Laboratory Fume Cupboards

Laboratory Fume Cupboards

Things you should consider when purchasing Filtered, Portable, Ductless Fume Cupboards (hoods):

How much solvent is being released from your work?

All filtered (ductless) fume cupboards are fitted with one or more filters to extract solvent from the air and pass clean air back into the room. CRUMA Filtered Fume cupboards have high quality filters designed for various applications in the modern laboratory.

Any filter has a maximum capacity - once this has been reached the filter will no longer filter the air.

So before choosing filtered fume cupboards over a ductless hood system this needs to be looked at.

Factors to consider: Boiling point of solvents, temperature of reactions - higher temperatures obviously cause extra energy - filters need a certain dwell time to work effectively. Overall volume of solvent released - boiling off of solvents should not be undertaken in a filtered system.

Choosing the correct filter

Most organic solvents can be used caught by the standard activated charcoal

CRUMA Filters have special codes for easy identification of needs:

Activated carbon filters

All the activated carbon filters of CRUMA fume cupboards (hoods) have been impregnated, manufactured and tested according to the requirements of the CEN-141 standard.

Type A : adsorption of vapours and organic solvents (ketones, ethers, alcohols, cyclics…). This is activated carbon without impregnation.
Type BE: inorganic gases like Cl2, HCl, HNO3… and volatile sulphur compounds (H2S, H2SO4, SOx…). This is activated carbon with impregnations of metallic compounds and neutralizing salts.
Type K: specific for NH3 vapours and amines. This is activated carbon impregnated with metallic complexes.
Type F: specific for formaldehyde and derivatives. Impregnated with Cu.
Type ABEK: mixed type among filter A, BE and K. It's able to retain molecules belonging to all these 3 groups. It's impregnated with inorganic neutralizing salts, metallic salts, complexes and Cu.
Specific types: there are special filters available for Hg (type MD), for I2(iodine) radioactive (type GD).

CRUMA G-type cupboards are those with a single activated carbon filter (impregnated or not) for filtering fumes. CRUMA GS-type hoods are equipped with a double HEPA carbon filter for filtering fumes and particles (solids and aerosols).

The designation D indicates that a HEPA absolute filter class H14 (UNE-EN-1822 standard) is fitted as a pre-filter below the activated carbon filter required for applications that generate solids and/or aerosols.

All CRUMA fume cupboards are fitted with a class G4 synthetic biofibreprefilter (UNE-EN-779 standard) for the retention of atmospheric dust .

Sizing the Cupboards

Often experiments stretch a long way across a fume cupboard, it is important to choose a size, which will cope with your existing and future requirements.

CRUMA 1200 G/GS 1200mm width x 760mm depth x 1100mm high

CRUMA 1010 G/GS 1000mm width x 600mm depth x 1225mm high

CRUMA 990 G/GS 1000mm width x 600mm depth x 1030mm high

CRUMA 870 G/GS 800mm width x 600mm depth x 1030mm high

CRUMA 670 G/GS 600mm width x 600mm depth x 930mm high

CRUMA 650 G/GS 600mm width x 600mm depth x 730mm high

Depending on your application, you may require different carbon filter and HEPA filter combinations.

For vapour only uses - choose carbon only - see above for details ( Cruma G range)

For particulate only - choose HEPA only option ( Cruma P range)

For both vapour and particle ( Cruma GS range)

Positioning in room

There are many rules in fume hoods and laminar flow standards concerning positioning of fume cupboards and other airflow products in laboratories.

This is a complex area; things to consider are doors, air-conditioning vents, traffic routes and other potential draft producing hazards. Let a Progen specialist come and look at your lab and give advice.

Fume Cupboard Accessories

Occasionally people need accessories to the unit such as plug sockets, vacuum taps, sinks etc. CRUMA likes to keep things simple but these options are possible. Contact Progen for options.

See our Fume Hood range

View our other Laboratory Equipment Buyer's Guide