Fume hoods are devices that filter fumes, hazardous vapours and other airborne particulate matter from the air while eliminating the need for ducts. As the name suggests, they are portable, meaning that they can be carried anywhere to meet the requirements of various industries. Portable fume hoods are commonly used in 3D printing, in the archaeology industry, in laboratories, for mycology, to treat chemical fumes, in mycology, and the manufacture of paints, glues, and solvents. They are also used in the pharmaceutical industry, and in the tech industry for soldering and other purposes.
Fume hoods are of two main types. They are either somewhat permanent table-top structures or portable. The portable version of a ductless fume hood is termed as a portable fume hood.
Portable fume hoods are also referred to as carbon-filtered enclosures. They are usually self-contained and remove hazardous fumes and vapours from the surroundings. Their main point of differentiation from traditional fume hoods is that there is no ductwork required, they require lower maintenance, and they require no installation. Portable Fume Hoods are ventilation devices that can be used anywhere. Usually, when dealing with hazardous vapours as well as airborne particulate matter, there are various legislations and laws involved while releasing such air back into the environment. Furthermore, it is important to protect the personnel working with substances as well. In such a scenario, portable fume hoods are an ideal choice.
What are the main considerations that one should ponder before purchasing portable fume hoods?
There are a couple of things one must consider before purchasing a portable fume hood. These are based on the features as well as the advantages that the fume hoods have to offer. Some of them are enumerated below.
- Flexibility: some industries and occupations require filtration but with a considerable amount of flexibility. There may not be enough space to place a duct, and nor may be enough “air” for the duct to work correctly, Furthermore, these laboratories may have to be moved to different locations as well. This is especially true in a field such as archelogy. In such a scenario, a portable fume hood is an ideal solution as it provides an ample amount of flexibility without the requirement for permanent installations or permanent structures.
- Ductwork is expensive and hard to maintain: Not only is ductwork expensive due to the costs of installation, but it also requires a great deal of maintenance compared to a portable fume hood. This can work out to be both times consuming as well as expensive.
- Which types of fumes you plan to process: An important consideration to keep in mind before investing in a portable fume hood is to determine what sort of chemical fumes you will be processing. Depending on that factor, you can suitably select a fume hood that processes the type of fume that is likely to be discharged. To understand which type of filter and ductless fume hood you can choose, a conversation with the suppliers may be ideal – they usually process expert information on the equipment and may help you determine which is most effective for your needs.
- Choosing between the various types of filters: several filters are available to choose from. The most common are as follows:
- HEPA, with a 99.9% rate of effectiveness.
- Organic Carbon Filters
- Acid-Sulfur Carbon Filters
- Ammonia Carbon Filter
- Formaldehyde Filter
- Mixed Bed Carbon Filters
- Radioisotope Carbon Filters
Ideal for portability: Portable fume hoods are mobile, and do not require wall penetrations. Especially for those occupations and laboratories that do not need to process a heavy amount of fumes, they are the ideal choice. They are also the ideal choice for those occupations that require filtering but with flexibility and a lot of movement or suffer from a shortage of spaces. The installation costs of a portable filter are almost negligible compared to setting up a duct filter. They have no external connections apart from a power cord that is placed on a cart for portability.
Better for the environment: Traditional ducts release unfiltered air directly into the environment without any type of filtration process. However, with a portable ductless fume hood, the environmental impact is significantly reduced as the air that is released is filtered.
Therefore, if you are confused as to whether to invest in a ductless and portable fume hood, you can consider these factors and make a choice. They are the ideal solution in modern times due to their high portability, low costs, as well as sturdiness.
