Flow Cabinet Manufacturer

Flow Cabinet: An Ultimate FAQ Guide

Flow Cabinet is a highly reliable and energy-efficient unit that is configured to provide a contamination-free sterile room for working. It assists the operators to make experiments without the risk of contamination.

Factory mounted fabrication, easy installation, documentation for cabinet validity, and accredit certifications from international standards assure customer satisfaction for the cabinet.

Tailored servicing and lower costs for maintenance have proved the Flow Cabinet as the best and optimal option to choose for the required application. Let’s dig more about it

Flow Cabinet Testing

What is Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet is an enclosed unit that is constructed of galvanized steel, 304 stainless steel material, and tempered glass.

The sterility of the cabinet is based on the HEPA filter’s integrity and unidirectional airflow inside the cabinet. Pre-filters are situated on the top side of the unit.

The cabinet is also configured with positive pressure to repel the entry of outside air under the assistance of a blower /fans.

Sunnyda Flow Cabinets

What are the Basic Components of a Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet is designed to get an aseptic environment for culture media preparations and plate pouring techniques that are sensitive to contamination under streamlined airflow through filters.

It is made of some basic components as given below:

Cabinet

The main housing is called the cabinet that is made of stainless steel material having resistance against environmental factors.

The front side of the cabinet is made of glass either with a front opening or partial opening for hands.

Cabinet Fans

The fans or blowers of the cabinet configured the spreading of air in the cabinet as well as projected the coming air towards the HEPA filter. The blowers are placed below the filter pads.

Filters

Two types of filters as prefilters that are featured on the top side of the cabinet and HEPA filters are integrated inside the cabinet.

Pre-filters trap the dust and debris from the air that is coming towards the cabinet. While HEPA filters ensure the sterility of the cabinet.

UV Lamps

UV lamps are fixed with Flow Cabinet as germicidal to kill the germs before start working. But some of the cabinets are also available without UV lamps.

Fluorescent Lamp

The fluorescent lamps of the cabinet provide a proper light source while working. These are kept turned on during the whole operation time.

Work Station

The working bench or workstation is present inside the cabinet where all of the required materials are placed as culture media, slides, burner, etc.

Flow Cabinet UV Light

What are the Specifications of a Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet is renowned to be used for different ISO clean rooms and other applications under its unique specifications as given below:

• The cabinets are designed in sizes ranges 2ft to 6ft but it is also designed on customized dimensions
• 90fpm is the set airflow rate inside the cabinet
• ISO 14644 compliance, cGMP, and FS 209E standards are followed to maintain the air cleanliness specifications of the cabinet for class 100 and ISO 4 clean room
• IEST-RP-CC034.1 and EN 1822 compliance-based HEPA filter ensures energy-efficient working
• The cabinet body is constructed of 18 gauge to 20 gauge galvanized steel material
• The working bench of the cabinet is designed with 304 stainless steel material
• Pre-filters for dust accumulation
• The sound level of an individual blower is less than 70dBA
• The power supply provides 120 volts or 220 voltage for frequency 50Hz /60 Hz
• Epoxy coated steel frames and tempered glass construction
• The working of the main filter specify to capture particulates of sizes 0.1 to 0.3 microns

What are the Key Features of Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet is configured with a variety of features to make it a closed and sterilized work station as given below:

• The fluorescent lights of the cabinet are adjusted away from the airflow area.
• The mainframe of the cabinet is made of steel while the work station is designed with 304 stainless steel material.
• The walls of the cabinet are doubled and strong with greater insulation properties.
• Positive pressure maintenance of Flow Cabinet to stop the entrance of outside polluted air.
• Ultraviolet lamps are integrated with the cabinet optionally for killing the germs and all other contaminants from the air.
• Pre-filters that are made of polyester fibers ensure the capturing of dust particulates from the air with 85 percent assistance.
• Energy-efficient and reliable HEPA filters ensure 99.997 percent working efficiency to dissipate 0.3 microns sized particulates.
• ULPA filters are sometimes fitted with a cabinet as optional in place of a HEPA filter for 99.999 percent working efficiency.
• Fan speed control unit.
• Fan or rotor blowers for directing air towards the HEPA filters.
• Base stand of the cabinet with locking casters and lower shelf.
• The ergonomically designed front side of the cabinet for easy approach and access at the bench station.
• White coating on metal surfaces of the cabinet to kill the microbes for diminishing contamination.
• Contamination-free work station for sterilized working.
• Side windows of the Flow Cabinet that are made of glass provide a three-sided view of the inside working as well as illumination.

