Benchtop Laminar Flow Hood – Working, Benefits and Safety Tips

A benchtop laminar flow hood is a small, self-contained apparatus designed to provide a safe work environment for laboratory work. Lab benches can have a central laminar flow hood or individual ones linked to the bench via tubing.

When you work with hazardous chemicals, ensuring that your "clean zone" has sufficient protection is crucial. A laminar flow hood will protect your face and body from potential exposure while protecting the laboratory environment by eliminating most airborne particles and airborne contaminants from escaping into the lab.

These workbenches are specially designed to prevent airborne contamination by ensuring clean air through a HEPA filter. The use of such laminar flow hood benches is increasing sharply across different industries. However, if you plan to get one such workbench for your lab, you need to understand some basics related to it first.

Working on Laminar Flow Hoods

Over the years, the conventional laminar flow hoods have undergone several changes and upgrades. As a result, the commonly used laminar flow hoods are now known as Bioshield Workbenches. Unlike traditional laminar flow hoods, these workbenches include two HEPA filters that ensure that the area underneath the workbench remains safe and clean.
The first filter is located at the bottom of the bench and pulls air from below it upwards into it. The second filter is attached to the underside of a tabletop where you place your equipment and supplies. The air goes through this filter before it reaches you or any other object or surface in your workspace, ensuring that airborne particles are kept to a minimum.

Benefits of Using Laminar Flow Hoods

First and foremost, the Benchtop Laminar Flow Hood helps to ensure that experiments and other work done in the lab remain safe. From preventing airborne contamination to improving the efficiency of your lab, there are many benefits of using these laminar flow hoods in your lab. Some of these benefits are shared here:

• The traditional laminar flow hoods were only effective when used in places like clean rooms where there are virtually no airborne contaminants to be filtered out. 
• Also, these new units are very effective as they ensure that clean air is sourced from below and from across the tabletop.
• They also have several additional settings for different types of work, like using a vacuum to eliminate vapours or using a higher airflow for tasks that require a lot of airflows.
• These additional features make them highly useful for use inside and outside to clean a room's environment.

The major difference between the laminar flow hood and the Bioshield Workbenches is that the laminar flow hood only works by pulling air upward through a filter. At the same time, these workbenches also ensure that air is filtered underneath them.

Safety Tips while working on a Laminar Flow Hood

The laminar flow hoods are fairly easy to use and require minimal maintenance. However, there are a few precautions that you need to take while working on one. The first and foremost thing is to never operate the unit if it does not have any filters attached or if the filters are damaged. Since the filters collect all contaminants and hazardous particles, they must be in good working condition. This ensures that your work area remains clean and safe throughout your work process.

The intake of air from below the laminar flow hood is also very important. It ensures that you remain protected from airborne contaminants even when you place your supplies on the workbench itself. If the unit is not maintaining the right airflow, it can lead to excessive contamination of your equipment and supplies.

Commercial Laminar Flow Hoods

You must place your items on the tabletop with care so that you do not get hurt by its surroundings. If you are working at a workplace for industrial purposes, you need to wear protective gear around you. For example, while working on a laminar flow hood, there is always a chance that something can fall from above and hit you on your head or body.
It is highly important to wear protective gear like goggles and face shields while using the laminar flow hood. The HEPA filters used in them have physical properties that cause them to become extremely hot when in operation.

Final Words

A laminar flow hood is a self-contained cleaning and work area used within a laboratory. You must have at least one such workbench for conducting experiments and other lab-based activities in your lab. This article has detailed some basic information about these lab benches, the way they function, and the precautions you need to take while using them.

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Benchtop Laminar Flow Hood: Components

A benchtop Laminar Flow Hood/Cabinet is an enclosed workstation that uses filters to catch all particles entering the cabinet, resulting in a contamination-free work environment. Some of the components of Laminar Flow Hood are as follows.

Cabinet

The cabinet is composed of stainless steel and has few or no gaps or cracks, which prevents spores from accumulating. The cabinet insulates and protects the laminar flow's internal environment from the outside. The front of the cabinet has a glass shield that opens completely or has two apertures for the user's hands to enter the cabinet in some laminar cabinets.

