HVAC Systems and Laboratory Design

This two-day introduction to the design and evaluation of laboratory HVAC systems combines lecture, class discussion, hands-on laboratory work, and group activities. Topics include: basic airflow principles; ventilation equipment exhaust requirements; OSHA, ANSI, ASHRAE and NFPA regulations; fume hood testing and laboratory controls. Real life laboratory construction and renovations are used as examples throughout the course. All course concepts come together in an activity in which participants learn the critical questions to ask when reviewing mechanical drawings.

Participants Will Learn

• Basic ventilation elements, terms and equations
• Basic principles of lab ventilation control
• The role of pressure relationships in lab design
• Types and sources of pressure losses in exhaust systems
• The key elements of building exhaust and stack design
• How OSHA, ANSI, ASHRAE, and NFPA regulations impact lab HVAC design
• Design requirements for fume hoods and BSCs
• Uses for various airflow measuring instruments
• How to take airflow and ventilation measurements
• Steps in the lab design process
• How to read mechanical drawings
• Questions to ask when reviewing mechanical drawings