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October 9, 2026
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Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire population was forced to be familiar with terms such as “PCR test”, “quarantine” or “antigens”. One of those terms that passed the border of medicine and passed to the collective imagination was that of the filters. EPA filters, HEPA, ULPA filters and even more. But what is the difference between these different filters? Today we review the UNE-EN-1822 regulations, the norm in charge of establishing a classification for the so-called absolute filters and the characteristics that stand out in each one.
Every day we live with the gases emitted by vehicles, smoke from industries, aerosols, dust mites, pollen, mold spores, bacteria and many other environmental agents. These can be found both on the street and in our homes. To combat this large list of particles there are air filters, in particular ULPA filters and HEPA, whose main function is to purify the air, filtering these contaminants.
Both filters base their effectiveness on the use of braided fibers responsible for screening the particles and let only the air. These particle capture processes can be of different types:
Still, The main difference that these two filters have, apart from its name, HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Air) and ULPA (Ultra Low Penetration Air), It focuses on the ability to filter particles of one size or another by each.
99 percent of the particles we breathe during an exhalation They measure 10 µm or less, being able to remain in the lungs and cause negative effects for the body. Each of the two filters has the following minimum designation and therefore the key to their differences:
This type of filters is present both in our day to day and for almost all industries, and Its main applications are:
These filters also play an essential role in the construction of bells or Laminar flow cabins, since next to the air impeller, the distributor, the lighting and the pressure gauge; They allow directed ventilation of clean air. According to the regulations, the use of ULPA (more effective) or HEPA (more common) filters is mandatory in these installations.
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Currently, the classification of ULPA and HEPA filters is based on the regulations in 1822 (In Spain, the applicable one is the UNE-EN 1822-1:2020), which deals with the “absolute filters (EPA, HEPA and ULPA)” and which, in its first part, focuses on the “classification, general principles of essay and marking”. AndThe objective of the EN-1822 regulations It is based on Set the classification of absolute filters, as well as its designation and performance criteria for filter selection and laboratory test requirements.
From its conception, the EN 1822 came to unify guidelines and requirements and, at the same time, replace the many existing national standards in this regard to date, such as DIN 24184, BS 3928 and AFNOR. 44013.
Approved by the CEN (European Standardization Committee) on January 14, 2019, The new EN-1822 regulations deal with establishing performance tests for particle air filters, such as the HEPA filter or the ULPA, in those fields related to ventilation and air conditioning, generally dependent on environments that require certain technological procedures, such as those that have to do with the health industry, when applied to the absolute air filters used in Respiratory protection equipment and air conditioning and air treatment equipment.
how do we know There are spaces in which to maintain control of air quality and the concentration of potentially polluting particles in the air It is vitally important. However, not all spaces require the same type of filter depending on, for example, the processes that are going to be carried out inside or the regulations of the sector. In this way, andRA It is necessary to have a specific classification of the different types of filters (EPA, HEPA, ULPA) and the differences between them.
Supported by a series of ISO standards, the new regulations also include the operating tests of the filters and the limitations of use, as well as the different standards that must be met for their correct categorization, especially in relation to the efficiency and penetration index. Likewise, it replaces some national regulations, such as DIN 24184 or AFNOR 44013. Let us now see What are the criteria used by this standard? To establish, for example, what differentiates an EPA filter and an ULPA filter.
In any case, both the EN 1822 and the previous regulations are based on the standard Eurovent 4/4, that established 5 types according to their filtration capacity. On the other hand, the current regulations add three more initial classes to these 5 initial classes with the intention of respecting the demands of high technology. In this way, and also taking into account the performance, leaks and porosities of the filter, they could be classified into two groups:
HEPA filters
Those of class EU 10, EU 11, EU 12, EU 13 and EU 14.
ULPA FILTERS
those of class U 15, U16 and U17.
as we have seen, and although they have certain differences between themselves, ULPA and HEPA filters are of vital importance in air purification tasks And, as such, they are recognized by current regulations and thus we must take them into account professionals in the design, installation and maintenance of clean rooms and sterile areas.
