What is the Advantage and Disadvantage of Laboratory Ventilation Solutions

Why Lab Ventilation Systems Should Use PSP® Fume Exhaust Duct

Fab-Tech’s proprietary fluoropolymer coated stainless steel fume exhaust duct carries clear benefits across an array of industrial and scientific research applications.

Goto E3 Green Technology to know more.

Given its status as the material of choice for venting corrosive fumes in semiconductor manufacturing, laboratory owners in private and university settings have taken note and are now following suit.

Depending on the research being conducted, most labs require ultra-sanitary conditions throughout, which means specialized materials of construction for their process equipment and process piping. Specialized coatings like borosilicate glass, glass-lined steel, exotic alloys, and fluoropolymers are often used for this purpose.

Research labs must also follow strict interior air quality standards. As a result, these spaces often need the same sanitary and anti-corrosive measures in their ventilation and acid exhaust systems as they use with their lab equipment. These venting solutions - whether general exhaust systems, or snorkel vents at individual equipment stations - must be constructed to withstand potentially highly corrosive vapors.

In the past, lab owners and personnel had to settle for fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP duct) for their laboratory ventilation needs. The problem is that these systems often do not achieve the same level and range of corrosion resistance as the equipment it's designed to serve.

Disparities in corrosive fume handling between process equipment and fume exhaust duct can lead to unnecessary and costly production shutdowns.

Even if all process equipment is operating at peak performance, any leaks or degradation of the exhaust system could compromise valuable time and yield, if not entire operations.

Therefore, when evaluating the material cost of fume exhaust duct for research lab applications, it is advisable for lab owners to factor some of the indirect costs associated with materials like FRP duct.

FRP Duct Cost Considerations:

1) Disposal Costs - In an end-of-use scenario, certain types of FRP duct may be considered hazardous waste based on the amount and types of hazardous chemicals that have permeated the material.

2) Maintenance Costs - FRP duct requires routine maintenance and coatings to all joints and spools over the lifetime of the system to ensure adequate exhaust containment. Such maintenance or repair efforts can incur significant labor costs as well as downtime costs.

3) Fire Safety Costs - Fiberglass duct requires the application of specialized fire retardant resins and/or fire prevention methods such as costly in-duct-sprinkler systems and wastewater infrastructure. Insurance costs for these systems also come at a premium.

4) Specialized Labor Costs - Virtually all maintenance, repair, and support system installation for FRP exhaust duct requires the use of specialized labor to handle and apply the noxious resins that are needed for such work. 

5) Installation Costs - In addition to specialized labor costs, fiberglass duct installation can take a considerable amount of time, as shown in this video. And we all know time is money.

PSP® Proven Advantages

PSP® fume exhaust duct overcomes all of these drawbacks and associated costs. Fab-Tech’s unsurpassed combination of 300 series stainless steel duct, quality rolled angle-ring flanges, and proprietary interior fluoropolymer coating delivers multiple advantages to laboratory ventilation systems.

These advantages include superior:

• Fire and smoke resistance
• Chemical tolerance
• Leak resistance
• Durability
• Safety
• Overall performance
• Re-usability / recyclability
• And cost and ease of installation

For more information aboutPSP® corrosive fume vent pipe and duct, please feel free to download our general information guide below:

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Businesses use laboratories in a multitude of ways these days. And, with tight budgets, limited square footage, changing business dynamics and safety considerations involved, businesses sometimes struggle when it comes to purchasing lab furniture.

One important decision comes when it’s time to purchase a chemical fume hood for your new laboratory or during a redesign.

And, let’s be honest, the stakes can be high. Just check out this article about a tragic laboratory accident at UCLA to see the potential consequences of working in a fume hood.

Here we look at your options...a ducted fume hood or a ductless fume hood?

For more Laboratory Ventilation Solutionsinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

The Standard – Ducted Fume Hood

Ducted fume hoods have ventilated enclosures, operate within the framework of your building infrastructure and pull contaminants out of your building through the HVAC system. 

Ducted fume hoods have a base, work surface, hood, blower and ducting that carries the air outside of the building. The engineer of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system needs to determine if your room has enough air to provide the necessary volume of ventilation to the hood.

The maintenance of the fume hood is performed as part of the building's maintenance, and is generally performed by those in charge of the mechanical systems. Typically, the Maintenance or Environmental Health and Safety team take care of any issues.

Your HVAC engineer can work with your team to provide optimal air supply and balance, so that everything functions properly within the fume hood.

Ducted fume hoods are considered safest for workers in laboratories, and its often the easiest for employers to maintain. Many universities ONLY allow ducted fume hoods in their facilities to maintain worker and student safety.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Ducted Fume Hoods

The Alternative – Ductless Fume Hoods

Ductless fume hoods operate off a carbon filter system that recirculates filtered air into your building. Ductless hoods are often referred to as re-circulating range hoods.  They filter the air and then return the clean air back into the workspace.  They are self-contained filtered laboratory enclosures. Their primary features are mobility, they save energy, are easy to install and cheaper because no ductwork is required.

The disadvantage is that workers are at a greater risk of chemical exposure, filter maintenance is required, they can be noisy due to the internal blower and there are limited applications for filter options.

Ductless fume hoods are ideal for labs that require mobility, handle light to moderate chemical loads and are looking for a cost-effective option from both an installation and operational perspective.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Ductless Fume Hoods

Is A Ducted Fume Hood or Ductless Best for My Laboratory ?

So, how do you determine which is the right fume hood for your laboratory...ducted or ductless?

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Answering these questions about how you work with chemicals in your lab will help you determine the appropriate application for your needs.

Laboratory safety and workload should be the primary deciding factors in your decision. In a ductless fume hood, there should be no extreme heating, no more than 10 chemicals should be used per application, small volumes of chemicals should be used (approximately 500 mls or less) and exposure time should be within 2-3 hours per day. 

There are a range of filters that have different chemical trapping capacities, but if your application doesn’t match available filters you’ll be required to move forward with a ducted fume hood. Talk to your fume hood provider about the various filters for chemical groups.

Lastly, determine how often you will be replacing your carbon filter, this will also give you a more accurate financial cost. Keep in mind that the filter life depends on the chemicals used, evaporation rate, chemical volume, duration of usage and the temperature of the chemicals.

Fume Hood Safety Considerations

Regardless of which type fume hood you choose, safety is always important. Fume hoods, when used properly, help protect lab employees and students working with toxic or volatile chemicals and compounds.

The fume hood serves as a physical barrier between the employee and the harmful fumes, fires, explosions and spills that might result from handling or experimentation. Because of this, fume hood safety is extremely important and can help protect your employees and student workers from injury.

Even though fume hoods are designed to protect against unexpected reactions of volatile chemicals, laboratory workers must serve as the first line of defense against. The equipment can only perform and protect if used properly. 

Learn more about safety in our article, A Fume Hood Safety Checklist For Everyday Use.

Summary

It is important to make sure that you have the right fume hood for your lab application, because the safety of your work and your employees is at stake.

It is always best to consult with an expert fume hood manufacturer, so that your lab does not go up in smoke!

Are you interested in learning more about Chemistry Fume Hood? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!