Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus are described which can safely reduce a laboratory fume hood's minimum airflow and energy consumption when it is determined that the fume hood is not in active use, based on a condition monitoring approach. The condition monitoring approach may incorporate a combination of setback criteria to reliably determine if the fume hood is or is not in use. When a determination has been made that a fume hood is not in use, energy reduction is achieved via automatic methods of hood minimum airflow setback. Fume hood minimum flow reductions are automatically disabled when it is determined that the hood is in active use.

Abstract: An autonomous ventilation system includes a variable-speed exhaust fan, a controller, an exhaust hood, and an infrared radiation (“IR”) sensor. The exhaust fan removes air contaminants from an area. The controller is coupled to the exhaust fan and adjusts the speed of the exhaust fan. The exhaust hood is coupled to the exhaust fan and directs air contaminants to the exhaust fan. The IR sensor is coupled to the controller, detects changes in IR index in a zone below the exhaust hood, and communicates information relating to detected changes in IR index to the controller. The controller adjusts the speed of the exhaust fan in response to information relating to detected changes in IR index. The autonomous ventilation system also includes an alignment laser to indicate a point at which the IR sensor is aimed and a field-of-view (“FOV”) indicator to illuminate the zone in which the IR sensor detects changes in IR index.

Abstract: An autonomous ventilation system includes a variable-speed exhaust fan, a controller, an exhaust hood, and an infrared radiation (“IR”) sensor. The exhaust fan removes air contaminants from an area. The controller is coupled to the exhaust fan and adjusts the speed of the exhaust fan. The exhaust hood is coupled to the exhaust fan and directs air contaminants to the exhaust fan. The IR sensor is coupled to the controller, detects changes in IR index in a zone below the exhaust hood, and communicates information relating to detected changes in IR index to the controller. The controller adjusts the speed of the exhaust fan in response to information relating to detected changes in IR index. The autonomous ventilation system also includes an alignment laser to indicate a point at which the IR sensor is aimed and a field-of-view (“FOV”) indicator to illuminate the zone in which the IR sensor detects changes in IR index.

Abstract: A reverse oblique air curtain exhaust cabinet comprises a cabinet that has a bottom plate and an elongate air blow slot is provided in front of the bottom plate. Through the elongate air blow slot, air is blown upward at an oblique angle toward the rear plate of the cabinet. An air-extraction hood is provided in a space defined above the bottom plate in a way of being vertically movable relative to the cabinet. The air-extraction hood has an elongate air-extraction part that is parallel to the elongate air blow slot in a way that the elongate air-extraction part is above and spaced from the elongate air blow slot toward the rear plate of the cabinet. Thereby, an oblique air curtain that flows upward is formed to remove the pollutants between the oblique air curtain and rear plate and left and right lateral plates in a more energy-saving way.

Abstract: A hood device for grill comprises a hood, a telescoping tubing, a filter assembly, a grease cup, and an external fan. The hood partially covers a grill at a first elevated vertical position and collects smokes from the grill. The telescoping tubing extends from the hood and is configured for ventilating, and telescoping between the first and second positions. The filter assembly is disposed at a lower end of the telescoping tubing, and comprises filter with concentric and cylindrical layers. The grease cup is for collecting grease from the filter. The fan is for building up an ascending air current inside the telescoping tubing. A velocity of the ascending air current is determined according to the first elevated vertical position, a ratio of a diameter of the hood to a diameter of the grill, and a surface temperature of the grill.

Abstract: A fume hood is described for use in removing material from, or inserting material into, the opening of a container. The fume hood enclosure has a floor with an opening for insertion of the upper end of the container into the enclosure. The floor includes a circumferential groove around the opening, preferably in a raised shoulder. An annular flexible membrane having an inner diameter smaller than the diameter of the opening is placed in axial alignment over the opening and the groove. A vacuum is drawn on the groove through a vacuum port to pull the section of the membrane above the groove into the groove, holding the membrane securely in place during use. If desired, a retainer can be placed in the groove above the membrane to prevent movement of the membrane in the event of a loss of vacuum.

Abstract: The present invention is a push-pull ventilation hood having a push device to obtain a push air flow and a pull device to exhaust contaminant flow with an exhaust opening and the two devices properly coordinated with each other, wherein, when the push flow flows through a contaminant source, a contaminated flow of the push flow is exhausted through the exhaust opening. Based on the design process according to the present invention, a push-pull hood with the highest efficiency of push velocity can be designed and the push-pull hood can economically and effectively control the contaminant source.

