Category: Wet Labs
Level: Gold
Author: Schell B., Hermuth-Kleinschmidt K., Scagliotti V., Weber P.,
The Impact: <p>Reduced energy consumption </p>
Details
Fume cupboards consume large amounts of energy. Airflow/extraction rates that are higher than necessary significantly increase energy consumption without improving safety. During annual inspections, service engineers sometimes increase extraction rates unnecessarily, often to compensate for poorly closing sashes or airflow disturbances.
Research groups play a crucial role in ensuring that:
- Fume cupboards operate at the minimum safe airflow rate, not above it. Depending on if you have a low-flow fume cupboard or not, your extraction rates may be able to go as low as 0.35 m/s, or 0.5 m/s if normal. Try to consider an appropriate cap for engineers (e.g. not above 0.4 m/s for low-flow, or 0.55 m/s for normal units).
- Any performance issues (e.g., sashes not closing fully, bouncing sashes, alarms, airflow disturbances) are identified and reported promptly.
By actively engaging with facilities and service engineers, and by monitoring fume cupboard behaviour throughout the year, research groups help ensure safe operation while avoiding avoidable increases in energy use. If uncertain on any aspect of safe extraction, please consult your local health and safety manager - Do not reduce extraction rates unless certain they are within safe limits (for e.g. some units may be designated for radioactive work, and thus have higher extraction rates).
This may be managed centrally by your facilities team, but if so this must be indicated.
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