Biological Safety Canopy Exhaust Connection Saves Energy and Improves Overall Safety Performance

Abstract

With environmental resources becoming more and more limited and energy costs on the rise, reducing energy consumption is an important consideration for every laboratory. It is especially important in light of an analysis published by the US Environmental Protection Agency concluded that laboratories consume five to 10 times more energy per square foot than typical office buildings.1 As one of the most frequently used devices in the laboratory, biological safety cabinets (BSCs) provide the primary source of containment for microbiological research. BSCs are critical for the protection of personnel from exposure to airborne biohazards and other potentially harmful particulates within the cabinet. BSCs also provide product protection from contaminants outside the cabinet environment through the use of a HEPA-filtered airflow that is contained within the BSC. This vertical unidirectional downflow air combined with suction below the intake grille prevents outside airborne contaminants from entering the cabinet’s workspace. Class II Type A2 BSCs can either exhaust HEPA-filtered air back into the laboratory or outside through a canopy exhaust connection (CEC). When vented to the building exhaust system, a BSC becomes the first piece of system ductwork, and the facility`s HVAC design must accommodate duct static pressure and exhaust flow values. Exhausted air must be replaced by a laboratory’s air supply system and typically needs to be conditioned (either heated or cooled). BSCs are often operated continuously, so conditioned air can add considerable operating costs to a laboratory over time. The Baker Company (Baker) has developed a patent-pending CEC, FlexAIR™ that can provide significant savings for laboratories by reducing the amount of exhaust required to operate a BSC. The FlexAIR also allows a cabinet to maintain product and personnel protection standards over a wide range of exhaust system fluctuations, even if a building’s exhaust system fails. The following paper demonstrates how the FlexAIR reduces both total exhaust flow and the amount of conditioned air required, while providing a higher level of protection than traditional canopy connections.