Abstract: A space conditioning system for a building including production and occupied spaces provides precise control of exhaust and space conditioning equipment by taking into account multiple conditions and by using predictive control. The control method and system are illustrated by a commercial kitchen ventilation application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying an atomized liquid solution upon a person, comprising a spray enclosure booth; an exhaust vent located below an anticipated user's facial area zone, the exhaust vent disposed within the bottom tray or a lower area of at least one wall or a lower area of a door and configured for exhausting ambient atomized liquid solution from the spray enclosure booth; a rigid conduit support defining a central air flow conduit connected to a bottom tray and pneumatically connected to an exhaust vent and providing structural integrity to the enclosure booth; an atomizing spray head assembly movably connected to the rigid conduit support and physically supported by the rigid conduit support; and an exhaust system configured to exhaust ambient atomized liquid solution from the spray enclosure booth by drawing atomized solution into the exhaust vent then through and out of the rigid conduit.

Abstract: A kitchen range hood for exhausting gases comprises an outer hood body within which a motor housing is mounted. The motor housing has top, bottom and perimeter side surfaces defining a pair of substantially similar air chambers, a motor and fan being housed in each chamber. An opening in the bottom surface of the housing is aligned below each of the fans. A tray is located in abutment with the housing below the opening in the bottom surface. The tray has a wall and a floor, with at least one air inlet opening in the wall. A bottom panel is connected to the bottom of the hood body about the tray. Air is drawn into the range hood through the air inlet in the tray wall. The range hood is also equipped with an automatic cleaning system, comprising a spray nozzle and hose seated above the floor of the tray.

Abstract: A fume hood adapted to be connected to an exhaust system, the fume hood including a cabinet formed with a chamber having a generally flat bottom wall and a sash door mounted at the front end of the chamber for movement in a vertical plane to provide an access opening to the chamber. An air directing member is mounted on the cabinet outside of the plane of movement of the sash door relative to the chamber and it is generally aligned with the bottom wall. The air directing member is formed with an opening positioned to cause a first path of outside air to flow into the chamber along the surface of the bottom wall and being formed with another portion for directing a second path of outside air in a direction generally parallel to and above the first path.

Abstract: A device for regulating the air volume flow for a laboratory exhaust, has a rectangular housing (6) which can be arranged on the laboratory exhaust. The device is equipped with inflow devices that can be connected to the interior of the laboratory exhaust and with outflow devices (8, 12, 13) that can be connected to an exhaust air system. The interior of housing (6) is divided by a partition (17) into two parts, namely a calming part on the exhaust side and a measurement and regulating part on the outflow side, and these two parts are connected by an air deflection area (18). A rectangular measurement orifice (20, 25) has pressure measurement devices (22, 23, 24, 28, 29) and a rectangular regulating flap (21) arranged one after the other at a distance in the direction of flow between a housing wall and the partition (17).

Abstract: A powder spray booth includes a booth canopy wall arrangement to contain powder during a spraying operation; and a booth floor that is rotatable relative to the booth wall during a spraying operation. The floor can be rotated about an axis that is also the longitudinal axis of the spray booth. The booth may be generally cylindrical in shape with a round floor. The booth canopy and top are supported on a base frame separately from the floor. By this arrangement, the floor can be rotated relative to the booth canopy. A powder extraction apparatus in the form of a low pressure duct suspended off the floor draws up powder that has collected on the floor. The extraction duct is stationary with respect to the rotating floor during a spraying operation. The floor may also be translated along the axis of rotation between a first position in which the floor can rotate and a second position in which the floor is sealed against a lower edge of the booth canopy wall.

Abstract: A cabinet with a housing, in which a working chamber (3) is located which is open on one side. In order to reduce the risk of a blow-out of harmful substances and in particular to avoid dead-space areas at the internal surfaces of the side walls and the bottom of the working chamber (3), devices are provided which blow in supply-air jets (21, 22) at an acute angle to the internal surfaces of working chamber (3) in such a way that these supply-air jets (21, 22) lie next to the internal surfaces. Furthermore, an upper free jet (18) ensures that light gases, which form in working chamber (3) above this supporting jet (18), are reliably contained in the upper area of the cabinet and cannot contaminate the lower working area.

Abstract: A fume hood includes a top, bottom sidewalls, front panel and a back panel that define an enclosed workspace. The fume hood also includes a movable sash for opening and closing an access opening and an airfoil disposed proximate an edge portion of the opening to direct airflow through the opening and into the workspace. The airfoil is automatically raised from a down position to an up position when the sash is raised to a predetermined height. In addition, the airfoil may be automatically raised when the velocity of the airflow into the access opening decreases below a predetermined value. Once raised, the airfoil may be automatically or manually lowered to the down position. In one embodiment, the airfoil includes one or more fins having an angled portion that extends downwardly below the work surface of the fume hood when the airfoil is in the down position, thereby reducing the possibility of a potential spill when the technician removes an item from the workspace.

