Of course, we also know that benches and workstations are the bread-and-butter of every laboratory. They are the central thing that makes it hum along. But for certain high-precision tasks, an ordinary workbench just won’t cut it.

That’s where laminar air flow hoods and clean air workstations come in.

These are special workstations that are enclosed by special cabinets. Each made partially of metal and partially of transparent material like glass or acrylic. One side of the enclosure, however, is generally either left totally open or at least provides workers with the option to create an opening. Thus, in a laminar flow bench, everything is done within the confines of an enclosure.

The true importance of this fact, however, only comes out once you realize what the central component of the enclosure is: a high-precision air filter like a HEPA or an ULPA filter. Thus, a laminar flow bench is meant to create a work environment whose air is utterly cleansed of all, or very nearly all, particulates and contaminants. It creates an ideal space for work with extremely sensitive materials.

RDM Horizontal Clean Air Workstation – Model LFH-102PE-6-01

But this description only scratches the surface of what these devices can really do and what they are meant for. For more than four decades, RDM Industrial Products has manufactured factory-direct and industrial-quality lab equipment of all sorts. Laminar flow hoods are among are among our proudest offerings. Here, we’re going to tell you more about what laminar flow hoods are. We’ll share what they do, and how they work. As well as the most important types that exist and why your lab truly needs them.

What Do Laminar Flow Hoods & Clean Air Workstations Do?

Before we delve into the specifics. Like the kinds of laminar flow hoods RDM can manufacture and the particular things they can do for you. Let us provide a general overview to help set the stage.

As mentioned, laminar flow benches are encased and use high-powered air filters to remove particulates from the surrounding air. But the filters don’t just take in, clean and release back air in a haphazard way. They do it very specifically, generating what’s know as a laminar flow. This means that air currents which are absorbed by the air filter and those which are released by it all flow parallel to one another so as not to disturb each other.

Without this kind of action, the filter would never be able to reliably purify air. If a filtered air current were to disturb an as yet unfiltered air current, contaminants from the latter would likely find their way into the former, thus nullifying the filter’s work. Laminar flow also creates a very serene air flow environment in the workbench enclosure that it free from major disturbances.

Thus, clean air workstations are ideal places to work with very sensitive materials which cannot tolerate contamination or disturbance.

Types of Laminar Flow Hoods

Laminar flow HEPA workstations fall into two broad categories based on the direction in which they send air flowing:

• Vertical Laminar Flow Hoods:

  Vertical laminar flow hoods take in air flow the top of the unit and then release it back down after filtering it. Thus, air flows vertically and downward. These models tend to be relatively compact and easy to install and use. In fact, the filters and enclosures from such units can be attached to many different kinds of lab workbenches.

• Horizontal Laminar Flow Hoods:

  Horizontal laminar flow hoods take in air from the back of their enclosure and send it flowing out horizontally toward the front. That is, toward where the researchers happens to be working. To make this process work as intended requires air flows in these units to much even more delicate than those in vertical laminar flow hoods. Thus, horizontal models have greater physical depth, sensitivity and complexity to their designs. The most high-end air filters also usually work best on horizontal models.

Other Important Features of Clean Air Workstations

Beyond this, RDM’s laminar flow workstations have many other features that help make them into extraordinary assets to your laboratory. We also give you the power to customize certain features to your liking. Here are some of these important additional features:

• Filters:

  You already know that air filters are the centre piece of each and every laminar flow hood. But all filters are not the same. Each hood comes equipped with an air filter that can at least meet HEPA standards. These HEPA — or, High-Efficiency Particulate Air — filters are able to filter out 99.99% of all particles from the surrounding air. Particles which are 0.3 microns in diameter or larger. If this does not meet your standards, you can outfit your work station with an ULPA — or, Ultra-Low Particulate Air — filter. These filters remove 99.999% of all particles from the surrounding air which are 0.12 microns in diameter or larger.