Stainless Steel Flow Cabinet

How to Start-Up a Flow Cabinet Before Working?

Before starting work inside your Flow Cabinet there is a need to keep in view some considerations as given below:

• To sterilize the cabinet is necessary for contamination-free working.
• Before turning on the UV Lamps for germicidal effect make sure there would not be any material inside the cabinet that is sensitive to UV light.
• The front glass of the cabinet must be closed to turn on the UV lamp for sterility of the working bench.
• For almost 15 minutes the lamp should be turned off.
• After that take a stay of 10 minutes before going to start work.
• Turn on the Flow Cabinet before the operation.
• Then open the glass lid and switch on the fluorescent lights of the cabinet for lighting purposes that will remain turned on until the work may not be completed.

What is the Working of a Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet is designed for clean rooms and different other applications requiring a sterilized environment.

To provide the controlled environment for specimen protection, the cabinet works in the following steps:

Step 1

The basic principle at which the cabinet works is the supply of air with laminar airflow for capturing all of the contaminants.

The air comes from outside the environment and enters inside the cabinet first by passing through the pre-filters that are adjusted at the top of the cabinet.

Pre-filters makes sure the capturing of all larger-sized particles, dust, and debris from air to shield the HEPA filter from dust accumulation.

Step 2

Air enters inside the cabinet after passing from pre-filters. The blowers or the fans that are integrated below the filter mediate the air directed towards the HEPA filter and spread it all over the Flow Cabinet.

Step 3             

After that, the air will be entered into the HEPA filter. The HEPA filters will ensure the capturing of air-borne particulates and contaminants as bacteria, viruses, and fungal spores, etc.

The air moving out after filtration will be free from contaminants and all other impurities.

Step 4

The effluent air will be discharged out from the cabinet simply by passing over the working bench and moving out towards the operators’ face.

Some amount of air is also discharged through the perforated rare side of the cabinet.

Step 5

The sides of the cabinet are closed to maintain the positive pressure of the Flow Cabinet. The positive pressure protects the entry of outside air towards the cabinet from the sides.

Step 6

The process will remain to continue with air processing until the work will be completed. After the end of working, clean out the cabinet and turn on the UV lights for sterilization of the cabinet for the next operation.

Flow Cabinet Working Principle

Which Accessories Can be Integrated With Flow Cabinet?

To make the Flow Cabinet efficient and customized as per clean room class requirements different accessories options can be integrated with the cabinet as:

• Megnehelic Gauges
• Electrical Sockets
• UV Lamps
• Service Fixtures
• Airflow Meter for Airflow Rate
• Fluorescent Light
• Test Ports As (DOP Testing)

Why Do you Need a Flow Cabinet?

For its unidirectional air circulation and closed housing, the Flow Cabinet is considered as a sterile room for sensitive processes.

It is always needed for the following purposes:

• For the preservation of culture media and tissue cultures from any contamination, the Flow Cabinet is preferred to use
• Some of the electronic processes that are considered to be sensitive are performed inside the cabinet
• Drug preparations and manipulations require controlled conditions that are provided by using this cabinet in pharmaceuticals
• For industrial sectors, the cabinets are also offered in customized sizes
• Microbiological labs that always need sterile conditions for microbial growth, the cabinet is considered to be a basic need

Customized Flow Cabinet

What are the Filtration Agents of Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet is configured to provide a controlled environment under unidirectional airflow with microbial dissipation for an assorted number of applications.

