Patent ID: 8188874

Claim:
A method for collecting a volume of air from a controlled environment within a facility, comprising the steps of: providing at least one air sampling device within the controlled environment; providing at least one flow switch module within the controlled environment and in flow communication with one of the at least one air sampling device, the at least one flow switch module having a flow rate detector disposed therein and configured to detect an air flow rate through the flow switch module; providing a vacuum source; providing a first controller outside the controlled environment and in flow communication with the at least one flow switch module, the first controller further in electrical communication with the vacuum source to control the vacuum source to draw a predetermined volume of air through the at least one air sampling device via the at least one flow switch module at an actual flow rate; and, detecting at the at least one flow switch module, when the actual flow rate through the at least one flow switch module falls below or above a predetermined value.