Filter pad/Pre-filter

On the top of the cabinet, there is a filter pad through which air enters. The filter pad keeps dust and microorganisms out of the cabinet's operating environment.

Working Station

All of the processes will take place on a flat working station within the cabinet. The working station where the operation takes place is equipped with culture plates, burners, and loops. To prevent rusting, the worktop is composed of stainless steel.

HEPA Filter

Within the cabinet, there is a high-efficiency particle air filter, which helps to keep the working area sterile. Fungi, germs, and other dust particles are trapped as the pre-filtered air travels through the filter. The filter keeps the cabinet sterile, lowering the risk of contamination.

UV Lamp

A UV germicidal lamp may be included in some Benchtop Laminar Flow Hood, which sterilizes the cabinet interior and contents before the procedure. To prevent UV exposure to the user's body surface, the UV lamp should be turned on 15 minutes before the procedure.

Working or Principle of Laminar flow hood

The working of a laminar flow cabinet includes the air flow through the cabinet in a laminar pattern. To provide a particulate-free atmosphere, the device uses an inward air flow that passes through a single or multiple HEPA filters.

As part of the laminar flow of the air, the air is filtered and then expelled across the work surface. The air travels via a filter pad or pre-filter before entering the cabinet, allowing for a more efficient flow of air. The air is then directed to the HEPA filters by a blower or fan.

How to Clean Portable Laminar Flow Hoods?

You need to be extra careful while cleaning any laboratory equipment and a portable laminar flow hood is quite crucial among them. It ensures a sterile environment for any kind of systematic approach.

But, you must clean the portable Laminar Flow Hoods from time to time to ensure that there is no microbial growth. We understand that it can be a tedious process and so we bring you a step-by-step guide to follow:

 

What are the stages of cleaning a laminar flow hood?

First, you need to understand the level of cleanliness that you need to achieve.

Sanitize the equipment

This is a standard cleaning process, and you can easily remove all the visible dirt and dust. It helps to reduce the chances of bacterial growth and also prevents the chance of infection.

Disinfecting the equipment

This cleaning process ensures the removal of the virus and bacteria from the surface. And, for this, you need a cleaning agent.

Sterilize the laminar flow hood

This process ensures that the laminar flow hoods is completely free from microbes. To achieve this, you might have to use heat, air pressure, or chemical-based cleaning agents. 

Always go through the chemical compatibility chart before applying any cleaning agent. Based on the dirt accumulation, you need to plan your cleaning approach.

The equipment and tools required for cleaning

Along with a proper plan, you also need certain cleaning equipment, such as cleanroom gloves, cleanroom face masks, garbage bags, paper towels, cleanroom swabs, ISO-friendly wipes, a vacuum, etc.

Steps to clean the laminar flow hood

• To start with, you need to turn on the laminar flow hood, then allow the air to pass for 30- 40 mins.  
• Use the cleanroom wipe to clean the surface, and you can spray cleaning agents on the wipes. 
• Start with cleaning the hood and then back and front. Next, go left and right. 
• Use the swab to clean the edges and the corners.
• Do not spray any cleaning agent on the grill or the sensitive HEPA filter
• You can repeat the process by using sterile 70% isopropanol.

Conclusion

There are no additional expenditures for maintaining the device. Global Lab Supply provides you with this laboratory equipment at a reasonable price.

Things to know about Horizontal Laminar Flow Hood

A complete laminar hood setup describes the airflow pattern. If you're setting up a lab, you may need to adjust the airflow in the space. This mobility is critical in a cleanroom environment as well. The experiment may fail if the airflow direction is not accurate during testing. Laminar flow hoods are used in most labs because of this.

A horizontal or vertical setup is an essential sort of flow hood. The setup aids in ensuring that the airflow remains in the proper direction. Laminar hoods are required if you wish to control airflow in a specific direction. Laminar flow hoods are used in cleanrooms when essential procedures are being carried out.

There Are So Many Reasons Why The Hood Is Very Helpful.

The purpose of the hood in the workstation is more like this. Bench configuration is referred to as the "hood" in this context. The workstations on the bench may be divided into many sections. Lower workstations and higher workstations are the two primary divisions of this space. It's easy to keep things moving, which makes for a cleaner working atmosphere.

