Glovebox Air Change 1

[Hitokiri03]

I am designing a crude glovebox and I am trying to figure out how to make calculations for the air change. Are there standards for what the air change should be?

Here is the situation:
Our area is currently pour 1 gallon of powered acid into a mixing tank filled with water. In order to prevent powered acid particulates from getting on the employee, I am designing a glovebox to go on top of the tank opening. I have a port for our HEPA vacuum (87 cfm) hose to attach to the glovebox and another port to allow for ambient air to crossflow into the glovebox during suction. I am trying to calculate when the air would be safe inside the glovebox. The employee would pour the acid into the tank, remove their hands from the gloves, open the ambient air port, and turn on the vacuum at the vacuum port.

 

[MechEngNCPE]

ya might not want to "design a crude glovebox" - I mean what is that? Leave it up to the professionals, call a glove box vendor and purchase one that will do the job. These typically are ISO class 100, EU Grade A isolators with recirculating HEPA filtered air at 100fpm and around 100 AC/h. You need a cooling coil to get rid of the fan heat, etc. Are you a glovebox designer or pharma/cleanroom/lab HVAC engineer? If not do not attempt this.

 

[DRWeig]

MechEngNCPE,

I second that emotion.
--Smokey Robinson



Good on ya,

Goober Dave

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[Hitokiri03]

The reason I say "crude glovebox" is that the design is a much simplified version. The reason I am designing it is that we need engineering controls for the 3-4 months we will be using this mixing container. We will only be using it about 1-2 a month, so we don't want to spend $30,000-$70,000 per mixing tank in the mean time. I have emailed a few glovebox manufacturers and they said they would be willing to help me with equations and methodology.

 

[DRWeig]

Well, that's the kind of professional help you need. You might offer them a fee to review and approve your design when it's completed.

Safety first. Money not important. Keep that in mind! $30,000 to $70,000 will look like pennies if an employee gets acid dust on him or her. Even or worse will be if that employee inhales some. This is so, even if you're only going to use it a few times.

I'd be wearing full personal protective gear, as if there were no glove box.

Good on ya,

Goober Dave

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