All sorts of lab work, particularly in industrial labs, require the regular handling of all manner of dangerous substances. It’s here that exhaust hoods shine and show their almost incalculable value.

Did you know… RDM Industrial Products has been manufacturing quality-designed lab furniture, tools, and laboratory equipment for more than 40 years. Laboratory exhaust fume hoods are one of the centerpieces of our business. Here, we’ll tell you a bit about what these incredible devices are. As well as what they can do, and why they are so important. We’ll also share the different types of fume hoods that we manufacture and the many benefits that you can reap from having them at your disposal.

What Do Fume Hoods Do, and Why Does Your Lab Need Them?

RDM Laboratory Fume Hoods & Casework shown with Recessed Pulls and Sliding, Frameless Glass Door Upper Wall Cabinets.

Although chemical fume hoods come in a variety of different types and styles and can have functions that differ from one another in some important ways, they all serve the same basic purpose: to remove harmful gases from the laboratory environment.

Therefore, the most basic reason to have them in your lab is to ensure lab worker safety. If you plan to conduct experiments and trigger chemical reactions in your lab that give off harmful gases as by-products, these exhaust hoods are absolutely essential.

With that, let’s have a look at some of the different types of factory-direct exhaust hoods that RDM can build for your lab.

Classifications of Laboratory Exhaust Fume Hoods, & How They Work!

In essence, a laboratory fume hood is a device that creates an enclosure around a certain work area. A chemical reaction which releases toxic fumes can then be triggered within that work area. Because the enclosure is air-tight, when properly used, the fumes don’t escape its confines. Rather, they are taken up by a ventilation or filtration system and neutralized in any of a few different ways. That is the basic way in which these devices manage and control fumes.

However, depending on the type used, the exact way in which this happens can vary. From a strictly functional perspective, here are the two basic types of chemical fume hoods:

• Ducted: A ducted hood takes air in from the front side of its enclosure and passes the air through a series of ventilation ducts. If the air is contaminated with toxic fumes, this means that those fumes will pass through the ducts until they are totally removed from the laboratory environment and expelled outside. To do this, the fume hood must be properly connected to the ventilation system that already exists in your lab. The hood can be set up to either offer filtration or not.
• Ductless: Ductless hoods, by contrast, take in contaminated air, pass it through a series of filters that remove its dangerous contaminants, and then recirculate that air right back into your lab. They don’t have to be integrated into your ventilation system and therefore are typically easier and cheaper to install.

Besides this classification based on function and fume management, hoods also vary according to a few other designs and style criteria.

Important Design Types of Fume Hoods Manufactured by RDM :

• Bench Top or Standard: As the name suggests, under this design, the hood encloses a workbench, typically with glass or a similar material. Experiments are performed through the sash and within the enclosed workstation, allowing released fumes to be filtered or otherwise removed. Below the bench is a series of chemicals where you can store important materials.
• Walk-in: Walk-in hoods encompass big enough areas that a lab worker can walk into them to do all necessary work. This style of fume hood is particularly useful in situations where cross-contamination between different workspaces must be avoided at all costs. They’re also preferred as spaces in which to trigger larger reactions in which greater volumes of toxic gases may be expelled.
• Thin Wall Economy: As the name suggests, this type of hood has especially thin walls. They serve the purpose of slightly increasing the work area that’s allowed to you. You should keep in mind, however, that their thin walls make these hoods ineffective for dealing with poisonous gases. They can still remove fumes the same way that other hoods can. However, they are not meant for totally segregating poisonous gases from the rest of the lab environment. Thus, they should not be used for that purpose. Other than that, they basically look the same as benchtop hoods. They enclose a laboratory bench and come with a set of cabinets beneath. Because of their thinner walls, however, they are typically less expensive and may therefore be useful to labs that are on a budget.
• Variable Air Volume: Variable Air Volume hoods put more power into the hands of the user. When integrated with exhaust control systems, they give you the power to control the exact rate at which the hood expels and/or filters the air. They also allow you to adjust the volume of air that the hood exhausts. Depending on the position of the sash, which can make the hood more efficient.

To see the full selection of laboratory exhaust fume hoods that RDM manufactures to help you with your airflow and exhaust needs, as well as some of their accessories and specialize features, click here.

Industries That Use Exhaust Fume Hoods:

Lastly, let us give you a brief survey of some of the many different kinds of industries that have found uses for exhaust fume hoods. Just some include:

• industrial labs and engineering firms or factories where combustible elements may be common
• scientific and university laboratories specializing in pure chemical research
• medical and pharmaceutical labs – especially where gases can be expelled as a result of chemical synthesis

Conclusion

All of RDM’s fume hoods are proudly manufactured in the USA. We are also happy to custom design them to suit your specific needs. Let RDM put its manufacturing expertise to work for you. They’ll help you keep your lab workers safe and your projects chugging along smoothly.

The post Laboratory Exhaust Fume Hoods – Manage Your Fume Control Needs appeared first on RDM Industrial Products.

