What is a smoke fume extractor?

A smoke extractor is a system that uses a fan to draw smoke and particles into a filter system to clean the air of harmful chemicals and particles.Fumes or particles are generated by industrial processes such as welding,sanding,grinding,spraying,powder filling and chemical applications.Smoke extractors use a variety of filters,and some systems use multiple filters in series depending on the application.The combination of powerful fans and high-quality filter media creates a recirculated air pattern for ductless units.Due to the air flow,no ductwork or costly replacement air is required.These units take up less space,weigh less,are more energy efficient and allow for easy filter changes.

Particulate Filters 

Particulate filters utilize high-efficiency fiberglass media to capture and retain fine particles,light dust,smoke,and other airborne particles.This type of filter is used to prevent asthma,allergy causes,and to prevent the spread of disease.

Uses: Particle control,light dust collection,reduction of airborne bacteria,other respirable particles and dust control.

Types: Efficiency varies.HEPA and ULPA filter overlap and sample particles captured by both.

ASHRAE Filter (up to 95% efficient on particles 0.5 micron in size)-Minimum quality meeting standards set by the American Society of Heating,Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Professionals.Not as efficient as HEPA,but serves a similar purpose.HEPA filter (up to 99.97% efficient on particles down to 0.3 micron in size) – High filtration level to trap small particles to prevent asthma and allergies.ULPA filter (99.9995% efficient on particles down to 0.12 microns)-Ultra-low particulate filters filter better than HEPA and capture more particles smaller than HEPA.

Activated Carbon/Specialty Hybrid Filters

For activated carbon and specialty hybrid filters,efficiency depends on the chemical being adsorbed and the application.These types of filters are used to adsorb organic vapors and solvents.Activated carbon has millions of pores that create a large surface area to absorb odors and chemical fumes.These types of filters do saturate and must be replaced to optimize efficiency.Sentry Air Systems uses the highest quality organic virgin coconut shell activated charcoal.

Uses: Adsorption of chemical fumes,organic vapors and solvents (ie acetone and formaldehyde).

Efficiency: Chemical and application dependent,typically 99%

Types:

• Activated carbon.

• Carbon dioxide.

• Aldehyde carbon.

• Ammonia carbon.

• Mercury carbon.

Micro-pleated/cleanable filter

Micro-pleated or cleanable filters can be cleaned by applying pressurized air to the outside of the filter.These filters are easy to clean as they do not need to be removed for cleaning.Waste from the cleaning process falls into the internal dustpan for easy removal.These types of filters are best used in high volume applications where the filter is prone to saturation.

Uses: High-volume welding, metalworking,solvents,powder handling and chemicals.

Efficiency: 95% effective on particles as small as 0.3 microns.