Types of Laminar Flow Hoods and Tips for Efficient Usage from Michael Dodson's blog

Laminar flow hood or laminar airflow cabinet by definition is a carefully enclosed bench or workstation designed to help in the prevention of contamination of distinct things that are sensitive to contamination such as biological samples, semiconductor wafers etc. This decontamination is carried out by a HEPA filter which is placed inside the hood. This filter draws air through it and blows filtered air out in a laminar or smooth flow towards the user.

 

These laminar flow HEPA workstations are extensively used for medical and scientific research in laboratories where most tasks require sterile work environments. They are also used in other industries such as electronic, pharmaceutical, general lab work in industrial sectors etc. If you run a lab or carry out tasks that require contaminant-free workstations laminar flow hood is your solution. There are quite a few reputed suppliers of laminar flow workstations who will cater to your needs along with customisations as well. (Information Credit – https://www.rdm-ind.com/product-category/industrial-work-tables/clean-laminar-air-workstations/)

 

Laminar flow workstations are typically of two kinds – namely horizontal laminar flow workstations and vertical laminar flow workstations.

 

1. Horizontal laminar flow workstation: Horizontal laminar flow HEPA workstation like the name suggests blows filtered air in a horizontal flow. The air flows in a constant manner in order to provide constant decontamination to the product or sample being worked on. The HEPA filter draws air from the back of the hood and blows filtered air towards the working individual.

 

Some advantages of laminar flow workstations-

 

1.       Horizontal flow of clean air ensures there is a reduction in airflow turbulence.

 

2.       The user’s hands and gloves do not contaminate the apparatus being worked because it is always on the downwind direction of the apparatus.

 

3.       It can be used for hazard level 2 and 3 materials.

 

Vertical laminar flow workstation: Vertical laminar HEPA workstation got its name due to its direction of flow of clean air just like the horizontal laminar flow hood. It is much more of a preference than horizontal laminar flow workstations for many. The airflow in this type of flow hood is vertical meaning clean filtered air blows from the ceiling of the workstation towards the working area or table top. The air then hits the work table’s surface and flows horizontally towards the user.

 

Some advantages of vertical laminar flow workstations-

 

1.       Vertical flow of filtered air reduces the risk of any cross-contamination from items in the working area.

 

2.       The flow of clean air does not directly bow into the face of the user.

 

3.       It can be used for hazard level 2 and 3 materials.

 

Tips that you must keep in mind for optimal efficiency of the laminar flow hood workstations: -

 

Item placement: When you place any item make sure you place it 6 inches or further away from the opening of the cabinet.

 

Regular maintenance: Regular maintenance is essential for the safe operation of a laminar flow hood workstation. The HEPA filter should be checked and replaced whenever needed. Airflow velocity and leakage checking in the cabinet of the laminar flow workstation is important.

 

Reduce clutter: Always attempt to reduce the clutter amount in the cabinet or on the working area. This is because as the number of items increases in the working area the contamination rate also increases.

 

Cross contamination reduction: Ensure you do not place any items downstream of other items in order to reduce that chances of cross-contamination.

 

Clean hands and gloves: The user must ensure that their gloves or hands are at all times clean before the work on the workstation.

 

Laminar flow hoods and along with fume hoods are largely used in laboratory-related works in order to maintain a clean working environment especially when it involves sensitive materials and to offer protection to users from harmful and hazardous materials. They have become an integral part of several industries that demand the absence of contamination for their working and operations. It’s important that you make sure you follow the right guidelines for the usage of laminar flow hoods for its effectiveness.