We need many things to keep these complex machines well-oiled and running. Quality-designed cabinets may be simple and humble contributors to this effort. But their crucial place can sometimes be overlooked precisely because they are such simple things. This, however, only makes them all the more important.

When your lab is well-stocked with important but dangerous chemicals, where will you store them when they are not in use? How will you make sure that they don’t accidentally get released and cause serious damage? How will you protect your lab personnel from the dangers these chemicals might pose? Where and how will you store your tools? Industrial-quality laboratory cabinets & casework can be the answer to all of these questions and more.

With more than 40 years of experience, RDM Industrial Products has been designing all kinds of laboratory furniture up to the very highest standards of quality. Here’s a look at some of the different types of laboratory cabinets & casework that we have on offer and what they can do for your lab.

RDM LAB FUME HOODS & CASEWORK shown with Recessed Pulls and Sliding, Frameless Glass Door Upper Wall Cabinets.

What Can Lab Casework Do For You?

Before we get into the weeds and share with you some of the various types of lab cabinets that we can make for you, let’s answer some practical, down-to-earth questions first. Why does your lab need good casework? What can cabinets do for you?

• Storage: This may seem like an obvious thing, but it bears belaboring. At the bottom, a cabinet is just an enclosed compartment where you can store things. Your lab workers’ stock of chemicals alone will be a major thing requiring secure storage. but other things will require storage capacity as well, like extra gloves or goggles. Whenever anyone at a workstation needs something close at hand, a cabinet is an excellent place to leave that thing waiting.
• Versatility: We know that in the lab, as in life, nothing is ever truly one-size-fits-all. That’s why we manufacture cabinets that both large and small. We can make them out of a variety of different materials, fashion them into different shapes, and either attach them to workbenches or have them be standalone units put up on the wall. One of our goals is to offer you the versatility you need to meet your challenges.
• Safety: “Safety First!” is a common mantra in a wide variety of dangerous settings. It’s a mantra one should never lose sight of the fact that the lab can be a dangerous place. With its profusion of caustic and potentially hazardous substances, a lab can be something of a powder keg. With properly designed cabinets, however, you can greatly mitigate these hazards and keep everyone safe.
• Durability and Longevity: Everyone wants equipment that will last, something that can handle the stresses and rigors of everyday use. That’s why we build our cabinets to last for years and years.
• Cost Savings: Good casework can also save lab managers money in a variety of ways. Since our units are built to last a long time and can reliably absurd damage, you will save money on replacement costs.

What Kinds of Features Do Our Cabinets Have?

Now that you have some idea of how and why casework is so important to make your lab run smoothly, you should know a bit about how RDM’s factory-direct cabinets can provide you with the benefits we’ve discussed. What features do our cabinets have? What styles can we make them in? Here’s some idea of how we can make the magic happen:

• Tough, Reliable Materials: We make cabinets out of two main materials: stainless steel and wood. When storing more heavy-duty materials, metal laboratory cabinets can be just what the doctor ordered. For simpler or less high-priority items, wooden cabinets can still be a convenient storage tool. Our metal laboratory cabinets can be further customized with all sorts of other features, both aesthetic and practical. Some of these include a wide selection of colors, adjustable shelves, removable backs, static resistance, plastic lamination, sound headed doors and drawer heads, and more. For more details,  click here.
• Chemical Resistance: We the ever-present danger of caustic chemicals in the lab, it’s clear that you’re going to want to store dangerous acids and other volatile or reactive substances in places that designed to subdue or resist reactivity. Luckily, RDM can make chemical resistant cabinets that are up to the challenge. If even the roughest acids spill on them, they’ll stay in one piece. You can get a more detailed look at how we can design and equip chemical-resistant cabinets here.
• Fire Resistance: Sometimes, sparks fly in the lab. Often, significant amounts of heat are necessary to kick-start reactions. Other times, you’ll have to make use of some highly flammable chemicals in the course of your work. We can make flame-resistant cabinets to prepare you for any eventuality. You can learn more about our flame-resistant cabinets and how we can customize them for you here.

If you decide that you need laboratory cabinets & casework with any combination of these features, we can custom design them for you. None of these important features need necessarily exclude the others. Tell us about your requirements, and we’ll fashion the casework to meet them.

Laboratory Exhaust Fume Hoods

Though technically more than a mere lab storage device, laboratory exhaust fume hoods are nevertheless extremely important tools that can serve certain related critical functions. Fume hoods are meant to keep dangerous gases from spilling out into the general lab environment. They provide sealed off workbench enclosures where researchers can set off chemical reactions that release toxic fumes. Simply place the fume hood around your workbench to hermetically seal off the environment, and you’re good to go.

There are two basic types of laboratory exhaust fume hoods. The distinction between them is based on how they treat and remove noxious fumes. First, ductless fume hoods capture dangerous gases and immediately funnel them to the outside environment, well away from the lab. Ducted fume hoods, on the other hand, will capture the dangerous gas and run it through a filtration system until it is no longer dangerous. What remains can then safely be released back into the lab.

