Powered air purifying respirator – PAPR

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 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

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

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.