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Laboratory chemical hoods: a historical perspective
1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA. mfirst@hsph.harvard.edu
Summary
Laboratory fume hood safety and performance are reviewed, highlighting issues with face velocity variability and testing inconsistencies. Optimizing airflow can enhance safety and conserve energy.
Area of Science:
- Laboratory Safety
- Mechanical Engineering
- Industrial Hygiene
Background:
- A historical review of laboratory fume hoods is presented.
- Current aspects of structural design, operating characteristics, safety, energy conservation, and certification methods are considered.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the current status of laboratory fume hood technology.
- To identify areas for improvement in safety, energy efficiency, and testing protocols.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical data and current literature on laboratory fume hoods.
- Analysis of operating characteristics, focusing on face velocity.
- Examination of safety features and standardized testing results.
- Consideration of energy conservation strategies and certification methods.
Main Results:
- Instrumentation for safety and airflow modulation is increasingly complex.
- Accepted face velocity values show significant variability.
- Standardized hood test protocols are insensitive to face velocity changes.
- A lack of correlation exists between operator risk, face velocity, and test results.
Conclusions:
- Laboratory fume hoods with the highest containment capability are selected, even for low-hazard operations.
- Energy savings are possible by modulating face velocity based on operational risk.
- Further research is needed to align testing protocols with real-world safety and efficiency.