September 4, 2002—Research to determine a method of measuring inflow velocities and exhaust airflow rate through biological safety cabinets (BSC) has recently been approved by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
The project was approved at ASHRAE’s 2002 Annual Meeting in June 2002. ASHRAE approved five research projects, totaling $651,156, in the areas of energy conservation, indoor air quality, comfort and health, and fire and safety.
Among them is 1212-TRP, Airflow Measurement of Biological Safety Cabinets. The principal investigators are James Wagner and Donald James Clarke with Micro-Clean Inc. in Lehigh Valley, Penn. The project is expected to take nine months to complete at a cost of $95,000.
BSCs are the primary means of containment developed for working safely with infectious microorganisms. A definitive measurement method is needed to determine the correct number of flow differences from the inflow the exhaust.
For BSCs connected to building systems, this difference in numbers can mean changing out a complete ventilation system to accommodate balancing the volume of air being brought into the lab and being exhausted to the outside.
For more information, contact ASHRAE.
