Bio Safety Cabinet Class II Type A2
A biosafety cabinet (BSC) is an essential piece of equipment for any laboratory handling biological materials that may pose a risk to human health or the environment. A Class II Type A2 biosafety cabinet is one of the most commonly used types of BSCs and offers a high level of protection for both the operator and the materials being handled.
A Class II Type A2 BSC provides a physical barrier between the operator and the biological materials by using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA/ULPA) filter to create a negative pressure environment. This ensures that any contaminants are captured and filtered before being released into the laboratory environment. The airflow is also designed to protect the operator from exposure to hazardous materials and to prevent cross-contamination between different materials being handled.
In addition to its primary function of providing a safe environment for handling biological materials, a Class II Type A2 BSC also offers a range of features designed to enhance usability and convenience. These may include adjustable height work surfaces, built-in lighting, and a range of alarms and indicators to monitor filter life and performance.
BIO-SAFETY CABINET: CLASS II TYPE A2 FLOW DIAGRAM
Schematic diagram of a Class II type A2 biological safety cabinet.
A : Front opening; B : Sash; C : Exhaust HEPA / ULPA filter; D : Supply HEPA / ULPA filter;
E : Positive-pressure plenum; F : Negative-pressure plenum.
- Ambient air is pulled through front grille to create inflow, without going into the work surface. Inflow is joined by half of the downflow, to create front air curtain that is fine-tuned to create a large performance envelope. The combined air stream travels through the back air column towards the blower.
- Near the work surface, the downflow splits. About half goes to the front grille, and half goes to the rear grille. A small portion enters the side capture zones to prevent dead air corners (small blue arrows).
- The design was optimized to give large performance envelope, that provides) operator and product protection at wide Inflow and Downflow variation from the Nominal point.