ANSI Z9.5/ASHRAE 110 Performance Testing
The ANSI Z9.5 Standard covers a wide range of issues involved in laboratory ventilation. One of those issues is the method of testing an open fume hood's ability to contain. To determine the level of containment, the Z9.5 standard adopts the ASHRAE 110 performance test which specifies the minimum acceptable level of containment for a fume hood when a specific flow rate of a detectable gas is released into an operating hood.
ECT ASHRAE 110 performance tests include:
- Airflow Visualization
- Face Velocity Measurement
- Cross Draft Measurement
- Tracer Gas Containment
- Response, Stability and Sash Movement Effect (VAV Systems Only)
- Verification of Monitor Operation
ASHRAE 110 is important to you, the end user, for many reasons, but most of all it is important that your fume hood's performance be validated in it's "as used" environment. Although manufacturers are required to validate the performance of their hoods before they leave the factory, the environmental conditions after installation could be significantly different. Fume hood performance can be affected by several factors within the lab such as:
- Supply Air Velocity and Direction
- Space Temperature Fluctuations
- Lab Pressurization
- Improper Fume Hood Installation
- Malfunctioning Ventilation System Components