LAMINAR FLOW CABINET: ENSURING UNCONTAMINATED AIRFLOW

A laminar flow cabinet sometimes called tissue culture hood due to its common usage in tissue and cell culture works, is a carefully designed and enclosed bench equipment commonly used for preventing airborne particle contamination of particle sensitive materials during their usage and processing.

The need for such laminar flow cabinets generally arises during tissue and cell culture, assembly of microelectronic and semiconductor, and pharmaceutical compounding as such workspaces require a particle-free and well-filtered clean airflow. In such cabinets, the air is drawn inside through a HEPA filter and then directed and blown in a very smooth, laminar flow across the workplace.

There are generally two designs available in laminar flow cabinets: Vertical designed laminar flow cabinet and horizontal designed laminar flow cabinet.

Difference between Vertical and Horizontal laminar flow cabinet

Vertical Laminar Flow Cabinet: In the vertically designed LAMINAR FLOW CABINET, the air enters the system from above from the HEPA or ULPA filter placed above. The laminar airflow is directed downward. By directing the laminar flow downward, the vertical laminar flow cabinets reinforce the gravitational effect for sweeping aside the contaminants and particles out of the enclosure and thereby settling them down.

Horizontal Laminar flow cabinet: In Horizontal laminar flow cabinets, the air enters from behind and is forced and directed from a back-to-front direction parallel to the workspace, which leads to lesser turbulence than a vertical designed cabinet in which airflow hots the ground perpendicularly, and more significant turbulence is caused.

Components of Laminar flow cabinet

Cabinet: It is generally made up of stainless steel with no tiny spores or gaps, thus helping prevent any deposition of contaminants on the surface. It also provides double protection from any form of contamination with air particles. On the one hand, it protects the lab and work components and compounds from the outside environment and insulates the inner environment created inside laminal airflow.

The cabinet’s front is also provided with an openable glass shield, which can either be fully opened or have divided openings so that the user’s hand can quickly enter inside that cabinet.

Working Station: A flat and clean working station, also made of stainless steel to protect from rust, is also provided inside the cabinet where all the required culturing or other applications can occur. Burners, plates for culturing, and required loops are all placed inside this working station for operations and application.

Pre-filters and Filter pads: A filter pad is provided on the top of the cabinet, which provides the passageway of air to the cabinet. It helps preliminarily filter and absorb the tiny dust particles and micro-contaminations, thereby preventing them from entering the cabinet area where only clean and filtered air is allowed.

Fan/ blower: A fan is placed below the area where the filter pad is fitted. It helps in sucking the air inside the cabinet and moving it around. The fan also directs the air sucked towards the HEPA filters so that any remaining particle, microbe, or other contaminant is absorbed and trapped within the filter.

UV and Fluorescent lamps: In some laminar flow cabinets, a UV germicidal lamp is also provided that helps in sterilizing the cabinet’s interior and its contents before usage and operation. The fluorescent lamp is also provided so that proper light is there during the usage of such cabinets.

HEPA filter: A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is one of the most critical components of these laminar airflow cabinets that help ensure a cleaner, uncontaminated and sterile environment inside the cabinet.

Some considerations to be kept in mind:

While at Cleatech Cleanroom and Laboratory Solutions, you can find both vertical laminar flow cabinets and horizontal laminar flow cabinets; some considerations need to be kept in mind. Primarily, neither of them is appropriate for usage in the presence of biohazards. Instead of them, only Biosafety cabinets and only approved ones should be used.

Moreover, irrespective of whichever design of the laminar flow cabinet you choose, keep in mind to keep it running at least 15 minutes before its usage so that the particles are purged from the enclosure. Eventually, while cleaning the cabinet, keep sweeping it from clean to dirty areas.