The ventilation system in chemical laboratories occupies a special place. Its tasks are of primary importance. It must effectively remove volatile and toxic gases from a local atmosphere to protect personnel, equipment and products alike.

Depending on the operations performed, laboratories use a variety of chemical elements and perform technological operations accompanied by the release of smoke, gases, vapors and atomized particulate.

Increasingly, these systems are also call upon to maintain a comfortable ambient environment, in terms of temperature, humidity and air quality, in addition to removing dangerous or noxious airborne substances

The organization of the ventilation system of chemical laboratories is a fairly sophisticated process. The need for fresh air will depend on the materials, equipment and operation parameters of the facility. The design and installation of the system must be carried out with the utmost care and responsibility, excluding errors or miscalculations. The ventilation system itself must be assembled from high-quality materials and equipment that can withstand the active action of chemicals.Figure 1. A stainless steel fan for a corrosive environment. Source: Canada Blower

In laboratories, regardless of their type, forced-type supply and exhaust ventilation should be in effect. This is when the fans are installed on the supply side, and the exhaust is produced naturally due to the positive pressure created by the fans or blowers. It is important that polluted air does not mix with clean air during the operation of the ventilation system. All other types of ventilation schemes are unacceptable.

The volume of air in the laboratory should be changed 12 to 20 times in one hour. This takes into account the static volume when the entire system is not working. Based on this, ventilation equipment is also selected in terms of power and performance.

Figure 2. General ventilation air handling design. Source: Canada BlowerIn laboratories with toxic substances, the air exchange rate should be equal to 15 in one hour, meaning the ambient air is completely exchanged every four minutes. The ventilation of a chemical laboratory is an integrated approach to solving the assigned tasks, which includes a general system of air ducts with hoods located throughout the space of the premises, plus hoods in which experiments and reactions are carried out.

Figure 3. Inline centrifugal fan allows high air movement with higher pressure capability. Source: Canada BlowerIt is prohibited to recirculate air in the premises of chemical laboratories where work is carried out with hazardous substances of all hazard classes or the release of flammable vapors and gases occurs. The general exchange exhaust ventilation system of a chemical laboratory room is designed to remove excess heat, moisture and gas emissions from burners and process equipment from the room. Fans of local suction, exhaust and supply ventilation systems must be designed and installed in a separate room — in the ventilation chamber, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the chemical laboratory. It is necessary to take into account the wind pressure of air in the premises depending on the floor on which this laboratory room is located.

When designing ventilation in the premises of chemical laboratories a system of smoke removal should be provided from the main and auxiliary premises of chemical laboratories and a system for pressurizing air on the evacuation routes of people, vestibules and stairwells. The smoke exhaust and air pressure system consists of smoke exhaust valves, dense steel air ducts covered with a fire retardant compound, concrete or brick construction panels, fire dampers and smoke exhaust fans (centrifugal or axial).

Summing up all of the above, the most important thing to note: Properly installed ventilation is a guarantee of safety. It must be installed in strict accordance with the rules and regulations. Deviations from these standards can lead to human losses and therefore should be excluded.

When arranging ventilation in laboratories, an integrated approach must be present, and all factors of subsequent work must be taken into account. It needs to be used only with high-quality industrial fans and blowers and other components.

About the company

Industrial fans and blowers produced by Canada Blower have been application engineered and designed to meet and exceed all the requirements of today’s air moving needs. Canada Blower is an expert in industrial process air and gas moving and heat transfer equipment. If you can draw it, they can make it.