Energy Efficient Extraction Fume Hood Technology Benefits From Improved Filter Selectivity

Cambridge-based laboratory supplier, Camlab is now exclusively offering a new environmentally-friendly solution from ERLAB in the form of the new energy saving Green Fume Hood range that offers all the benefits of traditional filtration hoods while solving the problem of limited filterselectivity.

The Green Fume Hood features a new carbon-based filtration unit called Neutrodine® which can be used for all chemical types (previously five filters were required) and can handle around 99.8% of laboratory chemicals with up to 50% improvement in retention capacity.

A common problem facing laboratories worldwide is that although safety fume hoods allow users to work safely when handling dangerous chemicals they also consume enormous amounts of energy in the process. The energy drain is principally because safety fume hoods often run 24 hours a day to maintain the air balance in a building and consequently waste energy by constantly expelling heated/cooled air as well as pumping noxious contaminants directly outside into the surrounding environment.

Although the energy benefits of ductless filtration fume hoods have been known for some time the main limitation has been the scope of chemicals that the filters can handle which requires users to select from up to five different types of filter and makes it complicated to ensure safety.

The Green Fume Hood with Neutrodine® provides a safe, flexible alternative to old style ducted fume hoods for the first time. The hood offers massive energy savings and a reduction of pollution in the local environment. The addition of HEPA filters, (dedicated to particles), further improves the safety of the hoods over ducted versions as they can be safely used for powders without the build-up of dangerous or flammable contaminants in ductwork.

The filtration reliability of Green Fume Hood’s Neutrodine unit is demonstrated by filtration tests performed in accordance with the AFNOR NF X 15 21: 2009 standard which is the most stringent in the world. The standard challenges the filtration of a ductless fume hood and guarantees a concentration of chemicals at the filter exhaust lower than 1% of the daily work exposure limit.

As the exclusive UK agent for the Green Fume Hood range, Camlab is able to offer the full range of hoods and filters including the revolutionary Neutrodine® technology. Camlab offers full support including sales advice, installation services and back up from their national team of Asura trained engineers. Camlab is ideally equipped to help architects, lab designers and planners to determine where to install this new technology and to evaluate its benefits according to customer needs.