Air Purifying Respirator (APR) & Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR)

Concept Controls knows the ins-and-outs for choosing the correct respirator for any application. Concept Controls knows selecting the correct type of disposable mask starts with identifying the potential airborne contaminants which can be done via air sampling or testing. Disposable masks are identified by NIOSH numbers, and are designated with an N, R or P. N series filters are limited to atmospheres that are free from aerosolized oil. They can be used for any solid or liquid airborne particulates that do not contain oil. R series filters can be used for removal of any particulates, including oil-based liquid aerosols. P series filters  are designed to block 99.9 percent of particles .3 microns or larger.  Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPRs) take contaminated air, remove a certain quantity of pollutants and return the air to the user. There are different units for different environments. The units consist of a powered fan which forces incoming air through one or more filters to the user for breathing. The fan and filters may be carried by the user or they may be remotely mounted and the user breathes the air through tubing. The filter type must be matched to the contaminants that need to be removed. Some PAPR´s are designed to remove fine particulate matter, while others are suitable for working with volatile organic compounds as those in spray paints. These must have their filter elements replaced more often than a particulate filter.