LABORATORY FUME HOOD

A bench-top fume hood is generally placed on a bench-top or above a storage cabinet. Bench-top hoods are used for a wide variety of chemical procedures involving small-to-moderate quantities of low-to-high toxic materials. Bench-top hoods provide effective containment and exhaust of gases, vapour, mists, fumes, and other aerosols having low particle mass.

Distillation fume hoods are used with a tall apparatus and for procedures involving small-to-medium quantities of low-to-high toxicity materials. Distillation hoods are suitable for work conducted in a bench-top hood. Since distillation hood provides greater interior height when to a bench-top hood, distillation hoods are suitable where larger apparatus are used. The distillation hood is mounted on a pedestal that elevates the work surface to a height 20 inches above the floor.

A floor-mounted hood (or walk-in fume hood) is used for large apparatus and storage of hazardous containers that wouldn’t fit into an approved storage cabinet. A floor-mounted hood is suitable for the same work conducted in bench-top hoods and distillation hoods, but in larger volumes.

Radioisotope Fume Hoods are used for Beta and Gamma radiation environments. In addition to the general characteristics, similar to a bench-top fume hood, radioisotope fume hoods have the work surface and interior lining with 304 stainless steel (with coved seamless welded seams for easy cleaning and decontamination).

A perchloric acid hood has the general characteristics of a bench-top hood, but the interior lining is coved and welded seamless stainless steel. In perchloric acid hood non-reactive and corrosion-resistant material is extended all the way through the exhaust system. The hood, duct, and fan has a water wash down system to remove perchlorates and prevent the build-up of potentially explosive perchlorate salts.

For the interior lining, other non-reactive material, such as CPVC or polypropylene are available when heat is not a concern.