Like cabinets, therefore, fume hoods are critical for keeping dangerous substances away from lab personnel. Which type of fume hood to get for your lab is a personal decision that will vary according to circumstance. Rest assured, RDM is ready to supply you with either type. RDM laboratory fume hoods are a must have addition to round out your laboratory cabinets & casework solution.

Conclusion

Without good cabinets dotting the landscape of your lab — whether near the floor on your workbenches or hanging from the walls — things are bound to become a mess in many more ways than one. Since you can use them to store virtually anything, they are crucial to giving your lab a sense of orderliness, safety, and direction.

All of RDM’s industrial-grade laboratory cabinets & casework, as well as all of our other lab furniture, are proudly manufactured in the USA. Have a look at the full range of our laboratory cabinets & casework today and let us take your lab up a notch.

The post Diverse Laboratory Cabinets & Casework Designs to Meet Your Needs appeared first on RDM Industrial Products.

Laminar airflow hoods (often also called laminar flow benches or workstations) are special tools meant to prevent particulate contamination in experimental settings. Each one typically consists of a workbench enclosed by a stainless steel cabinet and further surrounded by glass or some similar tough but transparent material. One side of the enclosure also contains an opening, allowing a researcher to reach in and perform whatever work he needs to within that sterile environment.

What makes the environment sterile is a high-powered air filter, like a HEPA or ULPA filter. The filter sucks in air and filters out contaminants. Then releases the air back into the enclosure without making filtered and unfiltered air currents mingle with each other.

RDM Laminar Airflow Hood Workstation – Benchtop Model LF-102P-B-WHITE-02

RDM Industrial Products manufactures industrial-quality laminar flow workstations and can custom design them to meet your lab’s specific needs. But why do lab’s need these things at all? Here are ten reasons why every respectable lab should have laminar airflow hoods.

1. Airflow Hoods Enforce Sterility in Experimental Environments

The primary function of a laminar flow workstation is to decontaminate the air in its special enclosed environment. In any kind of sensitive experiment where the slightest contaminant or disturbance can throw everything off, the importance of this cannot be overstated. Labs doing any kind of precision experimental work should really have laminar flow hoods in their toolkits.

2. The Filters Can Remove Between 99.99% and 99.9995% of All Particles From the Air

Every laminar flow bench must at least meet HEPA standards for air filtration. Since RDM’s factory-direct equipment is all proudly manufactured in the USA, the filters used in our laminar flow hoods meet all such standards. Specifically, our HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters can remove 99.99% of all particles from the air with diameters of 0.3 microns or more. For those with even more stringent filtration needs, we also make laminar flow clean air workstation with ULPA (Ultra Low Particulate Air) filters. Meaning that they can remove 99.9995% of all particles from the air which are at least 0.12 microns in diameter.

3. Laminar Airflow Hoods Help Keep Researchers Safe

Closely related to their ability to remove even infinitesimal contaminants from the air is their consequent ability to keep researchers safe if the contaminants in question happen to be hazardous. There are three broad classes of laminar flow clean air workstations.

Class I workstations are meant primarily to insulate researchers from exposure to toxic fumes, vapors, dust, or chemicals released in chemical reactions.

Class II workstations are designed to facilitate biological and microbiological experiments by making sure that the surrounding air is totally sterile and doesn’t contaminate cell culture.

Class III workstations are designed for maximal safety. They are usually walk-in cabinets or glove boxes. They do not allow for the passage of any gases to the outside and are suitable for handling extremely dangerous material.

All three of these classes of laminar flow benches have great safeguards in place to protect researchers and lab workers from harm.

4. They Are Very Useful in Biological Laboratories

Researchers testing the effects of various compounds upon biological matter will benefit greatly from laminar flow hoods. The hood’s ability to purify the air helps ensure that the study of any compound’s effects on living cell cultures will be truly controlled. Furthermore, if researchers need to handle something potentially dangerous like a virus, Class III laminar airflow hoods may be just what they require to carry on their sensitive work.

5. They Can Work Wonders in Medical Labs

Because safety and precision can go such a long way in science, laminar flow HEPA workstations can be similarly useful in medical labs. It may be necessary to trigger precise chemical reactions in order to synthesize certain pharmaceutical drugs, and the slightest outside pollutant may mar the delicate balance required to sustain the reaction. Testing the virus- or bacteria-killing properties of various drugs upon cell cultures also requires an uncontaminated environment, as do other careful medical tasks like virus isolation. Proper experimental controls are important in all kinds of scientific work, and laminar flow hoods are great tools to help create them.

6. They Are Critical in Electronics Design Labs

Many electronic components need to be built with extreme precision. As microprocessors get smaller, the grooves on each chip will have to be designed increasingly carefully in order to keep them functional. High-precision machines must solder microchips now, but if even the slightest contaminant gets into the air and throws off the machine’s work by even a fraction of a millimeter, the chip will be useless. Laminar flow HEPA workstations are required to keep this delicate process running smoothly.