• Work Surfaces and Side Panels:

  If you plan to work with lasers, we can make the work station’s side panels out of black acrylic for you. We can also add in a front draft guide to help better control air flow and even make it static-resistant. As for the workstation surface, we can laminate it with plastic or coat it with other materials for you if you so desire.

• Noise Levels:

  Units produce only about 50 decibels of noise. This is about as loud as the hum of a standard refrigerator or a conversation going on at some distance from you.

• Lighting:

  All units come with industrial-quality LED lighting fixtures inside the workbench enclosure.

You can find a list of other important features of clean air workstations , as well as a detailed filter classification scheme,  here.

Conclusion

Laminar flow HEPA workstations aren’t just vacuously complicated and fancy pieces of equipment that lab managers can use to show off. Not only are they essential to do doing extremely delicate work, but they have allowed us to make enormous strides in lab safety whenever certain kinds dangerous substances become involved.

But as with any other important tool, laminar air flow hoods and clean air workstations contain a significant amount of variation between them. Before selecting one for your lab, we strongly recommend acquainting yourself with their uses and features in greater detail, which you can do by going  here. RDM has great latitude in its ability to customize laminar air flow hoods for you. So once you’ve settled on what you want, your unit(s) will be proudly manufactured in the USA and will come directly from the factory.

We look forward to helping you bring your lab up to the next level.

The post Understanding Clean Air Workstations & Laminar Air Flow Hoods appeared first on RDM Industrial Products.

Scientific and research labs are frequently at the forefront of such developments. Since it’s impossible to reliably perform scientific experiments without setting up sterile and highly controlled conditions, labs often need some highly sophisticated tools just to be able to carry on their day-to-day operations. One of the most important of these tools is laminar flow hoods.

RDM Industrial Products proudly manufactures many of these.

What Are Laminar Flow Hoods?

RDM Laminar Flow Workstation – Bench-top Model LF-102P-B-SS-SHROUD-01

Before we tell you about the features and significance of these machines, just what are they? Briefly, laminar flow workstations are devices meant to prevent small particle contaminants in the air from getting into important lab samples. In total, they consist of a workbench or workstation which is typically enclosed by a stainless steel cabinet. Also, parts of the enclosure — especially the front-facing wall — are usually made of glass or some other durable but transparent material. This allows lab workers to be able to see what is going on inside of the hood. Some hoods allow workers to open a small door that lets them reach inside to retrieve or manipulate samples, while others — meant to handle more sensitive material — only allow researchers to reach in through small pre-prepared openings with gloved hands.

What enables these clean air workstations to work their magic, though, is an air filter that purifies the air in the enclosure and continually removes any possible impurities from it. It does this by way of what’s known as a laminar flow.

After the filter sucks in air and removes impurities from it, it must release it in such a way that the other air in the workstation environment, which has not yet been filtered, is not disturbed. If the other air is disturbed, its impurities will mix with the purified air and nullify the actions of the filter. Thus, the filter must release air smoothly and carefully so that it flows entirely parallel to the currents of unpurified air. The filter then takes in more unpurified air and repeats the process. This is called a laminar flow.

Why Use Laminar Flow Hoods?

Now that you know what clean air workstations do, the new question to ask is how and why they might be useful in a work environment. Here are just a few reasons why you might need a laminar flow workstation:

• Keep Samples Sterile: This has already been discussed in general terms, but it’s worthwhile to provide a few specific examples. Any experiment or operation which is dependent on highly precise chemical reactions occurring or which even the slightest pollutant has the power to hinder should be done inside of clean air benches. This includes things like virus isolation, the testing of drugs and treatments upon bacterial or viral cultures, or even the soldering of microprocessors. Our civilization would not be able to function as we know it without these things, thus underscoring the importance of clean air benches.
• Help Keep Lab Workers Safe: Sterile environments aren’t just important to make sure that experiments go right; they can also be crucial to ensuring workplace safety. Air contaminants need not always be annoying, but essentially harmless gases; in some cases, they can be quite dangerous things. Certain important chemical reactions may produce hazardous by-products. In such cases, effective and fine-grained filters are essential to removing toxins and making sure that all lab workers are safe. Dangerous viruses also need to be kept tightly segregated from the rest of the lab to allow researchers to work with them while staying out of danger. Laminar flow workstations are important for this as well.
• They Are Eco-Friendly and Can Save You Money: Laminar flow hood can sometimes be costly to install, but over time, they tend to pay for themselves. By recycling air and safely disposing of carbon and other pollutants, they see the environment. Also, since RDM’s models run on electricity and consume energy efficiently, they can end up saving your lab money on power costs.