The filtration agents of the cabinet are responsible for providing standardized and controlled conditions that are:

H 14 HEPA Filter

The clean air that circulates inside the cabinet meets the ISO requisites for ISO 4 clean room as well as for class 100 clean room.

HEPA filters work by following ISO 14644-1 standardization and ensure the 99.999 % working efficiency for dissipating particulates with size ranges from 0.3 microns or smaller than it.

The working efficiency of HEPA filters mitigates the power consumption as well as stabilizes the consistent supply of laminar airflow.

In this way, the specimens projected over the bench station remain protected from contamination.

Metal Guards of HEPA Box

The metal guards that are configured with the cabinet HEPA filters ensure its protection from any damage.

Pre-Filters

These filter pads or primary filters are situated on the top side of the cabinet to receive the incoming air for filtration.

All of the large-sized particles, contaminants, dust, and debris are being captured by pre-filters. Ultimately it directs air towards the motor fans or blower of the cabinet.

IEST-RP-CC034.1 compliance is also implemented to make the filtration agents of the Flow Cabinets credible and reliable.

Flow Cabinet Pre-Filter

What is the Use of the Real-Time Airflow Monitoring Unit of Flow Cabinet?

A real-time airflow monitoring unit acts as a sensor for determining the rate of airflow inside the cabinet.

The specific and streamlined airflow dictates that the Flow Cabinet is working as per standardized compliance.

So the real-time airflow sensors are equipped with a cabinet. Any fault or fluctuation in airflow of the cabinet is being sensed by the monitoring unit.

It makes an emergency alarm to inform about an emergency and troubleshoot the problem on time.

What are the Benefits to Use Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet is not only considered the best option to choose for providing specimen protection but it has also an assorted number of benefits as given below:

Portable

The cabinet is placed on a base stand and fitted by the use of bolts and nuts. The base stand consists of caster wheels by which the cabinet can easily be shifted at a place of interest.

Economical

The cabinet is economically supportive for the customers because it works with airflow rates. Once you installed the cabinet, you just need to replace the filters after a specific time without making any other investments.

Low Cost

The Flow Cabinet is factory mounted with all its basic components. It is delivered on the site just for installation expenditures.

But the conventional cabinets may require integrating the ducts and blower at the site of installation.

Safety

The cabinet prevents internal processing from all types of contamination. Except for, it is featured with a control unit and sensors that dictate the carbon saturation and gas level in the cabinet.

Portable Flow Cabinets

How Does the Rear Wall of Flow Cabinet Help to Mitigate Air Turbulence?

The Flow Cabinet is a closed, contaminated-free, and sterile workplace that assists the operator to make aseptic performances for best results and produced in laboratories.

This is made possible by the filtration of consistently coming air inside the cabinet.

The positive pressure is maintained inside it. Effluent air is removed out from the cabinet.

Perforated Rear Wall of the Cabinet

The perforation on the rear side of the cabinet assists to mitigate the turbulence while air discharging from a cabinet.

Because some of the air dissipate out from the rear wall perforation resulting in the maintenance of streamline airflow inside the cabinet instead of provoking turbulence around the bench station.

How Many Types of Flow Cabinets are Available?

Based on the airflow direction the Flow Cabinet can be divided into types:

• Horizontal Laminar Flow Cabinet
• Vertical Laminar Flow Cabinet

Horizontal Flow Cabinet

• In the horizontal cabinet, the outer air comes from the backside of the work station.
• The blowers or the fans direct air towards the HEPA filters.
• After filtration from HEPA filters, the air moves horizontally as discharged air and dissipated out from the work station.
• The horizontal direction of the air assists in the constant cleanliness of the surroundings of the workstation for aseptic conditions maintenance.
• But the air that flows horizontally dissipated out as discharged gas directly from the front side and hits the operator. In this way, it might lower the protection rate for personnel

