Self-Contained Fume Hood
A self-contained fume hood is a specialized type of laboratory ventilation system designed to protect workers from inhaling hazardous fumes, vapors, and dust. Unlike traditional fume hoods, which are connected to external ducting systems to exhaust air, self-contained fume hoods use built-in filtration systems. Here are the key features:
- Filtration System: These hoods often contain high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters and activated carbon filters to remove contaminants from the air before recirculating it back into the lab environment.
- Portable: Many are designed to be mobile or easy to relocate, as they don’t rely on fixed ductwork.
- Energy Efficient: Since they don’t require an external ventilation system, they can be more energy-efficient by recirculating cleaned air rather than exhausting it.
- Applications: Typically used in situations where external ducting is impractical or unnecessary, such as handling small amounts of hazardous materials, educational settings, or in environments where installation of traditional ductwork would be costly.
These hoods are suitable for light-duty operations and often used in laboratories, pharmacies, or research facilities.