7. They Can Be Designed to Be Static, Flame or Chemical-Resistant

We often outfit our laminar flow hoods with special features according to the requests of our clients. Since safety is of the essence in so much laboratory work, you may require your laminar flow workbench to be fire-resistant, chemical-and-corrosion-resistant, static-resistant, or some combination of all three. We can coat a workstation in a removable ESD Static Dissipative material at your request, build one with chemical-resistant trespa or construct the hood’s enclosure with flame-resistant stainless steel.

8. Vertical and Horizontal Laminar Flow Hoods Cater to Different Needs

Labs can use either horizontal laminar flow hoods or vertical laminar flow hoods. A horizontal laminar flow hood will suck in air from the back of the unit and expel it towards the front. A vertical laminar flow hood will take in air from the top of the unit and release it down towards the bottom. If you need work surface depth and low turbulence, or if you are working with smaller samples, opt for the former. If easy access, compactness, and the ability to simply install the food and filter onto a standard workbench are important to you, go with the latter. RDM designs both kinds.

9. Wide Customizability

Beyond the variety of features already mentioned, RDM can custom design various other features for you. Including workbench height, work surface depth and width, types of light fixtures used to illuminate the work surface, power cord length, and power options, and more. We look forward to designing just the right laminar flow clean air workstations to meet the particular needs of your lab.

10. Airflow Hoods Are Eco-Friendly and Economical

Though a laminar flow bench is a complex and variegated piece of equipment, once it’s up and running, things are fairly simple. It typically uses a power that plugs into the wall and doesn’t consume much electricity at all. They recycle the air in the room and allow carbon-saturated air to be easily disposed of, so they are environmentally friendly. After they are installed, the only maintenance costs typically come from yearly filter replacements. Filters can cost anywhere from as little as $300 each to about $2,000.

In Conclusion

Laminar airflow hoods are essential to any laboratory that does any kind of precision and careful scientific or engineering work — which is to say, virtually every self-respecting laboratory whatsoever. No lab is truly complete without it. And RDM stands ready to give you any type of model your need and customize it to a long list of exact particulars. Have a look at some of our industrial-quality laminar flow clean air workstations today and take your lab up to the next level.

The post Top 10 Reasons Laboratories Need Laminar Airflow Hoods appeared first on RDM Industrial Products.

Thus, from both a safety and financial angle, the decision to purchase laboratory exhaust fume hoods is a critically important one for lab managers.

RDM Industrial Products, with its over 40+ years of experience in manufacturing the finest laboratory hardware, stands at the ready to assist you and supply your needs.

But before you embark on your quest for laboratory exhaust fume hoods, here is some of what you need to know about these crucial machines and about how RDM designs them.

Fume Hood Styles

Fume hoods can be classified in a number of different ways. The first is by their functionality and the ways in which they treat the air that is sucked up into their systems. In this regard, there there are two types of fume hoods:

• Ducted:
  Ducted fume hoods draw in air from the front side of the cabinet or workstation where scientists and lab technicians do their work. It then simply expels that air not only from the laboratory environment, but from the building more generally. In this way, any dangerous fumes that are expelled over the course of your lab work will be swiftly removed from the room. Protecting both you and any other researches or lab personnel from exposure. To do this, ducted fume hoods will need to be connected to the ventilation system that already exists in your facilities. RDM Industrial Products offers a number of factory-direct, industrial-quality ducted fume hoods, like the popular SB-MAX. Many of these can be built according to your personal size specifications and outfitted with a number of optional additional features.
• Ductless (Recirculating):
  By contrast, a ductless or recirculating fume hood works differently. It takes the potentially noxious or toxic gases that have been released into its system, runs them through a filtration mechanism until they are no longer harmful. And then releases the filtered air back into the laboratory room. As with ducted fume hoods, RDM manufactures a diverse selection of ductless models as well. Including the SB-MAX-A, which filters and recirculates your air while also bringing in more air from the outside. As with ducted models, all ductless fume hoods from RDM are manufactured direct. And if needed, they can be built according to your size specifications. It is also important to remember that ductless fume hoods typically have lower initial costs. And, depending on the environment, can provide greater benefits in the form of higher efficiency. As such, they are an excellent option for lab managers seeking to lower long-term costs.

In addition to this functional classification, fume hoods also vary by things like size and overall design style. Here, the major categories sold by RDM are as follows:

• Bench Top Hoods:
  Bench top fume hoods are the most common, and therefore the standard, fume hood design style. In this case, the fume hood is attached to and surrounds a work counter, below which are storage cabinets that allow you to keep various laboratory chemicals close at hand.
• Walk-In Hoods:
  Walk-in fume hoods are typically large enough to allow a person to fit into them. They are generally separated into multiple compartments with an internal bypass that adjusts as the sash is either raised or lowered. Walk-in fume hoods are useful for laboratories which expect to have to deal with large volumes of toxic gases. RDM’s standard model here is the WB-MAX.
• HEPA Workstations:
  HEPA workstations are much like bench top fume hoods, except that they are generally smaller and more portable. Also, the come attached to a HEPA air filter which continuously bathes the surrounding work environment with freshly filtered air.