Using the Laminar Flow Hood in Action

Sterilized airflow is the primary function of laminar hoods. The airflow's direction is also critical. The equipment will aid in the creation of the air streams. The air streams are produced using specialized HEPA filter devices. The airstream continues to flow in the same direction.

Units That Are Well-Designed

There is no flaw in the hood's construction. The hood's quality may be determined by the engineering methods it employs to guide the airflow. An effective air handling system is a must.

Maintenance Is Easy To Do.

Your workstation's airflow hood device has to be easy to use. In addition, it should be simple to care for and clean. There shouldn't be too many moving parts in the filter. Cleaning the filter unit regularly may be difficult if the design is complicated.

HEPA Filtration Systems

A high-quality HEPA filter is incorporated into the Horizontal Laminar Flow Hood unit. A 95% success rate is guaranteed with this filter unit. It also aids in air purification by trapping many kinds of bacteria. Quality and certified HEPA filters should be placed in the machine you choose.

The Process of Cleaning a Table Top Laminar Flow Hood

If you run a laboratory, you must be aware of the importance of air filtration and cleanliness in the environment. The same case is applied in the case of tabletop laminar flow hood. However, cleaning such laminar flow hoods is not an easy nut to crack. Instead, this is a delicate process that requires attention and some effort. Here’s a step by step guide for cleaning a Table Top Laminar Flow Hood effectively.

Start With Cleaning the Wall of the Hood

Since the wall is the first surface that you notice when you look into the hood, the wall must be clean and germ-free. First, clean the walls with a microfiber cloth dipped in alcohol. If there are some stains or grease, use a strong cleaner to remove them.

To Ensure That Your Hood Is Clean

To ensure that your Table Top Laminar Flow Hood is free from bacteria and germs, use a dry cotton towel to wipe down every surface inside of your hood. Use a small amount of solvent cleaner to wipe down quartz glass surfaces that must have been contaminated during experiments.

Clean the Back Wall from Top to Bottom

The back of the hood can be easy to forget with it being hidden from sight. However, it is important to clean this area because you can get bacteria from this part of the hood. To ensure that any traces of bacteria on the back wall are gone, use a microfiber cloth dipped in alcohol and wiped down every surface from top to bottom.

Cleaning the Inside Walls

The inside walls are generally easier to clean than other surfaces on the laminar flow hood since they are not so visible and have been covered by other surfaces in between your experiments. However, it is still important to clean the inside walls to ensure no bacteria or germs are left behind and that your experiments are free from any type of contamination.

Using a proper cleaning method and keeping a regular maintenance schedule will ensure your laminar flow cabinet provides safe and accurate results. Dry cotton cloths dipped in alcohol can be used to wipe down your quartz glass surfaces regularly and ensure that they remain clean.

Reasons Why Portable Laminar Flow Hoods Are Best For Lab Work

A portable laminar flow hood is one of the most important instruments in a lab setting. The lab, in general, has to be completely sterile for the experiments to be conducted safely. Indeed, even labs equipped with expensive benches and expensive equipment cannot always provide complete sterility because of various factors. 

 

However, when you have Portable Laminar Flow Hoods, you're guaranteed 100% sterility because it generates a waterproof barrier between the user and any contaminants present in the air.

Specifically, manufacturers assure that these cabinets are designed to minimize or eliminate contamination by preventing airflow from entering or leaving any part of the cabinet except through specially designed intakes and exhausts.

Benefits of Using Portable Laminar Flow Hoods in Lab

The following are some of the most important reasons it's always recommended to have portable laminar flow hoods in a lab setting.

Helps sterilize environment:

The first reason is that when a fully sterile environment is required for experiments, it would be better to have one of these cabinets installed in the lab. This enables the user to carry out experiments without fear of contamination, thus increasing efficiency and accuracy.

In cases where several people are carrying out experiments in a particular area, using this cabinet will assure that each person has his or her sterile environment.