Vertical Flow Cabinet

• In the vertical airflow cabinet, the air comes from the top side of the cabinet and vertically enters downward towards the bench station of the cabinet.
• The vertical airflow dissipate all of the contaminants without any obstruction in the downstream flow because it requires no depth and a wide workstation
• The discharged air passes from the HEPA filter and over workbench dissipates out from the side of the cabinet
• The vertical airflow protects the operator from direct contact with the air so that air may not cause any harm or infection

Horizontal Flow Cabinet

How is Rear Mounted Filtration Different from Side Mounted Filters of Flow Cabinet?

The Flow Cabinet is classified into horizontal and vertical cabinets as per airflow direction.

The horizontal cabinet can also be integrated with different mounting options as side-mounted filters and rear side filtration.

Rear Side Filter Cabinet

• This type of horizontal cabinet does not have a front sash
• The filters integrated on the rear side of the cabinet
• This type of filtration ensures the sterilization of the environment with no containment requisites

Side Mounting Filter Cabinet

• The filters are integrated with the sliding sash of the cabinet
• The service panel is present on both sides of the cabinet
• Recycling filter is also featured with cabinet for air filtration
• The contaminated air is discharged off and replaced with fresh air
• This type of cabinet filtration helps applications requiring laminar airflow

What is Support Stand for Flow Cabinet?

Support stands are designed to place the Flow Cabinet at a specific height that would be feasible and accessible to work by sitting before the cabinet.

The support stand assists to transfer the cabinet from one place to another where it needs for working because the stand is configured with caster wheels to move.

It also consists of:

• Caster wheels with telescoping
• Stand with leveling feet
• Telescoping with leveling feet
• Caster wheels

Flow Cabinet Caster Wheels

How Many Types of Base Options are Available for Flow Cabinet?

Flow Cabinet is available with different base options depending on the requirements of the application. These base options are given below:

• The countertop base of the cabinet is without any extra support.
• The base of the cabinet made of polypropylene is integrated with lipped shelf and sliding doors.
• Steel stand of the cabinet that is coated with white powder.
• The cabinet with a polypropylene base and the doors are hinged design. Lipped shelves are also available.
• Steel stand base with powder coating having removable trays for easy cleaning.
• Propylene cabinet that is adjusted permanently with steel stand.
• The customized base for cabinets with internal configuration options.

What are the Applications of Flow Cabinet?

A  Flow Cabinet is designed for the preservation of tissue culturing, agar plates, etc. while dealing with environment-sensitive specimens of different applications as given below:

• Pharmaceuticals Clean Rooms
• Aerospace
• Plants Cell Culturing
• Semiconductors Manufacturing
• Mammalian Cell Culturing
• Mycology
• Science Laboratories
• Food Microbiology
• Hematology
• Pathology Clinics
• Clinical Pharmacies
• Medical Device Assembly
• Oncology
• Electronics
• Food Manufacturing

Flow Cabinet Applications

Why Does UV Light is Integrated With Flow Cabinet?

A UV light or UV lamp emits UV rays when it is turned on which are highly stringent rays with the capability to attack germs and microbes.

The UV lamps that are also called UV-C lamps are renowned for their germicidal activity. So these lamps are integrated with the Flow Cabinet so that aseptic conditions must be maintained of the cabinet.

The UV lamp is switched- on before starting operation inside the cabinet for almost 15 minutes.

UV rays kill all of the germs within the cabinet. After 15 minutes, the UV lamp is turned off to start up the cabinet.

Are Pre-filters of Flow Cabinet Washable or Not?

The Flow Cabinet is integrated with filters and blowers as the main components to capture contaminants and dust particulates from the air.

The top side adjusted filter of the cabinet is called a pre-filter that is usually designed with polyester. As polyester is an organic compound so it can be said that the filter is not washable.

It must be replaced with a new one after its service life that can be in-between of 2 to 3 months.

