A complete guide to HVAC systems for the pharmaceutical industry

HVAC systems – or Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning systems – are critical mechanical systems found in many types of buildings. Be they residential spaces or commercial ones, HVAC systems play an important role in regulating indoor environments by maintaining the desired temperature, air quality, and humidity for human health and comfort.

HVAC systems comprise multiple sub-systems working in coordination to produce the desired effect in the indoor environment. Heating systems like furnaces or heat pumps and cooling systems like AC units work alongside ventilation mechanisms like fans and ductwork and air quality controllers like humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and air filters.

While their main role is indoor environmental regulation, modern HVAC systems also focus heavily on energy efficiency. Think mechanisms like smart thermostats to keep indoor conditions safe and hospitable without causing a heavy environmental burden.

Our blog post today is not about just HVAC systems, but specifically, HVAC systems for the pharmaceutical industry. HVAC design in the pharmaceutical industry varies to some extent because here, the purpose isn’t just human safety and comfort. More importantly, it is about process control and product integrity.

Nonetheless, before we can understand the unique features of HVAC in the pharma industry, we must become familiar with the general concepts in the world of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. So, that’s where we’ll begin.

Given that HVAC systems serve multiple purposes, naturally, they consist of several components, each having a unique function.

First, we have a heating source. Generally, this is the main and the largest component of the HVAC system, especially in commercial models. Whether it uses a heat pump, solar energy, combustion of natural gases, or an electric furnace, it’s the part of the system that heats the air supply. How does the heating source work? There’s usually a heat exchanger that pulls cold air into the system, heats it up using one of the above methods, and then circulates the air to the building through the vents.

Then we have the evaporator coil. The evaporator coil does the opposite job of the heater. It is connected to the condensing unit filled with refrigerant gas; this helps cool the heated air when the system requires a temperature reduction. Typically installed outside the room, the evaporator coil pumps in condensed liquid and re-evaporates it to reduce the temperature.

Refrigerant lines are narrow, heat- and cooling-resistant tubes. They carry the refrigerating medium to the condensing unit to be vaporised. This medium is then returned to the evaporator in liquid form.

Either set manually or pre-programmed to the desired room temperature, the thermostat monitors the temperature of the space. Ideally, the thermostat automatically triggers the heat exchanger or evaporator coil condensing unit to make necessary adjustments to the temperature, circulating the space with cold or warm air to achieve the desired change. Ideally, the thermostat should also be placed in a space that is accessible and easily visible so that it can be observed by the people inhabiting or working in the space.

Ventilation is an integral part of any HVAC system, as the full form of HVAC makes clear. A network of ducts and fans bring in fresh air and remove stale air, maintaining circulation within the space and controlling the accumulation of pollutants, dust, and odours. Ducts are a critical part of the ventilation system because they transport clean and heated or cooled air to different parts of the building through vents. Typically located near the ceiling, their ends are often angled.

Of course, HVAC systems also have air conditioning or cooling units to absorb the heat and humidity from inside the building and release it outdoors, thereby reducing the internal temperature.

Finally, there must also always be an air quality system. While humidifiers and dehumidifiers add and remove moisture, respectively, as needed, the rest of this system filters the air clean through a combination of HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air), ULPA (Ultra-Low Particulate Air), and/or other filters.

Even with all these different components, HVAC systems can be of different types. There are forced-air systems which use ductwork to distribute cooled or heated air from a central AC or furnace unit. There are ductless systems, which provide zoned heating or cooling for specific areas, without extensive ductwork; these are also called mini-split systems. Variable Refrigerant Flow or Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRF/VRV) systems are well-suited to large buildings, offering zoned internal environments. There are also systems that operate on heat pumps, increasing or decreasing internal temperatures by transferring heat instead of generating it.

HVAC systems are a critical part of any building, be it commercial or residential. Whether it is a home, school, office, factory space, or any other indoor environment, a good HVAC system is essential for the comfort, health, safety, and energy efficiency it provides.

An effective HVAC system maintains pleasant indoor temperatures consistently around the year; this is important for human comfort. From a health perspective, the air filtration system keeps allergens, contaminants, and dust from entering and/or staying in the indoor environment; this is critical for human health. A good HVAC system also protects sensitive equipment – be it in a pharmaceutical cleanroom, data centre, or any other facility with sensitive machinery – from environmental damage due to dust or unfavourable temperatures.

In today’s world, sustainability is non-negotiable. That’s why the HVAC systems of today absolutely must be energy efficient. They must use effective mechanisms to save energy without compromising on indoor environmental conditions, especially in critical industries.

As you can see, HVAC is useful in a vast range of spaces for many reasons. HVAC in the pharma industry is more important than most other applications because of the critical nature of the processes involved in making sterile drugs for human consumption.

HVAC systems for the pharmaceutical industry are specialised systems. They must comply with good manufacturing practices (GMP) to ensure precise, sterile environments for pharmaceutical research and production. This includes strict control over temperature, humidity, pressure, and air quality. HVAC systems for the pharmaceutical industry are essential not only for personnel safety but also for product integrity.

HVAC design in the pharmaceutical industry is specialised, especially when the space in question is a cleanroom, requiring tight environmental control and no room for error. That’s why we’ll now look at what makes HVAC design in the pharmaceutical industry so special, allowing drug manufacturers to trust such systems in spaces that produce essential drugs and health products.

Stay tuned for part two, where we’ll explore HVAC systems for the pharmaceutical industry in more detail.