Published on 19th February 2018

Nanoco installs 21 Clean Air walk-in fume cupboards

By Louise Barnes

Clean Air has completed the commissioning of 21 walk-in fume cupboards at Nanoco Technologies’ laboratories in Runcorn. Due to the high-tech nature of Nanoco’s work the fume cupboards were specially designed to accommodate specialist equipment. Clean Air demonstrated the technical expertise to design a walk-in fume cupboard that fulfilled Nanoco’s demanding specifications. This, combined with its competitive quotation, won the contract.

All the units were installed on time, to specification and to budget. To locate the fume cupboards on different floors of the building, Clean Air even designed and manufactured a cradle to enable them to be lifted up and into the different storeys where they operate.

Nanoco outlined a series of challenging specifications these top of the range walk-in fume cupboards were required to meet. The majority are 1600 mm deep and vary in width up to a very substantial 5000 mm unit. A number of the fume cupboards use HEPA filter technology to remove fine particulates before the extraction system vents the fumes to the atmosphere.

Precision weigh scales were installed in each fume cupboard. To accommodate these Clean Air designed the fume cupboard floor with a bespoke stainless steel bund with perforated tiles. The scales sit within the bund which features neat integral cable routes, allowing the scales to be easily connected to the control panel.

The capacity of the sealed bund has been calibrated to contain a specified volume of liquid should there ever be a spillage, keeping it safe and contained.

Clean Air recommended a combination horizontal and vertical sliding sash. This offers safety and easy access for operators, and this opening method will also save on energy costs.

Nanoco Technologies leads the world in the research, development and large-scale manufacture of cadmium-free nanomaterials. Its quantum dots, manufactured in the Runcorn facility, have applications in areas as diverse as flat-screen displays and bio-imaging.

Due to the highly confidential nature of the new laboratories, no internal images can be shared.