Different Types of Laminar Flow Hoods

Broadly speaking, you can divide laminar flow workstations into two basic types depending on how they suck in and expel air. There are trade-offs associated with each, so you must decide which one better suits the needs of your lab:

• Vertical Laminar Flow Hoods: Vertical laminar flow hoods take in air from the top of the unit and then release it vertically so that it flows down toward the bottom. Vertical hoods tend to be easy to install and compact. Their filters can be easily attached to many ordinary laboratory workbenches.
• Horizontal Laminar Flow Hoods: Horizontal laminar flow hoods send air flowing horizontally, moving it from the back of each unit and out toward the front. As such, horizontal laminar flow workbenches tend to have significantly greater depth than the vertical sort does. Since the filtering process makes air currents flow past one another horizontally without mutual disturbance, these laminar flow hoods tend to be quite sensitive. That makes them ideal environments for handling small and sensitive samples that have very low contamination tolerances.

RDM Industrial Products produces factory-direct and industrial-quality versions of both of these major types. And in case you didn’t know, most of our products are proudly manufactured in the USA.

Some Key Features

The centerpiece of every laminar flow hood is its filter. Broadly speaking, two kinds of filters can come with their special workstations, each with their particular features and capabilities. The first type of filter is a HEPA (or High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. It removes 99.99% of all particles from the air with diameters of 0.3 microns or more. The second type is called a ULPA (or Ultra Low Particulate Air) filter. It can remove 99.9995% of all particles from the air that are 0.12 microns in diameter or larger.

All of RDM’s laminar flow hoods can meet minimal HEPA standards, so they are all at least HEPA workstations. If you need something a bit more sensitive or heavy-duty than HEPA workstations, we can gladly build workbenches for you that use even more powerful filters.

As mentioned, our workstations all run on electricity. They are also extremely quiet, generating only about 50 decibels of noise. Which about as loud as a drizzle of moderate rainfall. They come with LED light fixtures to keep the work environment illuminated. And you also have the option of making them from static dissipative, flame-resistant, or chemical-resistant materials.

Have a look at RDM’s array of laminar flow hoods to get a fuller sense of your customization options.

Significance for Today’s Workplaces

Some of the most important scientific, medical, bacteriological, pharmaceutical, or engineering work that is done in our world today — work without which it would be impossible to sustain our civilization — is done with the assistance of laminar airflow hoods. These devices are critical to ensuring worker safety in many of these occupations.

A laminar flow hood clean air workstation isn’t just some arcane piece of tech relegated to obscure and dirty labs. They have helped make critical advancements in workplace safety. They have helped us to do things that we couldn’t otherwise do. Thanks to RDM’s manufacturer-direct models, you too can push your workplace to the next level.

Give our team a call today – 1-877-485-1482 – and let us help you with your next clean air workstation(s) solution.

The post Primary Uses of Laminar Flow Hoods in Today’s Workplaces 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.

Let’s take a moment to discuss keeping your products and environment safe from dust & particulates with the help of Laminar Flow Hoods, Cabinets and Workstations.

This piece of equipment is basically a workbench enclosed by a cabinet made of some durable material like stainless steel. The sides of the cabinet enclosure are walled off by glass, clear acrylic or some similar material. One side, however, is left open, allowing a researcher to stoop in and do his work. Also attached to the cabinet is a powerful air filter of some kind, like a HEPA, or high-efficiency particulate air, filter. The filter draws in air and removes any small particulates from it before releasing it back into the immediate work environment. This keeps everything pure and uncontaminated.

