Energy efficient laboratory fume hood

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:873095

Feustel, Helmut E ^[1]

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1. Albany, CA

The present invention provides a low energy consumption fume hood that provides an adequate level of safety while reducing the amount of air exhausted from the hood. A low-flow fume hood in accordance with the present invention works on the principal of providing an air supply, preferably with low turbulence intensity, in the face of the hood. The air flow supplied displaces the volume currently present in the hood's face without significant mixing between the two volumes and with minimum injection of air from either side of the flow. This air flow provides a protective layer of clean air between the contaminated low-flow fume hood work chamber and the laboratory room. Because this protective layer of air will be free of contaminants, even temporary mixing between the air in the face of the fume hood and room air, which may result from short term pressure fluctuations or turbulence in the laboratory, will keep contaminants contained within the hood. Protection of the face of the hood by an air flow with low turbulence intensity in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention largely reduces the need to exhaust large amounts of air from the hood. It has been shown that exhaust air flow reductions of up to 75% are possible without a decrease in the hood's containment performance.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6089970
• OSTI ID: 873095
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

energy
efficient
laboratory
fume
hood
provides
consumption
adequate
level
safety
reducing
amount
air
exhausted
low-flow
accordance
principal
providing
supply
preferably
turbulence
intensity
flow
supplied
displaces
volume
currently
significant
mixing
volumes
minimum
injection
protective
layer
clean
contaminated
chamber
free
contaminants
temporary
result
term
pressure
fluctuations
contained
protection
preferred
embodiment
reduces
exhaust
amounts
shown
reductions
75
decrease
containment
performance
energy consumption
protective layer
preferred embodiment
air flow
air supply
flow provides
fume hood
energy efficient
clean air
air exhaust
contaminants contained
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