SHRAE 110 AM

 

The test was completed in a testing laboratory with near perfect conditions. The purpose of this test is to allow users or buyers to compare fume hoods from different suppliers. By comparing the tests of each supplier, you can see the design of the fume hood and the performance compared with other facilities. You can also compare the energy costs of using a fume hood.

 

But this test will never show how the fume hood will work in your lab. It just tells you how it will behave compared to others in perfect conditions. However, because your lab is much more complex than the test lab, you will face many factors that affect performance. Each laboratory has a different laboratory ventilation system, which can also have a significant impact on performance.

 

Therefore, the usefulness of this test is to determine the design quality of the fume hood, rather than the performance in the actual laboratory.

 

ASHRAE 110 AI

 

This test is carried out on the no-load fume hood before use. This is a form of debugging.

 

If you have conducted am test on the fume hood, you can compare it with AI test results. Therefore, if there is a significant difference in performance, it indicates that there is a problem in the building HVAC or laboratory ventilation system that needs to be solved.

 

The indoor ventilation system of air supply and exhaust, including the exhaust device of fume hood, shall be in full normal operation. The air flow system in the laboratory should be properly adjusted before starting the test. This includes calibration of air flow control; calibration of automatic temperature control; air supply balance; completion of pipe crossing on the exhaust pipe.

 

If the initial test indicates that the fume hood is not operating as expected by the AM test, the test should be stopped until the building problem is resolved.

 

Once the fume hood has an acceptable AI test, we now know that the laboratory is safe for users. All laboratories should conduct AI test before use to verify whether the whole system operates as designed and the safety level is acceptable.

 

ASHRAE 110 AU

 

The last ASHRAE 110 test is conducted in a working laboratory, usually with normal equipment in place. Assuming we have acceptable am and AI test data, we are now testing the impact of user practices on performance.

 

We often find that the failure to reach an acceptable level of fume hood in the Au test is the result of changes in the laboratory ventilation system. These systems are very complex and require regular maintenance to perform as designed. Other times, it's just operational practice that can be corrected.

 

Regardless of the cause, this test will verify that the performance of the fume hood is acceptable.