All RDM fume hoods are proudly manufactured in the USA. We encourage you to take a look at our many fume hood models and styles and choose the one(s) that are best fitted to your lab’s peculiar needs. Custom designs are available upon request.

Exhaust Fume Hood Options

Laboratory exhaust fume hoods – of all the types and styles mentioned above – come with a number of different optional design features. If there’s a feature you’d like to add, a member of the RDM Team would be happy to see if it fits in with your design. Many of these options concern the design and construction of the storage cabinets that come attached to certain fume hoods.

Typically, cabinets, associated workstations and fume hoods themselves are made of stainless steel. Though RDM can custom-design cabinets using other materials like laminated wood and melamine wood. We can also make the cabinets and overall fume hood flame resistant and/or chemical resistant. Which is an especially important feature for labs that are stocked with flammable or corrosive substances. Trespass base cabinets, which are also chemical-resistant, are available as well.

RDM can also build exhaust fume hoods in a wide variety of sizes. Generally ranging from 35 inches wide on the smaller end to as much as 96 inches wide on the larger end. The specific size options available will vary depending on the model that you have your eye on, however, so be sure to check out all of our industrial-quality fume hood models. Design options for base cabinet construction will also vary depending on the types of chemicals that you intend to store and use in your lab.

Fume Hood Accessories

RDM fume hoods also can come with a diverse set of technical accessories. Allowing you expand their capabilities and put them to laboratory-specific uses. RDM’s customization features only augment your power of choice and help you to assemble a better and more multi-purpose lab. Accessories, broadly speaking, fall into the following categories:

• Compatibility With Room Fixtures:
  Depending on the nature of the room and ventilation system with which you’ll be using your fume hood, various accessories may be necessary. Fume hoods can be set up to work with standard air systems, with chilled water, natural gas, argon or other arrangements, as required.
• Ventilation Control Styles:
  RDM offers both analog and digital ventilation control systems with its variable air volume fume hoods. Digital systems generally offer more fine-grained control over air flow and air volume, but analog knobs are also available. Such hoods also come with alarms which go off if air flow is not kept within certain pre-set parameters. Moreover, we can build custom-made fume hoods which remove toxic gases by creating a vacuum. Sashes made of safety glass.

We encourage you to browse through the full range of our quality-designed fume hoods. Then give RDM Industrial Products a call at 1-877-483-5733. Let us build one for you that will let you push your lab to new heights.

The post What You Need To Know About Laboratory Exhaust Fume Hoods appeared first on RDM Industrial Products.

Fume Hood Purpose

A fume hood’s purpose might sound simple, but it’s critically important since any lab accident can be catastrophic. One spilled chemical can lead to lifelong injuries or death in the worst-case scenario.

A fume hood is designed to collect and contain dust, vapor, and fumes. They will then be removed from the air via the laboratory’s exhaust system. When used properly, this will completely remove any airborne fumes and particles in the air so that workers and students are safe.

Different Types of Fume Hoods

There are several different types of fume hoods that all serve the same basic purpose but go about their task in different ways. The most common and simplest to use is called a Constant Air Volume, or CAV, fume hood. These remove fixed amounts of air at all times and regulate the overall volume of air in the room.

There are also Variable Air Volume, or VAV, fume hoods. You can adjust the sash height to alter airflow. These models often come with monitors and there is an emergency purge feature that quickly removes any hazardous fumes or particles.

Most fume hoods look like large metal cabinets, but there are also some walk-in fume hoods that serve somewhat different purposes. They still collect fumes, vapors, and particles for safety, but their main purpose is to keep the work process separate from other parts of the lab. This allows technicians to work on more volatile chemicals without interfering with the rest of the lab.

Fume Hood Limitations

A properly operated chemical fume hood works wonders against gaseous pollutants and particles. At the same time, they have limitations just like any other lab equipment. Anyone who was near the accident may have inhaled the fumes before the fume hood started working. While a hood can minimize the risk here, it can’t completely eliminate it.

Fume hoods only work on the airborne elements of the chemicals and particles. You will still need goggles, aprons, and other personal protective gear for comprehensive safety. While a fume hood isn’t infallible, it is essential for clearing the air of any pollutants.

You must also consider capacity, especially if you’re choosing a ductless fume hood. Ductless hoods are more affordable and are usually adequate for smaller spaces or when working with less dangerous chemicals. At the same time, they tend to have significantly less capacity and airflow than air hoods attached to the ducts.

Safety Checks

There are several factors you must check before putting the fume hood to work. You don’t want to discover the hood malfunctions after a chemical spill has occurred. Ensure that all safety certifications have been completed within the last 12 months. If any certifications have expired, then have the fume hood inspected immediately. Ensure that you can safely control airflow and that the model works as expected by testing it out.

Chemical fume hoods come with baffles and some have both upper and lower baffles. These can be adjusted with a lever attached to the hood. Test the baffles and ensure they work as expected. The sash level determines how much air the fume hood regulates. Keep it as low as possible to conserve energy. It shouldn’t be lifted above the arrow for efficient operating unless needed. Ensure the sash level affects the airflow as expected.