Crucially, however, the filter performs this filtering and releasing action in what’s called a laminar flow. This means that air currents flow smoothly, in layers and without disturbing one another, even as they flow past each other. This is very important to achieving air purity. Sometimes a layer of filtered air which disturbs another layer of unfiltered air may pick up some contaminants from the unfiltered layer. If this were to happen, air could not be reliably purified. Laminar flow air filters work because they keep this from happening.

RDM Industrial Products proudly manufactures a number of different industrial quality, factory direct laminar flow hoods and workstations for scientific, medical and industrial laboratories.

Here’s a bit of important information about these tools. We want you to know how our models can help to make your lab into a better place.

Types of Laminar Flow Hoods

There are two basic types of of laminar flow workstations: vertical ones and horizontal ones. The basic difference between these is the air flow. A vertical laminar flow hood sends filtered air straight down into the workstation environment. While a horizontal laminar flow hood channels the air from the back of the work counter and straight towards the person working there.

RDM Industrial Products sells both types of laminar flow clean air workstations. Examples of the vertical type include models like the LF-102P-B and the LF-102P. And examples of the horizontal type include models like the LFH-102P and the LFH-102PE. You can find all models categorized by type here.

What Sort of Features Do Our Models Have?

In addition to the general differences mentioned so far, our units vary in all sorts of specific ways as well. We even offer a number of different options which you can choose to either include with your unit or not. Here are some of these features.

RDM’s laminar flow cabinets all use HEPA filters. Since our products are proudly manufactured in the USA, they meet US HEPA standards. Indeed, because our filters are able to remove 99.99 percent of all particles from the air whose diameters is 0.3 microns or more. Meaning, they exceed the minimum HEPA standards. Each unit typically comes with two such filters.

If you have even greater filtration needs, some of our models can be outfitted with an ULPA (Ultra Low Particulate Air) filter. Which removes 99.9995% of all dust and other particles from the air which are 0.12 microns in diameter or larger.

The filters attached to our units all operate very quietly. Ensuring that researchers will be able to do their work undisturbed. Filters produce about 50 dbA of noise, which is roughly as loud as the hum of a standard refrigerator.

Our laminar flow hoods also come with LED light fixtures attached to the top of each unit. They are powered through 12 foot-long, 115-volt cords. Although we are able to offer customized, manufacturer-direct power options to those who request them.

Clients also have a number of different size options available to them. But these will vary depending on the model you choose. The LF-102P and the LF-102P-B each have standard depths of 30 inches. While both the LFH-102P and the LFH-102PE are designed to be 48 inches deep. Other than this one standardized parameter, however, you may customize the sound of your unit. The height of each workbench is totally customizable too. So you can individualize them to each of your lab workers. Depending on the model chosen, the workspace can be as much as 101 inches wide and up to 89 inches high.

Customize Your Laminar Flow Workstations

If none of our standard sizing options are satisfactory, however, you may specify custom dimensions to us. We’ll work within your parameters to build special factory-direct units for you (if we can).

We make our workstations from a number of different material, principally stainless steel or laminated plastic. Those who require chemical-resistant, flame-resistant or static-resistant workstations can request them to be made of chemical-resistant trespa or coated in a removable ESD Static Dissipative, among other materials. All panels are made of transparent acrylic, but can be tinted black for those working with lasers.

You may also add casters to your workstations if you need them to be mobile. Or may purchase accessories like foot rests to give your added comfort as they work.

To see the full range of what’s available to you, check out all of our industrial-quality laminar flow clean air workstations.

Which Industries Use Them?

Laminar flow hoods and cabinets are widely used in all kinds of lab work and manufacturing. Especially where particulate contamination needs to be strictly avoided. For instance, in the electronics industry, semiconductor wafers must be manufactured with extreme precision. When creating the grid formation on which chips are placed, the slightest disturbance from outside particles can throw off the accuracy of the design and compromise the chip’s usability.