Which Precautions Should you Follow for Working With your Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet is mediated to provide clean and controlled conditions for the best working process.

For this, the following precautions should be adopted for safe and stable working:

• Always use the PPE while working with the cabinet, especially wearing long gloves, lab coats, and goggles.
• Make sure to sterilize the cabinet before starting the operation. Turn on the UV lamp for germicidal effect throughout the cabinet.
• The UV rays are stringent so make sure to turn on the lamp 15 minutes before working and after the end of the process.
• Don’t put any spray or squirting solution over the HEPA filters.
• Keep the direct path between the workstation laminar flow of air coming towards the working bench.
• Don’t make a messy work station by putting a large number of the instrument.
• Avoid placing larger objects in front of a perforated rare side cabinet for airflow regulation.
• The airflow and UV light should not be used at the same time inside a cabinet.
• After work completion, clean out the whole cabinet workstation and all other instruments that are used during operation.
• In this way, the sterilized cabinet would be ready for the next performance.

Wear PPE Before Using Flow Cabinet

Which Validation Tests are Performed for Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet consists of blowers, filters, control unit, and workstation, etc. All the parts are designed to meet the standardized cleanliness grade of clean rooms:

Different validity tests are performed after the construction of the cabinet to ensure the standardized credibility as:

• DOP Testing for HEPA Filters Integrity
• Vibration Test for Cabinet
• Inflow Air Velocity Validation Test
• Level of Light Intensity Testing
• Noise Level Testing
• Smoke Test
• Tests For Electrical Safety of Cabinet
• Downflow Air Velocity Testing

With Which Standardized Credibility Flow Cabinet is Designed?

A Flow Cabinet is a specifically designed enclosed unit that performs its controlled activity under international standardized credibility as:

• ISO 14644-3 Standardization
• NSF 49 Compliance
• EN 1822 for HEPA Filters
• EN 12469 Compliance for Airflow Configurations
• IEST-RP-CC002.2 Compliance for Cabinet
• AS 2252.6 Compliance for Cabinet Performance Validity
• IEST-RP-CC034.1, IEST-RP-CC001.3, and IEST-RP-CC007.1 Compliance for Filters Validity
• UL-C-61010-1 Compliance, CE Marking and ROHS Compliance for Electrical Safety of the Cabinet
• USP 797 for Sterile Compounding
• ISO 14644-1 for Air Quality

How to Maintain your Flow Cabinet?

A Flow Cabinet front is ergonomically designed to assist the access of personnel at the bench station for performing different experiments under controlled conditions.

For long-duration service life and efficiency in working the cabinet should be maintained in the following way:

Filters

The cabinet consists of primary filters as well HEPA/ULPA filters for air cleanliness. The dust and debris accumulate in the cabinet that decreasing its working efficiency.

Make sure to inspect the integrity of filters and replace them with new ones after a specific duration.

Blower

The blower is also the core unit of the cabinet that maintains the positive pressure inside the cabinet. When the front glass window is being opened the blower protects the entry of outside contaminated towards the cabinet.

So make sure the cleaning of blowers. A schedule should be followed to inspect the blower maintenance.

Cabinet Surface

The surface area that is also called the work station should be cleaned out quickly after working because reactive acids and bases etc. can destruct the metal surface.

Use ethanol mixture for sterilization of the cabinet.

Conclusion.

Thus a Flow Cabinet in an energy-efficient and standardized credible closed unit that configures the maintenance of controlled conditions for different clean rooms and research labs.

The streamlined circulation of air is the working principle of the cabinet through which it works. HEPA filters, pre-filters, and blowers come in combination to provide a sterile workstation.

The factory-mounted fully fabricated cabinet ensures easy installation and maintenance.

Except for EN 1822 compliance, USP 797 and different ISO standards accredit certification for the cabinet increase its credibility to use for sensitive plate pouring and tissue culturing processes.

100% Quality Tested Flow Cabinet