Be sure to read the operating instructions for any other parts or functions. You will want to test everything to ensure the fume hood works when needed. You don’t want to find out a critical feature is broken when an accident happens.

Safely Avoid Cross Drafts

An essential aspect of fume hood safety is to avoid cross drafts. Any air currents or cross drafts in the lab can drastically reduce the fume hood’s efficiency. The contaminated air can be pulled away from the hood and circulated back into the lab, which poses a risk to employees and means the fume hood must work harder to remove the hazardous contaminants.

Most cross drafts are made by seemingly innocuous means. They are often formed by open windows and doors, existing air ventilation or even employees moving their arms and bodies near the fume hood. This is often done in an effort to remove the contaminants and might seem helpful, but the fume hood must be unimpeded in its work. These cross drafts must be avoided for peak proficiency.

Fume Hood Maintenance

Another essential aspect of safety is maintaining the fume hood so it’s ready when you need it. Check the airfoil and ensure it’s properly in alignment. It can be knocked out of place and this can significantly impact airflow. It might go without saying, but some people have used fume hoods as storage spaces since they look like cabinets. This should never be done as it can impair or destroy the fume hood.

You must also wash the interior of the hood to avoid any chemicals building up. This is especially important if you are working with explosive or highly reactive chemicals. Many fume hoods have a wash setting. If your model doesn’t come with one, then wash the interior manually. It’s suggested that this be done daily, but check your fume hood’s instructions to see if your specific model suggests a different cleaning schedule.

In Conclusion

Fume hoods are one of the safest and most reliable pieces of the lab equipment available. They quickly remove hazardous contaminants from the air and minimize damage from chemical spills. Check our large catalog of fume hoods to find the ideal one for your lab. We offer many different sizes and styles that will suit your industrial needs.

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The Need for a Fume Hood

A fume hood should be used when the workers are involved in the use of materials that are near to the permissible exposure limit. Another reason for using the hood is to filter out the radioactive isotopes when using radioactive materials. When there is a growing concern that the flammable vapors might attain 1/10 of the lower explosion limit. These hoods are helpful when working with materials that are non-hazardous but emit vapors or unpleasant odors.

Features of Chemical Fume Hoods

To choose a chemical fume hood, a comprehensive analysis of the laboratory needs to be conducted. The concentration of the contaminants in the air should be determined and the particulates that pose a threat should be identified. Consult lab fume hood manufacturers to help you decide on the type of fume hood that is best suitable for your environment and for the materials used in your lab. Consider the energy efficiency of the hood when purchasing one. Hoods that follow the concept of variable-air-volume (VAV) or use two-speed systems offer great energy efficiency.

Duct or No Duct?

Ductless fume hoods get rid of the toxic particles, vapors, and fumes at a much lower cost, due to the absence of ductwork. Ductless fume hoods have some chemical and heat restrictions which might not be suitable for the general application in certain laboratories. The chemical volumes should remain below 500mls when ductless fume hoods are used.

Types of Chemical Fume Hoods

• Air Flow Hoods

Air flow is an integral part of a fume hood. For applications where the air levels within the hood need to be adjusted, customized lab fume hoods that offer variable air velocities are available.

• Thin-walled Fume Hoods

For laboratories that do not work with hazardous materials, heavy-walled hoods with accessories are not necessary. Instead, thin-walled hoods that execute the same function should be used. The lab fume hood price will be more economical for tin-walled ones.

• Walk-in Fume Hoods

Cabinet-sized exhaust fume hoods are suitable for large-scale projects where the bench hoods will not suffice. The larger hoods allow the worker to sit or stand within them and house large equipment.

Always have the hood installed from a professional installer

A chemical fume hood is nothing like the hoods found in kitchens. The placement and positioning of the hood should also be guided by the professional to ensure fume hood safety. A chemical fume hood should always be installed by a professional installer because of its complexity.

Depending on the needs, some hoods can be attached to a special conduit for leading the gases out of the building. Alternatively, a fume hood can also be attached to an incinerator for burning off the toxic gases. The hood should be properly attached to the incinerator to drive away the toxic gases.

Final Words

When choosing a lab fume hood manufacturer, make sure that their products comply with the necessary safety and quality standards. The right manufacturer is as important as the right chemical fume hood. Working with a reputed manufacturer will keep you covered on the grounds of efficiency, safety, cost, and customization.

The post Enhance the Safety of a Workplace with Fume Hoods appeared first on RDM Industrial Products.

A chemical fume hood is basically enclosed equipment that is designed to draw air inward for filtration purposes. The main function of the exhaust is to control the presence of hazardous substances in the air by drawing in air with the help of mechanical ventilation.

Installation Process:

When a new laboratory or chemical facility is setup, the processes are usually reviewed by concerned authorities. This is on a regular basis. It is regarding whether the construction is safe and what steps are being taken to control pollution. It also concerns poisonous gases released in the environment. The chemical fume hoods need to be installed in the right place. Thus, it will draw most of the polluted air inwards and pass it through the filtration system. One can also see a lab fume hood in places where solids are used to separate from liquids such as to determine toxicity or emissions from lab equipment are used in testing processes.