Laminar flow cabinets are also particularly useful in biological laboratories. Especially where tiny biological samples must be kept absolutely pure for testing or experimental purposes. The same is true for medical and pharmaceutical laboratories. Indeed in any experimental setting where sample purity is essential and there is no room for contamination, these devices are extraordinarily important.

With our over 40+ years of proud industry experience, RDM is ready to help you put together the perfect laminar flow clean air workstations for your lab so that you can keep your entire environment spotless for all of your most critical work.

The post Keeping Your Environment Safe With Laminar Flow Workstations appeared first on RDM Industrial Products.

Deciding which flow hood design is best for your workspace, will depend on the level of protection required for the user, sample, and environment. The choice will also be determined by the specific needs and requirements of the workplace.

Vertical Laminar Flow Hood Design

Vertical laminar flow hoods direct HEPA-filtered air down towards the workbench. Air then exits through holes in the surface or through an opening in the front of the enclosure.

RDM Vertical Laminar Flow Hood – Bench Top Model

Pros

The downward airflow and a protective sash help to limit exposure to contaminants. Since contaminants are pushed downwards, the vertical airflow also reduces cross-contamination. There is also less air obstruction, and therefore less turbulence when working with larger objects.

The vertical design also helps when there is limited space. Since the fan and filters are located at the top, this model requires less floor space and can be installed onto standard workbenches. This design also provides a taller workspace inside the flow hood.

Cons

Vertical flow hoods are taller and may not fit the space requirements of some laboratories. Workspace depth is also limited. The added height also makes it more difficult to change filters. A step-ladder will most likely be required.

The vertical airflow can make it difficult to place hands or items on top of other items since this obstructs the downward airflow. Vertical airflow can also create a turbulent effect as the air hits the work surface.

Vertical flow hoods should not be used when working with infectious biological materials, pathogens, or highly toxic chemicals.

Horizontal Laminar Flow Hood Design

The horizontal laminar flow bench directs HEPA-filtered air horizontally, from back to front, across the work surface, and then out towards the worker.

Pros

Horizontal airflow ensures a higher level of protection for lab samples from airborne particulates. A horizontal flow also reduces turbulence on the work surface.

The horizontal flow hood design also provides a workspace with greater depth. It’s also easier to work with equipment since there is no protective sash between the worker and the workspace.

Cons

Airflow is blown towards the worker’s face. Workers can, therefore, be exposed to contaminants.

The filter and fan unit is located at the back of the hood. The increased rear clearance requires a deeper workbench along with additional floor space.  The whole unit will need to be moved in order to change the filter.

The horizontal airflow can also be disrupted when working with larger objects. It’s, therefore, best suited to tasks that involve small utensils and equipment. The direction of airflow may also result in the contamination of downstream samples.

Horizontal flow hoods should not be used when working with infectious biological materials, pathogens, or highly toxic chemicals.

RDM offers a wide variety of factory direct, quality designed laminar flow hood types. All products are proudly manufactured in the USA. For more information about RDM’s Laminar Flow Benches click here.

The post Comparing Two Types of Flow Hood Design – What Are The Differences? appeared first on RDM Industrial Products.

Types of Laminar Workstations

Two types of laminar air flow hoods are used at laboratories, such as –

Vertical Laminar Workstations

Vertical laminar airflow hoods are mounted on top of the workstations. It cleans the room air with a bacterial pre-filter. After that, this air is compressed and forged through the HEPA filter. The pure air is distributed in the entire work surface from above, and thus, provides full protection against pollutants.

Horizontal Laminar Workbenches

Unlike vertical laminar flow hoods, horizontal flow hoods are installed on the walls in front of the work area on the workstation. While working on these workstations, researchers must ensure not to make an item touch the back of the filter.

Benefits of Installing Laminar Air Flow Systems

Installing laminar air flow hoods in laboratories is beneficial for many reasons, as explained below –

Sterile environment

The sole purpose of laminar flow systems is filtering the polluted air and maintaining the sterile environment. You must know that contaminants can affect scientific researches negatively, which may lead to failed experiments. The researchers can also be harmed by the germs in the air and develop diseases. With the help of laminar air flow hoods, you can eliminate these risks.

