Posts Tagged: "Sandia National Laboratories"

The Evolution of the Clean Room: A Patent History

Willis Whitfield is the inventor of the system we today know as the clean room. In 1962, Whitfield developed a clean room technology that pumped air in through HEPA filters installed in the ceiling and drew air out through the floor at the bottom of the room. By using the force of gravity and a steady stream of air to propel airborne particulate to the ground, Whitfield’s system was able to keep the levels of dust and other particles to incredibly low levels within an enclosed room. Whitfield’s invention worked so well, in fact, that many found it difficult to believe his results. However, Whitfield’s clean room technology was about 1,000 times more effective at removing particulate from the air within closed spaces.