Geoffrey Peter Bell

US Patent:

6428408, Aug 6, 2002

Filed:

May 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/574711

Inventors:

Geoffrey C. Bell - Pleasant Hill CA
Helmut E. Feustel - Albany CA
Darryl J. Dickerhoff - Berkeley CA

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

B08G 1502

US Classification:

454 56, 454 57, 454 59, 454 62

Abstract:

A fume hood is provided having an adequate level of safety while reducing the amount of air exhausted from the hood. A displacement flow fume hood works on the principal of a displacement flow which displaces the volume currently present in the hood using a push-pull system. The displacement flow includes a plurality of air supplies which provide fresh air, preferably having laminar flow, to the fume hood. The displacement flow fume hood also includes an air exhaust which pulls air from the work chamber in a minimally turbulent manner. As the displacement flow produces a substantially consistent and minimally turbulent flow in the hood, inconsistent flow patterns associated with contaminant escape from the hood are minimized. The displacement flow fume hood largely reduces the need to exhaust large amounts of air from the hood. It has been shown that exhaust air flow reductions of up to 70% are possible without a decrease in the hoods containment performance.