Cost-effective

Laminar air flow hoods are a very cost-effective option for maintaining the cleanliness and hygienic standards of laboratories. You may visit the online stores of industrial appliance manufacturers to view the extensive range of flow hoods. Once you purchase a flow hood, it is shipped and delivered to your location and installed by professionals. The maintenance cost after installation is also affordable for everyone. Based on the type of uses, annual costs for maintenance may range from $350 to $2000. You need to pay this annual cost only for replacing the filters. Apart from this, there are no other expenses.

Portability

A laminar air flow unit does not have any external connection apart from the power cord. So, you can move it from one room to another within a building easily. While other systems do not provide the benefit of portability due to too many wires and cords, laminar air flow hoods are free from this problem. Easy portability provides you with even more cost-effectively as you can relocate your lab easily.

Security

Laminar air flow hood manufacturers install monitoring systems in the hoods so the gas and carbon filter saturation can be checked. The hoods also have audible and visible alarms with an LCD monitor. Renowned industrial appliance manufacturers follow the ACGIH standards of safety while manufacturing the laminar flow systems. As a result, you can check before the lab room is too polluted and accidents can also be avoided.

Environment-friendly

Laminar air flow hoods filter and recycle the air present in the room and remove the contaminants. However, doing this does not require to remove any amount of air from the library. So, it is an eco-friendly option. The saturated carbon filter that you must replace annually does not pollute the environment either. You can dispose of it safely at any landfill.

Final Thoughts

For the assurance of quality and reliability, make sure to purchase your laminar flow hood only from the renowned industrial appliance manufacturers with goodwill. You must not be tempted by cheap offers.

The post Uses of Laminar Flow Hoods appeared first on RDM Industrial Products.

Types of Laminar Flow Hoods

Based on the way a laminar flow hood functions, it can be categorized into two types:

Vertical Laminar Flow Hood:

Vertical laminar flow hoods are placed above the workstation. Polluted air is drawn from the top of the area, and after filtering, clean air is released through the base of the hood. The lab workers and equipment are protected by these flow hoods.

Horizontal Laminar Flow Hood:

The direction of the air flow is from back to front in the horizontal laminar flow hoods. As they release clean air in the front, they ensure the protection of the test samples on the workstation. So, these flow hoods are placed on the wall in front of the workstation.

Beneficial Factors of Using Laminar Flow Hoods

Environmentally friendly:

With the installation of laminar flow hoods, the laboratory stays clean and contamination free. Using the HEPA filter, polluted air is cleaned, and smooth air flow is constant in the laboratory. This environment is ideal for laboratory samples and equipment as well as the researchers working there.

Low expenses:

Laminar flow hoods do not require much maintenance after they are installed. Their filter needs to be replaced after providing a long-term service which is available in affordable price ranges. Moreover, these hoods are easy to ship to different locations, so the shipping cost is not much either.

Safety assured:

Safety of the people working in the laboratory is assured and the samples are not compromised with laminar flow hoods. Apart from filtering the air, they have a monitoring system that is able to detect carbon filter overload and gas. Visible and audible alarms are flashed on the LCD monitor of a flow hood to alert people around it.

Efficient functioning:

No extra air is required for laminar flow hoods to keep the workplace sterile. These hoods can recycle the air present in the room and continue to circulate it with the help of a carbon filter.

Transportability:

Laminar flow hood units do not have external connections so transporting them from one place causes no hassle and it can be done fast. More workplaces are preferring to use these flow hoods due to this easy transportability.

Various Applications of Laminar Flow Hoods

The two major purposes of laminar flow hoods are filtering the air and protecting scientific substances. Apart from laboratories, these features come in use in various industries including,

• Research regarding plants.
• Cleaning industries.
• Recovery of data.
• Clinical applications.
• Stem cell therapy.
• Designing and manufacturing projection lens.
• Tissue culture.