The EN-1822 regulations establish the Division of three filter categories, which in this case correspond to the acronym EPA, HEPA and ULPA. This classification responds to the filtration performance, which is based, in turn, on step efficiency and filtration efficiency.
Starting from this premise, EPA filters are framed within group E And they allude to high-efficiency particle air filters. While the HEPA filters, which are included in group H, They are high efficiency filters. Within the U group we find the ULPA filters And they are those intended to filter the air from high-efficiency particles. Let’s look at each group in a little more detail:
Each of these filters, (Groups E, H and U), They have subdivisions that serve to specify the performance of certain types of filters. Thus, Group E (EPA) has three kinds of filters, E10, E11 and E12, whose level of efficiency and penetration in integral value ranges between 85 and 15% of the E10 class to 99.5 and 0.5% of class E12.
Group H (HEPA) includes classes H13 and H14 and operates with comprehensive values of between 99.5 and 0.05% efficiency and penetration of the lowest class up to 99.995 and 0.005 of the highest. These are undoubtedly the most famous filters among the general public due to the fundamental role they had, especially in hospitals and medical and pharmaceutical centers during the pandemic.
The last group, according to this classification of absolute filters, where the ULPA filters are located, which It has classes U15, U16 and U17, offers efficiency and comprehensive penetration levels of 9.99995% and 0.0005% from the lowest to 99.999995 and 0.000005% of the highest. In accordance with EN ISO 29463-5:2018, the filter classification is established as follows: Please note the professionals in the design, installation and maintenance of clean rooms and sterile areas.
The EN-1822 regulation not only sets the classification criteria for the different kinds of filters, it also establishes the methodologies necessary for the evaluation of their efficiency and percentage of loss. As we have already mentioned, the effectiveness of these filters are essential when carrying out work in controlled environment facilities, so Having a way to measure if they are doing your job correctly is essential.
THE GUIDELINES They can be divided into three parts or phases: The generation of aerosols for the realization of count statistics, the test of the filter medium, the calculation of leaks and losses of the filter element and the determination of the separation efficiency of the latter.
Through a particle counter, you can reach Determine both the quantity and the volume of the particles held by the filter. To calculate the dimension of the particles, the data obtained by the counter are processed, for which MPPS is used, which is nothing more than an acronym for the most penetrating particle dimensions.
To Check the losses of the filter medium or element, uses a probe that moves over the entire surface and produces aerosol. With this, data of the local efficiency level are obtained, which are later used to calculate the integral value of efficiency, since to establish the level of associated loss, a local value is used. Performing with the particle size at the minimum separation efficiency of the filter element, an accurate estimate is guaranteed as well as safe.
Finally, the UNE-EN-1822 regulations also establish that, in order to calculate the integral efficiency, the level of loss of charge of the filter is quantified with a volume of air flow corresponding to the nominal to determine by using an aerosol generator The efficiency of the filters depending on the dimensions of the particles. This process is carried out by removing the particles from the side that descends through the probe to later be introduced into a particle counter. The value obtained from this calculation is the one that determines the classification in different types of filters and subgroups.
With this you already know what the UNE-EN-1822 regulations are and what the absolute filter classifications are. If you need to know more about EPA, HEPA, ULPA filters, what differences are there between them or which is the most suitable for your clean room or controlled room installation, do not hesitate to contact us And, from Labsom, we will solve all your questions.and air And, as such, they are recognized by current regulations and thus we must take them into account professionals in the design, installation and maintenance of clean rooms and sterile areas.
It depends on the activities you are going to carry out. Taking into account the sector of activity that we are talking about, there are some rules or others that must be complied with to guarantee safety. In these standards, the specifications that the filter should meet should be found.
The acronym for ULPA filters correspond to Ultra-Low Particulate Air.
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