Fume Hoods or fume cupboards are enclosed exhaust ventilation systems built in different sizes to meet the needs of laboratory practices. They are typically large pieces of electrical equipment that capture and remove gas, vapors, and toxic pollutants. This is a special type of exhaust system that blows chemical airborne particles into the atmosphere and protects the user from small explosions, spills, and harmful poisonous gas.
The enclosed ventilated closet system helps capture hazardous gases, fumes, and vapors generated while performing experiments and research. It is known as lab or chemical hood. These flexible engineering exhaust equipment are widely used to minimize the risk of exposure and toxic fumes. In simple terms, fume Hoods act like a barrier to prevent harmful gas from spreading.
Like any other equipment, Lab personnel should wear a PPE kit and clean the fume hood equipment regularly. It is important to use proper cleansing agents depending on the material used in Fume Hood. You can use wire wool to clean the stainless steel of the fume hoods. You can apply wax stripped by solvents to make the stainless surface slippery. The plastic or wooden laboratory bench tops can be cleaned by using a thin veneer of silicone or wax oil.
Make sure to clean your fume hood equipped with a filter properly. Firstly, you can timely replace the filters to maintain the optimal fresh airflow in the laboratory. You can use polyurethane( synthetic) cloth and mild soap to clean the Fume Hood Filter. Avoid using chlorine-based solutions.
There are several approaches to optimizing energy efficiency in laboratory utilities. They have become an integral part of the era of modern power systems that include the use of energy-efficient equipment, cement smart HVAC systems, insulating properly, employing energy monitoring systems, and adopting sustainable practices such as recycling and waste reduction.
A well-designed fume hood pulls the contaminated air through a HEPA filter. The high-efficiency particulate system can eliminate 99.97% of bacterial, harmful air-borne particles and pollen molds. Their built-in mechanism helps to control the contaminated environment. The blower or slash in the fume hood equipment pulls the hazardous toxic pollutants through the HEPA mechanism.
The ventilated enclosed is designed to prevent the spills and spread of harmful chemicals outside the chambers. As the term suggests, it ventilates the hazardous fumes, gases, and vapors and protects the lab workers and assistants from inhaling. The electrical device filters the air minimizing the risk of exposure to toxic fumes and dangerous gases.
The face Velocity of the fume hood means the velocity of the air stuck into the air. It is measured by a certain air volume per unit sucked across the face or open area of the fume hood. That means that high face velocity can result in turbulence and leakage of the containments inside the fume hood.