Reduces risk of contamination:

Another reason is that portable laminar flow hoods help to reduce the risk of contamination since they provide a controlled environment for the research work to be done. This guarantees no chance of cross-contamination when more than one person works in the lab.

Helps in recognizing contaminants:

The fifth reason is that portable laminar flow hoods are used to recognize any contaminations arising from experiment preparation and any other sources and eliminate them. These hoods can be used in every part of the research work, whether on lab equipment or bench work.

Because they are installed in a controlled environment. They provide a gentle deceleration--rather than absolute sterilization--of air particles of pollutants such as bacteria and dust mite droppings, thus providing a better vision for the user to identify any contaminants.

A laminar flow hood should be guaranteed every year or semi-yearly. It is surveyed and tried to guarantee that it is giving the fitting assurance to the item and work surfaces. This accreditation likewise guarantees consistency with administrative benchmarks and approaches. Certification is required for a laminar flow hoods under the accompanying conditions:

• At the point when the tool was introduced for the first run through
• After any movement
• After an essential service, for example, the substitution of a fan motor
• After the substitution of the HEPA channel

How laminar airflow is used for various sorts of laboratory equipment 

Laminar flow hoods are otherwise called Class II Bio-safety Cabinets. These cabinets effectively keep up the assurance of items by guaranteeing the descending laminar flow of HEPA-filtered air over the work field. These cupboards having flowing air additionally incorporate an inner airflow that is available at the front to ensure the laboratory administrators. The various types of hardware fitted with the laminar flow for guaranteeing that particular sort of airflow are examined beneath:

• The vertical laminar flow is reasonable for PCR workstations, and for enclosures which are specially intended for directing trials on polymerase that includes chain reactions. The airflow through HEPA filtration will guarantee that there is no suspended particulate issue in the work territory. A UV light is likewise present for extra disinfecting of hereditary material.
• Clean seats are frequently utilized for refined tissues and should be kept sterile and toxin-free. The highest point of a perfect bench is fitted with a pre-filter so the air is attracted. the HEPA filter is available for pulling out the air from the clean bench.
• In both vertical and horizontal clean bench, the laminar air is anticipated properly. In the vertical seat, the projection is over the work station while in the event of the horizontal bench the projection is pointed at the administrator.

Tests for checking the Laminar flow hood 

Certain tests are done to check if the tool working effectively. There are additionally some pre-necessities Recirculating Clean Bench that should be met before testing starts like all instruments must be adjusted before the test.

The accompanying tests will be directed:

Filter Integrity and leak test

The operational airspeeds must be checked and balanced heretofore. PAO or Poly Alfa olefin smoke is brought into the air stream, before the HEPA filters. The centralization of the concoction is at 80 to 100mg/liter of air according to the airflow rating. The instrument is set at 100 percent focus. The downstream side of the filter is examined with a photometer. The entire filter face must be checked, at 2 inches from the face, at the pace of not multiple feet every moment. The photometer must show a PAO entrance of under 0.001% through filter media and must be 0 through the mounting joints.

Air Velocity test

This is led to the work surface and estimated from the four corners of the tool. Estimations must be done at least 15 seconds and the quantity of Air changes is determined. The airspeed must be 90 ± 20 feet/minute.

Air particulate issue check

This test is performed from 5 areas and particles not exactly or equivalent to 100 particles more noteworthy than or equivalent to 0.5 microns per cubic feet is took into account a non-practical count. The absolute microbial check must be under 1 to meet all requirements for acknowledgment.

Airflow pattern test

A yellow smoke generator and dry ice are utilized right now. The smoke is produced, and the airflow designs are seen in pivotal areas. A significant area is where the material or item is presented to the working climate. The blower must have the option to suck the smoke through an arrival air filter. The development of the airflow must be from a positive to a negative zone and Supply Filter Diffuser to the Return Air Grill.

After these tests are finished, there is re-approval done in the event of area changes or a breakdown of significant parts.

Globallabsupply.com offers every single kind of lab equipment including a laboratory laminar flow hood. They supply the laminar flow hood also to give you enough insistence periods to fix issues if there is anything.

If you have any sales concerning our astoundingly high evaluated associations, don't think an additional moment to connect with us. We are always there to guide you.