A positive pressure room maintains air pressure higher than adjacent spaces, forcing filtered air outward to prevent contamination entry from surrounding areas. These rooms protect immunocompromised patients, clean manufacturing processes, and sensitive equipment from external airborne contaminants. Air flows outward through door openings and vents.
Technical Requirements
Positive pressure rooms maintain 12.5-25 Pa above adjacent spaces depending on application. Supply air comes from HEPA-filtered sources at 15-20 air changes per hour. Exhaust air is not filtered since outward flow prevents contamination entry. Supply and return vents are positioned to create positive displacement patterns throughout the space.
Applications
Immunocompromised patient rooms, bone marrow transplant units, pharmaceutical manufacturing cleanrooms, and semiconductor fabrication areas use positive pressure control. These rooms protect contents from external environmental contamination.
System Monitoring
Continuous differential pressure monitoring with audible alarms maintains awareness of system status. Pressure loss indicates filter loading or exhaust obstruction requiring immediate service. Positive pressure room failures allow contaminant ingress within minutes, potentially compromising patient safety or batch integrity.