPA filtration.

HEPA and ULPA Filtration in Nilfisk Industrial Vacuum Cleaners

Nilfisk offers industrial vacuum cleaners with a range of filtration configurations for applications across general manufacturing, food processing, pharmaceutical production, and cleanroom environments.

For cleanroom applications, Nilfisk offers specialized vacuum cleaners equipped with HEPA and ULPA filtration systems to control dust and minimize the risk of contamination in production environments.

Nilfisk VHS110 CR

The VHS110 CR is a single-phase industrial vacuum cleaner designed for cleanroom applications and supports both wet and dry vacuuming. The model features a GMP design, an AISI 304 stainless steel body, and a ULPA15 filter on the downstream side. The upstream filtration configuration can use either HEPA14 or ULPA15 for fine dust filtration.

This design demonstrates how HEPA and ULPA filtration can be combined across different filtration stages, depending on the dust control requirements of the application.

Nilfisk GM80 CR ULPA

The GM80 CR ULPA is a vacuum cleaner designed for cleanroom environments, featuring a multi-stage filtration system and a ULPA filter on the exhaust side. Certain configurations are designed for cleanrooms up to ISO 4 and environments requiring a high level of fine-particle control.

Don't Just Choose the Filter – Choose the Complete System

In practice, the performance of an industrial vacuum cleaner is not determined solely by whether the equipment uses HEPA or ULPA filtration.

An effective filtration system should be evaluated as a whole, based on:

• The type and characteristics of the dust being collected.
• The hazardous or potentially dangerous nature of the material.
• The contamination control requirements of the area.
• The HEPA or ULPA filtration class.
• The filter surface area and filtration structure.
• The tightness of the filter housing and airflow path.
• The required airflow and suction power.
• Filter cleaning and maintenance procedures.
• Filter replacement and disposal procedures after use.

Particularly in environments involving hazardous dust, equipment selection should be based on the complete safety requirements of the application rather than on the filtration class alone.

HEPA or ULPA: Which Is the Right Choice?

Both HEPA and ULPA filtration play an important role in controlling dust and fine particles in industrial vacuum cleaners. HEPA filtration can meet the requirements of many industrial cleaning and dust control applications, while ULPA is more suitable for environments requiring a higher level of particle retention.

There is no single filtration class that is suitable for every application. The right choice should begin with identifying the material to be collected, the required level of dust control, the operating environment, and the applicable standards.

For businesses looking for industrial vacuum solutions for factories, cleanrooms, pharmaceutical and food processing facilities, or other production environments with demanding dust control requirements, selecting the right equipment configuration and filtration system can improve cleaning efficiency, protect the working environment, and help minimize the risk of contamination during production.

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