Maintenance is Necessary:

Chemical fume hoods designed for laboratories are also useful in eliminating fumes from radioisotopes and acids. This type of equipment is also used in distillation labs. A laboratory fume hood should be maintained regularly such as to maintain the efficiency of the device in drawing in air full of contaminants.

The three essential components of fume hoods are the sash, the baffle and the hood. The hoods should be positioned in such a way that the intake of air should not be hampered by any other object. Also, each lab should have enough air supply for proper functioning of the various components of the chemical fume hood.

Special Permit Necessary:

In modern day, laboratories require a special permit for testing of certain contaminants. This also includes labs where pollution is checked and samples from different residential, commercial and industrial sites are taken. These types of laboratories also need to comply by installing chemical fume hoods.

Maintenance is also important, as the main function of a fume hood is to capture emissions from various chemical and testing procedures. If the equipment is not cleaned regularly, then its ability to maintain fresh air in the lab will lessen. Fume hoods are also equipped with monitoring devices that must be calibrated to ensure accuracy. The lab equipment manufacturers do not generally allow the addition of devices on the industrial fume hood for venting purposes as they believe that they will reduce the efficiency of the hood itself.

Use of Ductless Hoods:

In the case of small work areas where the amount of contaminants is less, the ductless hoods can be used to capture emissions. This is in and around a self-contained workstation. These ductless hoods are usually installed on a utility workbench. Normally it is close to the individual such as to protect him. The ducted hoods are also used to attract and filter odor and solids in air streams. Walk-in hoods are also used in cases of high volume emissions.

With so many options available, one should choose an industrial fume hood wisely. Measuring the number of emissions per square foot and the frequency should be done quickly. This will ensure that the right size is obtained.

If you’re unsure about any aspect of purchasing a Fume Hood for your work environment, get in touch with us. We are here to answer all your concerns.

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Designing the Chemical Fume Hood

The lab fume hoods nowadays are designed concisely so that they can be installed over individual workstations. The workers can control a fume hood by simply switching it on and off. This type of lab fume hoods will keep the worker safe as they will directly draw the hazardous gaseous substances from the workstations. Another type of lab fume hood is the centralized one, often kept in the middle of the room such that it can draw air from all corners of the room.

This type of fume hood is usually bigger in size such that they can attract hazardous substances from all parts of the room. The centralized chemical fume hoods are kept running all the time. So, a lab fume hood should be chosen based on the requirements of the lab, experiments usually conducted as well as their strength. The hazardous gases collected from the working area should be channelized to places where they can be incinerated or treated properly. The objective of the fume hoods is to draw in the released poisonous gases and to dispose of them in the treatment zone properly.

Using the Chemical Fume Hood

A lab fume hood is used when working with

• Flammable or volatile chemicals like formaldehyde and chloroform
• Chemicals that come with a national fire Protection Association rating of 3 or 4
• Carcinogens and toxic gases like CO, NH₃, and F₂
• Explosive and reactive materials

Chemical Fume Hood Types

The fume hoods come with different types of exhaust ducts and are thus differentiated according to that. Some models of fume hoods can also operate as a ductless unit. Let’s look at the different types of exhaust duct units.

Bypass CAV Hoods:

This type of fume hood drains the same amount of gaseous substances while working. It does not matter how high or low the sash has been raised. Usually, the air velocity changes when the sash is lowered or raised at the front of the hood.

Non Bypass CAV Hoods:

The hood remains closed in the Non Bypass CAV Hoods that adds to safety. However, the drawback of the conventional CAV lab fume hood is that the forced room becomes contaminated when air pressure increases from the closed sash.

Low Flow/High-performance CAV Hoods:

In order to limit capacity, the Low/High-performance CAV Hoods contains horizontal sliding sashes sash stops. They also have newer aerodynamic designs. Even though they are quite costly, in the long run, they will make energy savings.

Variable Air Volume (VAV) Hoods:

Sash height regulates the air flow and the level is always maintained at 100 fpm. This type of fume hoods works best when the face velocity is within the range 80-120 linear feet per minute. The VAV hoods will sound alarms when malfunctions occur.

Canopy Fume Hoods:

It is akin to kitchen range hoods, and these units have a hood without enclosure or sash. It operates to remove heat, steam, non-toxic smoke, and odors.

When purchasing a lab fume hood, it is best to check out the working environment first and decide upon what type of hood will best suit it.

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Industrial hoods, like laboratory fume hoods and horizontal laminar flow hoods, permit safe handling of hazardous materials and prevent contamination of highly sensitive materials. They are critical workspaces for protecting workers, protecting products, and protecting the environment. Each type of hood has a particular use for which it is best suited and it is important to know when to use each.

Types of Hoods

There are two main types of hoods, exhaust fume hoods and laminar flow hoods. A few key points can help you understand the differences between them.

Exhaust Fume Hoods

Exhaust fume hoods, also known as laboratory fume hoods or chemical fume hoods, are designed to confine hazardous fumes, vapors, gases, and dusts, and remove them to the atmosphere.

