Laboratory fume hoods are putting an incredible energy burden on our lab! Don't believe it? Imagine how much expensive, comfortable air would be wasted if the windows were left open with the air conditioning running all year round, let alone with exhaust fans added to the mix?
To ensure the stability and reproducibility of experimental data, the laboratory requires an air conditioning system to maintain constant temperature and humidity within the lab. This, in turn, leads to significant energy consumption in the experimental building, with the primary source being the traditional exhaust.Laboratory Fume HoodWidespread Utilization!
According to analysis data from the U.S. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), the energy consumption of a single fume hood is equivalent to that of 3.5 villas. Kansas University (KU) released results from a "close the door panel" test on 29 fume hoods at the MRB Comprehensive Research Laboratory Building. In just two months, the test saved 320 million cubic feet of exhaust air! The corresponding energy consumption of the fans and air conditioning is equivalent to the annual electricity usage of 280 refrigerators, and merely lowering the door panel height by 37% saved enough air to fill 350 hot air balloons!!!
Due to the exorbitant electricity costs from high-energy consumption new fresh air air conditioners, and the national policy requirements for energy conservation, an increasing number of property owners are truly concerned about energy consumption. Currently, domestic laboratories typically choose from the following five methods to conserve energy; take a look and see which methods are at the expense of your safety...
Turn off the air conditioning
Hot summer days see "white coats" drenched in sweat, not only suffering from reduced comfort in the workplace but also facing increased volatility of chemicals, which heightens the inhalation risk for chemists. In the cold winter, operating experiments while wrapped in down jackets leads to low efficiency. Precision equipment is affected by temperature, resulting in inaccurate experimental data, high rework rates, and increased workload!
2. Decrease the number of ventilation counters
Ventilation hoods are limited in number, so some experiments involving low-dose, low-toxicity operations are often carried out on laboratory tables without any protection, or under ineffective adjustable ventilation hoods or atomic exhaust hoods. Over time, the long-term inhalation of these small to moderate doses of low-toxic chemicals can severely trigger diseases such as chronic asthma, skin allergies, and even worse, pulmonary edema, cancer...
3. Utilizing low face velocity fume hoods
Q (Flow) = S (Area) · V (Velocity)
Lower face velocity results in reduced volume flow, thereby achieving energy-saving effects. However, according to the Chinese industry standards JB/T 6412-1999 (Exhaust) and JG/T 385-2012 (Pipeless), the face velocity, as one of the two core indicators, must be controlled between 0.4-0.6 m/s to prevent potential gas or substance leakage.
Low-air-speed fume hoods may ensure effective concentration control in the ideal conditions of the manufacturer's testing laboratory. But what about after connecting to a complex piping ventilation system? Or when instruments and reagents are placed inside? And considering the interference from a complex laboratory environment?
The American National Standard ANSI/AIHA Z9.5-2003 clearly specifies the control concentrations for these phases: in the testing laboratory: 0.05ppm; after field installation: 0.1ppm; during routine use: 0.1ppm.
Currently, no domestic manufacturers can provide test reports, so it cannot be determined whether the toxic gases have been effectively removed, and whether true safety guarantees have been achieved!
4. Variable Air Volume Fume Hoods
Q (Flow) = S (Area) · V (Velocity)
The principle is to achieve energy savings by adjusting the cross-sectional area, i.e., the height of the front door panel, on the basis of a constant face wind speed. However, the installation cost of variable air volume fume hoods is high and the system is complex (including pipeline ventilation systems, ventilation equipment systems, ventilation control systems, modular air handling units, cold and hot sources, roof purification projects, etc.). The level of energy savings is entirely dependent on the user's operating habits and often fails to meet the expected energy-saving results!
5. Utilizing Tubeless Fume Hoods
Energy-efficient Exhaust Fume Hoods
The Tubeless Clean Air Fume Hoods represent a new solution for laboratory safety and energy efficiency! They don't require external piping, don't emit pollutants, and don't consume air conditioning or fresh air, addressing energy consumption at its source. However, it's crucial to ensure the product's filtration efficiency and lifespan to guarantee safety and cost-effectiveness. Established in 1968, Elab has focused on tubeless filtration technology for 50 years, with products suitable for the vast majority of laboratory operations and always adhering to the ESP safety protocols! We provide users with safety assessments and ongoing after-sales maintenance services to ensure the protective effectiveness of the solutions. Elab implements the concept of green laboratory building environments, saving substantial construction and operational costs while ensuring safety and achieving energy efficiency!
In the construction of a resource-saving and environmentally friendly harmonious society, the role of the building environment and equipment profession is irreplaceable, and the HVAC industry carries an extremely important social responsibility and historical burden. Elab is committed to its mission, tirelessly working to change the global laboratory working environment and ensure the safety of chemists.
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