Mechanism and Function of Laminar Flow Hoods

• The contaminated air enters through the flow hood and gets to the filters.
• Laminar flow hoods use two types of filters; the pre-filter, and HEPA filter.
• The air is channelized through a secondary blower by the pre-filter. Thus, it is a safe process.
• After that, it is passed through the HEPA filter.
• The air is cleaned through the process, leaving the samples of the laboratory safe from pollutants.

Using either vertical or horizontal laminar flow hoods the right way ensures the positive air pressure in all scientific workplaces.

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Laminar flow hoods are available in vertical or horizontal configurations. You will come across many kinds of cabinets, which are available in different kinds of airflow patterns and which are widely used. Clean rooms especially use several chemical fume hoods and custom biological safety cabinets, which are designed to maintain high standards in all kinds of laboratory environments. Such systems are generally a part of the HVAC system and are usually found within any clean room environment. Fume hoods are generally quite effective and considered to be safe.

Why Using Laminar Air Flow Hoods Are Beneficial:

Eco-Friendly:

These flow hoods are quite eco-friendly and are a good option. These ductless hood units can easily recycle room air, as they are able to quickly remove the contaminants from the atmosphere. Usually, no air gets removed from the atmosphere. This is a completely eco-friendly option and suitable for all laboratories.

Portability:

Laminar Flow units are widely used because these are portable and can be easily moved from one space to another, without any additional hassles. These units do not have any external connections which mean there is a very little hindrance in transferring them from one location to another. Thus, these portable flow hoods can be easily moved in just a few minutes, whenever an HVAC ducted hood system stops working, due to issues of relocation or other processes.

Cost-Effective:

Businesses look for cost-effective options and nothing can be a better choice than these low maintenance units. Once the hood is installed, they do not need much of regular upkeep or maintenance. Filter replacement might be needed and the cost of which can vary as well. Besides these, these laminar hood systems can be easily shipped to the location as and when they are ready to be used.

Completely Safe:

Users do not have to worry additionally about the safety factors when they are using the laminar flow hoods. These systems usually have a monitoring system which can be used for checking carbon filter saturation and gas. The system also includes visible as well as audible alarms on its LCD monitor. This work well to alert the user. Thus, safety is never a factor when using the laminar flood hood system.

Models of Laminar Flow Hood:

Vertical work flow stations help in cleaning the environment through two stages. Primarily the room is cleaned and then it is electrostatically charged by bacterial pre-filer. These are suitable for spaces which are not hazardous for the operator, but still, need to be cleaned.

Horizontal laminar work flow units offer great protection from various processes. These do not offer protection from the various biological contaminants.

Free-standing clean rooms are specially designed to keep the applications protected from various kinds of room air contaminants. However, these clean rooms cannot protect the operator from any kind of biological hazard.

It’s important to buy the Laminar flow hoods from established dealers. Thus, you wouldn’t have to worry about the quality of the product.

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Laminar Flow Hoods ensure that the air flows in the same direction at the same speed, from the clean areas to the flow hoods and then to the exit. Proper circulation of the air in the lab ensures that the work environment remains clean and sterile because it is important.

The Working of a Laminar Flow Hood

To know if your laminar flow hood is working well or not, you will first need to know the basic working principle of a laminar flow hood. A typical flow hood consists of a fan, a filter pad to get rid of the particulates and a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. These three main elements work in synchronization to get rid of the germs in the air.

• The fan in the hood is responsible for drawing in air. This air is pulled through the filter pads which traps the dust particles immediately.
• When the air is free of dust, it is passed through the HEPA filters which get rid of the microbes like bacteria and fungi and any other contaminants in the air. Thus, it is perfectly safe.
• This filtered and sterilized air then flow out to the work area where you can perform all your research and experiments, without having to worry about contamination.

Types of Flow Hoods

According to the direction of the flow of air in the flow hoods, there are two major types of laminar flow hoods. Depending on your application, you will have to decide the flow of the laminar hoods.

• Vertical Laminar Flow Hoods

In a vertical flow hood, the contaminated air enters from the top of the area and clean, filtered is is delivered through the holes in the base of the cabinet. The air filter in the hood is mounted directly above the work area. They provide protection to the ab workers as well as the lab environment and samples.

