Programmable logic controller-based system and user interface for air sampling in controlled environments

A system for sampling air at multiple locations in a controlled environment comprising:

• a plurality of air sampling devices configured to monitor and test a volume of air within a controlled environment;
• a plurality of vacuum connections, each of the plurality of vacuum connections configured to receive the volume of air from one of the plurality of air sampling devices;
• a plurality of flow sensors, each of the plurality of flow sensors configured to sense a mass flow rate of the volume of air received by one of the vacuum connections;
• a server, connected to a network, that provides graphical user interface, the graphical user interface being accessible by a network-connected computing device, the graphical user interface providing functionality for a user to specify one or more setpoints indicative of a desired mass flow rate at one or more of the air sampling devices;
• a plurality of flow control valves, each of the plurality of flow control valves configured to initiate an air sampling cycle at one of the air sampling devices and control the mass flow rate of the volume of air received by the corresponding vacuum connection in response to the desired mass flow rate specified by the user via the graphical user interface.

A method for sampling air at multiple locations in a controlled environment, the method comprising:

• monitoring and testing, by a plurality of air sampling devices, volumes of air within a controlled environment;
• receiving, by a plurality of vacuum connections, the volumes of air from each of the plurality of air sampling devices;
• sensing, by a plurality of flow sensors, the mass flow rates of the volumes of air received by each of the vacuum connections;
• providing a graphical user interface, by a server via a network, for display on a network-connected computing device;
• receiving, from a user via the graphical user interface, one or more setpoints indicative of a desired mass flow rate at one or more of the air sampling devices;
• initiating an air sampling cycle at one of the air sampling devices;
• and
• controlling, by one of a plurality of flow control valves, the mass flow rate of the volume of air received by the corresponding vacuum connection in response to the desired mass flow rate specified by the user via the graphical user interface.