Key Features:

• protects the user from exposure to harmful airborne chemicals
• does not protect the product from contamination
• draws unfiltered room air into the hood from the front face (open side) of the cabinet and exhausts the air through ductwork to the outside of the building
• commonly used when performing chemical reactions that may spatter or fume, procedures that may create dusts or aerosols, and when handling toxic, volatile, or flammable materials

Laminar Flow Hoods

There are two categories of laminar flow hoods:

• clean benches
• biological safety cabinets

Clean benches and biological safety cabinets use HEPA or ULPA filtered air to create smooth, non-turbulent layers of purified air flow that travel uniformly (vertically or horizontally) through the hood. Although both rely on filtered, laminar air flow, each is used for very different purposes. Clean benches are designed to control particulate contamination. Biological safety cabinets, also called biosafety cabinets, are designed to contain biological hazards and control particulate contamination.

Clean Benches

Key Features:

• protects the product from contamination by the user or environment
• does not protect the user from exposure to the product
• available as a vertical or horizontal laminar flow hood, depending on the application
• commonly used in laboratories, inspection areas, and clean rooms to manipulate non-hazardous products in a clean air environment, such as Class 100 (ISO 5) or Class 10 (ISO 4)

Biological Safety Cabinets

Key Features:

• Class I
  – protects the user and environment from exposure to products that are classified as biosafety level 1, 2, or 3
  – does not protect the product from being contaminated by the user or environment
• Class II
  – protects the user and environment from exposure to products that are classified as biosafety level 1, 2, or 3
  – protects the product from being contaminated by the user or environment
• Class III
  – protects the user and environment from exposure to products that are classified as biosafety level 1, 2, 3, or 4
  – protects the product from being contaminated by the user or environment
• commonly used in research laboratories and hospitals to work safely with infectious organisms and protect live cultures against contamination

Deciding on the Right Hood

Understanding the differences between the types of laboratory hoods is a good start toward choosing the right equipment for the task at hand. In addition, it is important to gather and evaluate detailed information about the products to be handled in the hood, the purpose for which the products will be used, and the protection that needs to be provided to the user, the products, and/or the environment. With all the information in hand, you will be able to choose the type of hood that is best suited for your use.

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A laboratory fume hood is an enclosure that is built inside a chemistry lab for conducting experiments that release toxic chemicals. A fume hood is also used to store volatile compounds that can be harmful to the environment. A laminar flow hood, on the other hand, is also an enclosure built mostly in a biological lab for conducting of experiments that involve delicate microorganisms. It is used to create a sterile environment for doing biological experiments. It is also called a biosafety cabinet.

Let’s take a closer look at the two, and differentiate between their working principles and uses.

Flow Hoods

Working Principle

There are different kinds of flow hoods commonly used in the laboratories. They are divided into three main classes.

• Class 1. In these types of flow hoods, the air flows from the lab towards the surface where the experiments are conducted
• Class 2. In this flow hood, air flows from the lab towards the chamber. Fresh air then enters the chamber from above. The exhaust air is then HEPA filtered before release to the environment through the exhaust fume hood. The air can also be recirculated inside the chamber.
• Class 3. These kinds of biosafety cabinets are used in labs where delicate experiments are conducted. Both the air entering the chamber and the air exiting are passed through HEPA filters to ensure that it is free from contamination.

Uses

This kind of flow hood is not only used in biological labs. It is also a standard component in electronic manufacturing labs where it is used to create a non-contaminated environment that is required during assembling of electronics.

The equipment is also essential in a microbiology lab. Laminar flow hoods are used to ensure that the air required in handling specific microorganisms such as antisera is clean and free from contaminants.

A horizontal laminar flow hood is used in pharmaceutical companies to create an aseptic environment for the handling of sterile products. The horizontal laminar flow hood is fitted with HEPA filters that continuously bathe the working deck with fresh air. This aids in the removal of microorganisms that can interfere with the experiments. The air from the laminar flow hood exits the chamber via an exhaust fume hood.

Fume Hoods

Working Principle

The most common fume hoods are bypass hoods. These are designed to operate at a constant volume of air. There are numerous kinds of bypass fume hoods including auxiliary air, high performance, and reduced air volume hoods. The fume hoods have an efficient air exhaust system that allows expulsion of toxic gases.

Some fume hoods are specially made to handle specific corrosive substances such as hyperchloric acid. Others have specifications that enable handling of radioactive materials and are fitted with filters to prevent the release of these elements to the environment.

Uses

A laboratory fume hood is widely found in many analytical chemistry labs where experiments that release toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide gas are released.

It is also ideal for performing experiments that involve chemicals that easily sputter out during heating. Such compounds can easily burn the lab technician and other lab occupants when conducted in the open space.

The other kind of experiments that should be conducted inside a laboratory fume hood are ones that involve flammable chemicals. These chemicals can be deadly when exposed to the air.

Aerosols, carcinogens, and other volatile chemicals are also handled within this enclosure.

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