• Horizontal Laminar Flow Hoods

In a horizontal laminar flow hood, the flow of air is from the back to the front. The contaminated air is pulled in through the back of the working area and the clean air is released in the front. The filter is mounted on the wall directly in front of the workbench. Thus, the horizontal flow hoods are designed to protect the substance of work. They do not guarantee the complete safety of the workers in the lab.

Classes of Laminar Flow Hoods

Based on their working principle and level of protection offered, laminar hoods can be divided into three different classes:

• Class I –

  Class I laminar hoods are the simplest of all, with a design similar to that of a chemical fume hood. They offer adequate protection to both, the lab environment and the workers in the lab. However, it does not protect the work samples from contamination.

• Class II –

  The second class of laminar flow cabinets offer protection against hazardous contaminants. Thus, it disinfects the area and provides protection to both the workers and the lab samples. They are suitable to be used with potentially hazardous materials.

• Class III –

  The class III laminar flow hoods offer the highest level of safety and create an air-tight environment. They are the best choice when working with infectious substances and human pathogens.

Laminar Flow Cabinets are an integral part of the lab environment that keeps the lab sterile. Their working principle and class should be considered to ensure that they flow hood is suitable for your workplace.

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Laminar flow workstations have become an integral part of biology, chemical, pharmaceutical, and forensic labs, keeping the samples safe. Thus, they also protect the workers and the rest of the lab environment from contamination from such biological and bacteriological samples.

Kinds of Laminar Flow Hoods

Depending on their working principle, laminar flow workstations are of basically two types – vertical and horizontal. In a horizontal flow hood, it is easy to remove filtered air horizontally through the front of the cabinet. On the other hand, in a vertical flow hood, air can move through the holes at the bottom of the workstation’s base, following a vertical flow. Depending upon the application, your choice of workstation will vary. Though the flow is different, both these workstations have a unique design. Thus, this helps to release the air away from the workers. Thus, this ensures that they do not come in contact with any toxins or inhale the toxic air.

Vertical Laminar Flow Hoods in Various Industries

Laminar flow hoods have found major application in workplaces and laboratories that require a highly hygienic and sterile environment. These workstations are used for one of the two major functions – preventing the contamination of specimens and samples and safeguarding the workers who are conducting these experiments. Serving these two key functions, they have found many significant applications. Some of the major applications of the vertical flow hoods are:

• Botany
• Tissue Culture
• Cleaning
• Clinical Applications
• Stem Cell Therapy
• Projection Lens Assembling
• Data Recovery

Benefits of Using Laminar Flow Hoods

Laminar flow hoods specifically function well in laboratories and industrial environments. They are manufactured using quality materials that can withstand the industrial working conditions and are equipped with a wide array of features that amplify its functionality. The benefits offered by laminar flow hood workstations in an industrial environment are:

• The air flow units in the hoods are very easy to maintain. Only the filter of the flow hood gets a replacement at certain time intervals, but the cost of the same is also not very high.
• The laminar flow workstations do not require any extra air to get rid of the contaminants. Thus, the hoods simply recycle the air in the room and keep circulating it after treatment. A carbon filter helps in the process.
• The laminar air flow hood can shift easily as they have no external connections except a simple power cord. The high portability of the workstations makes them a better option than the duct hoods that take some weeks to be relocated.
• The flow hood systems have monitoring units. They monitor the saturation of the gas and carbon filters of the system. They also have pre-set alarms that go off when the saturation levels drop beyond the standards.

Popularity Of Laminar Flow Hoods

Laminar Flow Hoods have become very popular in various industries and laboratories because they promote a sterile environment. When purchasing a flow hood, you should consider the design of the furniture and the quality of the materials and filters used in it. This will effectively ensure that you have made a worthy investment.

At RDM Industrial Products, Inc., we not only manufacture laminar flow hoods but chemical fume hoods and biological cabinets too. No matter what you are looking for, you will find a comprehensive lineup of industrial and laboratory furniture solutions with us.

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