Abstract: A method and a system for the regulation of ventilation in a welding workshop, in which method the volume of supply air and/or extract air in the ventilation of the welding workshop is regulated. The basis of regulation of the volume is the load imposed on the electric power network by the welding equipment, e.g. the electric power consumed. The system comprises a set of measuring equipment for generating a measurement signal corresponding to the load imposed by the welding equipment on the electric power network. A set of control equipment has been arranged to regulate the volume of supply air brought into the welding workshop via a supply air duct and/or the volume of extract air removed from the welding workshop via an exhaust duct so as to achieve a level of ventilation proportional to the impurity load.

Abstract: A housing of a fume hood includes walls defining a chamber for containment of air therein. One of the walls defines an air passageway opening into the chamber, and a sensor is located outside of the chamber and measures airflow velocity through the air passageway into the fume hood. An elongate, perforated tubular member supported within the chamber includes a first end mounted to the wall of the chamber defining the air passageway in surrounding relation thereto, and a second, distal end substantially closed off from the contaminated air within the chamber whereby airflow through the air passageway into the fume hood generally must pass through a perforation in the tubular member to gain access into the air chamber. The tubular member extends across the width of the chamber and airflow velocity through the air passage is representative of overall air entry velocity into the air chamber.

Abstract: A biological safety cabinet is provided that includes a frame. The frame defines a protected work area and encloses the work area on all but one side. A sash is coupled to the frame that at least partially encloses the side that is not enclosed by the frame. A blower is coupled to the frame generally above the work area. The blower is adapted to circulate air through the work area to make the work area a negative pressure area so that harmful materials are confined. A sash grill is coupled to the frame generally below the sash that has a curved top surface. The curved sash grill provides a superior and less turbulent air-flow into the work area, thereby better containing any harmful materials. The curved sash grill is perforated, and the curvature and perforations of the sash grill compensate for partial blockage by such things as the user's arms and other objects.

Abstract: A safety cabinet having a work area defined by an enclosure and including an air circulation and cleaning system. The air circulation and cleaning system includes a plurality of air plenums and passageways through which air is circulated by a blower assembly. A portion of the air exiting the blower is directed through a transition boot and exhaust plenum and a remaining portion of the air exiting the blower assembly is directed into the work area through a perforated divider plate and a supply plenum. The transition boot between the exhaust and supply plenums include resealable fasteners disposed along a seam between first and second ends thereof and around a first end thereof which is attached to the exhaust plenum.

Abstract: A system for directing air flow in a fume hood having a sash includes a mechanism for producing an output control signal corresponding to a desired flow of air through the sash of the fume hood. The producing mechanism includes a CPU which actively produces the output control signal and is disposed in fluid communication with the fume hood. The system also includes a mechanism for controlling air flow through the sash of the fume hood corresponding to the output control signal. The controlling mechanism is connected to the producing mechanism to receive the output control signal and includes a CPU which actively produces a drive signal for operating the controlling mechanism corresponding to the output control signal. A corresponding method for controlling the air flow in a fume hood is also provided.

Abstract: A system for maintaining a desired air flow through a fume hood having a sash. The system comprises a mechanism for controlling air flow through the fume hood based on at least one gain. The system is also comprised of a mechanism for automatically tuning the gain connected to the controlling mechanism. Additionally, the system is comprised of a mechanism for manually inputting information to the tuning mechanism so the tuning mechanism automatically provides a desired gain to the controlling mechanism based on information received from the input mechanism. Additionally, the present invention pertains to a qualitative tuning system for a processor. The present invention also pertains to a method for controlling air flow through a fume hood with a sash. The method comprises the steps of providing information concerning flow of air through the fume hood to a processor. Then, there is the step of manually inputting information concerning gain into a qualitative tuning system connected to the processor.

Abstract: A flowhood work station has an inspection chamber having a perforated inspection surface. An air filtration housing is in fluid communication with the perforated inspection surface. A blower is capable of directing air downwardly through the perforated inspection surface. A return air plenum is in fluid communication with the perforated inspection surface and with the air filtration housing. The return air plenum captures a substantial portion of the air passing through the perforated inspection surface and directs the air to the air filtration housing.

