Controlling Laboratory IAQ and Energy Costs - Fume hoods and bench exhausts help contain chemical contaminants

摘要

Laboratory procedures involving harmful chemicals are conducted exclusively in fume hoods to prevent workers from being exposed. Hood containment can be affected by diffuser/exhaust locations and operational procedures within a laboratory. While bench-exhaust systems have proved to be energy-saving devices for laboratories in terms of thermal comfort, this article will focus on assessing the systems' impacts on indoor-air quality (IAQ), including whether their operation affects hood containment and how efficient they are in removing airborne chemicals if a benchtop chemical spill occurs.