In the pharmaceutical industry, compressed air is used for a number of production and packaging applications, including blowing off and drying bottles prior to filling, conveying pills, providing air for pneumatically controlled valves and cylinders, as well as breathing air systems.
Each of these applications requires a different level of air quality and a different combination of air treatment to meet the needed quality. Because the uses of compressed air within the industry vary so greatly, there is no set standard in place that every process must adhere to.
While the FDA may not have issued a directive for compressed air quality in the pharmaceutical industry, there is still a resource available to help select appropriate air treatment components for a compressed air system.
A typical pharmaceutical plant might have a compressed air specification of ISO Quality Class 1.2.1—Class 1 for Solids and Dust, Class 2 for Humidity and Liquid Water, and Class 1 for Oil.