Abstract: An environmental enclosure apparatus is presented with air flow control and air balancing. The apparatus includes a housing having a work chamber, multiple adjustable fans for moving air into the work chamber, a filter for filtering particulate from the air moving into the chamber and a control mechanism for controlling each of the multiple adjustable fans. The control mechanism is responsive to a sensor which determines a change in position of at least one component within the work chamber. The at least one component could comprise a work product, a work tool or other product handling device. Air balancing is achieved through the provision of multiple chases within the enclosure, some of which have inlets at a bottom of the enclosure for drawing in external air and some of which have openings internal to the work chamber adjacent to a work surface for facilitating air flow balancing.

Abstract: An air cleaning system for treating contaminated air from a mechanical industrial process containing a heterogenous multi-component mixed density fluid (e.g., mist, vapor and/or smoke) that addresses the cloud-like behavior of this contaminated air. The air cleaning system continuously captures a contaminated air volume emitted during operation of the mechanical industrial process and mixes that contaminated air volume with an ambient air volume in order to produce a mixed air volume having certain characteristic temperatures and air velocities. The characteristics of the mixed air volume are controlled such that the mixed air volume does not exhibit cloud-like behavior when transferred via a conduit structure to an air cleaning apparatus or the like.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a clean working area within an enclosure while simultaneously permitting open access to the working area from outside and also preventing any toxic substances from escaping the enclosure to contaminate a worker area. A higher pressure region within the enclosure near the aperture of the enclosure prevents dirt from entering and toxic materials from escaping.

Abstract: A fume hood for venting fumes comprising a cabinet, a venting system, and a split sash. The cabinet defines a working area. The cabinet has a front face which comprises an opening for providing access to the working area. The venting system is connected to the cabinet and vents fumes that collect in the working area of the cabinet. A split sash is movably secured to the front face of the cabinet for selectively opening and closing the opening to the working area of the cabinet. The split sash comprises at least two panels that move in unison between closed and open positions. Further, the fume hood comprises a bypass having an opening formed in the face of the cabinet for controlling the face velocity of the cabinet and means for selectively adjusting the size of the bypass opening.

Abstract: An environmental control system including a modular isolation chamber wherein work pieces and processing or other machinery are isolated from the remainder of the rooms in which they are located, Use of the portable, modular chambers also permits control over particulate contaminates and individualized regulation of differing processing environments within a single room.

Abstract: A fail-safe air handling and safety system is described. The system is for use by workers during removal of hazardous substances, such as asbestos, lead, and toxic chemicals, from within a structure. The structure has a containment area with air exhaust openings for maintaining the containment area at negative pressure with respect to ambient. A decontamination unit sealingly connects to a doorway in the containment area and provides for an air locked entryway for the workers. For convenience of on-site erection, the decontamination unit is modular with the modules sealingly connected in a series with each module connected the one to the other. Unique air inlet diffusers provide inflowing makeup air, and the devices are interlocked so that, upon loss of negative pressure in the containment area, a standby air filter becomes operational.

Abstract: A fume hood controlling apparatus that provides desirable operational safety features for persons who use the fume hoods to perform experiments or other work. The apparatus is adapted for use with fume hoods that have a filtering means lcoated between the fume hood enclosure and the exhaust duct. The apparatus determines if a filter medium is loaded beyond a predetermined amount. The apparatus also provides a visual or audible indication in response to the detected loading. The apparatus also has emergency switches near each fume hood, with the switch controlling the fume hood when actuated so that the fume hood can operate in an emergency mode, and also providing an indication to a central building console of a building supervisory and control system for heating ventilating and air conditioning apparatus.

Abstract: A self contained portable negative pressure control system enclosure for protection from airborne asbestos particles and the like from a work space includes an enclosure formed of portable rigid door frames having spring doors and a weighted transom closure within that communicate with the work space to define multiple non-sealed decontamination chambers. The enclosure is used with a room divider or in an access doorway to the work space which is maintained in a negative air pressure by exhaust blowers equipped with HEPA filters.

Abstract: A biological safety cabinet is provided that includes a frame. The frame defines a protected work area and encloses the work area on all but one side. A sash is coupled to the frame that at least partially encloses the side that is not enclosed by the frame. A blower is coupled to the frame generally above the work area. The blower is adapted to circulate air through the work area to make the work area a negative pressure area so that harmful materials are confined. A sash grill is coupled to the frame generally below the sash that has a curved top surface. The curved sash grill provides a superior and less turbulent air-flow into the work area, thereby better containing any harmful materials. The curved sash grill is perforated, and the curvature and perforations of the sash grill compensate for partial blockage by such things as the user's arms and other objects.