My Experience as a Summer Intern: The Importance of Fume Hoods

During my internship I have learned a lot, doing CAD modeling, and load calcs in Trace. I cannot enter a building anymore without looking for ductwork, supply diffusers, return grilles, and plenums.

I was assigned to work on a project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) which involved the design of fume hoods. Fume hoods vary greatly depending on what kind of lab work is being done in it. The most important aspects of a fume hood include face velocity, airfoil, back baffle, sash, bypass grille, work surface, and slots. The purpose of fume hoods are to prevent unwanted substances from diffusing into occupied air.

VAV fume hoods are my favorite fume hoods. VAV systems save energy, which engineers need to take into higher account. The position of the sash of the fume hood controls the speed of the fan. Fan laws show that power can be saved as speed decreases with sash closure.