New Protector Glove Boxes introduced

By Bob Applequist, Senior Application Specialist

On February 01, 2011 in Blog

New Protector® Filtered Glove Boxes offer enhanced particulate containment and now provide the operator with real-time performance data on internal static pressure, air volume flow rates in cubic feet per minute (CFM), air changes per minute (ACM) and main chamber pressure (inches of water). Operators utilize the blower speed control to achieve low to high rates of contaminant dilution within an absolute hazard chemical containment environment.

The built-in blower and speed control provide filtered airflow rates from 15 CFM to 85 CFM.

Operators can utilize the blower control to achieve high rates of contaminant dilution within the totally enclosed main chamber which provides an absolute level of containment for chemical hazards that open sash fume hoods and balance enclosures cannot.

Glove Boxes with 99.99% efficient HEPA or 99.999% efficient ULPA filters are available with bag-in/bag-out filter capabilities. The glove boxes offer all the advantages of a low volume, HEPA-filtered ventilation enclosure system, but provide a totally isolated working environment.

Common applications include nanoparticulate manipulation and weighing hazardous powders. During testing of the Protector Filtered Glove Box, airborne particulate cleanliness (measured under negative pressure) within the main chamber of the glove box exceeded ISO Class 5 conditions (equivalent to Class 100) and exceeded ISO Class 3 conditions (equivalent to Class 1) at minimum blower speed, 50% and maximum operational airflow volumes.

Protector Filtered Glove Boxes are available with a molded one-piece fiberglass or stainless steel liner.

Protector® Controlled Atmosphere Glove Boxes feature an LCD display with microprocessor controls for automatically evacuating and refilling the glove box main chamber up to 499 times or transfer chamber up to 199 times with clean inert nitrogen or argon gas.

This purification operation can quickly reduce ambient levels of oxygen and moisture to 1ppm concentration levels while saving on the consumption of inert gas. These Glove Boxes are factory leak-tested with a mass spectrometer while pressurized with helium at 5 inches of water gauge. No detectable leaks greater than 1 x 10-6 ml/sec..

All Protector® Controlled Atmosphere Glove Boxes exceed Class 1 atmosphere containment conditions for oxygen permeation <1.67 ppm/min per ISO 10648-2 test method.

The Protector Controlled Atmosphere Glove Boxes are offered in two construction materials. For applications involving mineral acids, the one-piece molded fiberglass liner with clear acrylic inner and outer transfer chamber doors is the best choice.

These controlled atmosphere glove boxes are performance tested to maintain oxygen levels as low as 0.4 ppm and moisture levels as low as 2 ppm. Fiberglass-lined glove boxes offer an oxygen permeation rate of <0.3 ppm/min per ISO 10648-2. Interior illumination exceeds 120 foot-candles.

For applications that are sensitive to organic chemicals, the Type 304 stainless steel liner with Type 304 stainless steel inner and outer transfer chamber doors is the best choice.

These Controlled Atmosphere Glove Boxes are performance tested to maintain oxygen levels as low as 0.2 ppm and moisture levels as low as 1 ppm. Stainless steel glove boxes offer an oxygen permeation rate of <0.16 ppm/min per ISO 10648-2. Interior illumination exceeds 80 foot-candles.

Other features for the Protector Glove Box is a factory-installed, rear-mounted, low profile stainless steel pressure relief bubbler at ± 6 inches of water gauge and space-saving inner and outer transfer chamber doors that pivot upward and are counterbalanced and equipped with quick-latches.

The Atmospure Re-Gen Gas Purifier is a separate regenerative oxygen & moisture removal system. This new purification system can be connected to any controlled atmosphere glove box for reducing and maintaining oxygen/moisture levels below 1 ppm over long time periods.

Typical inert glove box applications require regenerations only once every four weeks. The regeneration procedure is semi-automatic with one button start-up function. For help selecting the right glove box for your application, contact Labconco at 800-732-0031 or 816-333-8811.