Powered air purifying respirator PAPR features
A powered air purifying respirator, also known as PAPR, is an enhanced filtering respiratory protective device. A PAPR respirator is composed of a face piece, one or several breathing protective filters (for particles, gas or both), a lightweight engine and a corrugated hose.
This type of respirator is a positive pressure equipment. This means that the breathing effort is reduced as a motored blower directly injects air into the face piece through a corrugated hose. The main asset for these atmosphere supplying respirator devices is the reduction of the breathing effort.
Thus using a positive pressure respirator shall be preferred for demanding and long duration works or for applications in intense heat environments. Moreover, the overpressure generated by an PAPR respirator ensures a high nominal protection factor – higher than provided by a classic gas mask.
Powered air purifying hood and mask
Powered air purifying respirator hood
Hoods are made of a soft material resistant to some corrosive gases. They cover head and feature a large field of view. With a PAPR hood, airflow is well distributed for enhanced comfort.
Powered air purifying hood
Powered air purifying respirator masks
Powered air purifying respirator masks are used when a pollutant concentration exceeds 40 times the OEL (occupational exposure limit for 8 hours). Air is directly injected into the PAPR mask close to breathing tracts in order to not dry out the eyes.
Powered air purifying masks
Powered air purifying respirator filter
The efficiency of a powered air purifying respirator depends on the device tightness (face piece, engine and PAPR filter). /filtering cartridges are labeled with a letter (hood category) and a figure (PAPR respirator tightness level).
Tightness is measured in percentage of gas pollutant leak into a PAPR face piece. Particles pollutants are labeled with SLP – for solid and liquid particles – without any efficiency class.
TH (Turbo Hood) for hood-style face pieces:
. TH1 stops 90% of aerosols (10% penetration rate)
. TH2 stops 98% of aerosols (2% penetration rate)
. TH1 stops 99,8% of aerosols (0,2% penetration rate)
TM (Turbo Mask) for mask-style face pieces – half-mask and full face mask:
. TM1 stops 95% of aerosols (5% penetration rate)
. TM2 stops 99,5% of aerosols (0,5% penetration rate)
. THM stops 99,95% of aerosols (0,05% penetration rate)
⇒ Find the proper respirator filter cartridge for your application
PAPR limitations and restrictions
Never use filtering respiratory personal protective equipment - like a powered air purifying respirator - in the following situations:
- Ambient oxygen rate below 19%
- In confined spaces or any poorly ventilated areas: tanks, tunnels, boat slips…
- When the substance concentration is unknown or immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH)
- When the substance concentration exceeds the allowable concentration or the gas mask filter capacity
In these cases the use of an atmosphere supplying respirator is advised.