Hello!
Im building a diy enclosure and dont understand the fan system that would blow away all the smoke and fumes. Ive seen people on different forums explaining some air change per hour and airflow cubic feet per minute. Ive calculate the enclosure volume which is (325,272.90 cm3/11.486904057ft 3) its big cause i want to use atomstack ac1 cam inside the box and made it quite high. Can someone help and tell me what fans i need and what CFM they should be.
Please and Thanks!
Hi.
Rather than concentrating on a specific cfm (or L/min for us SI folks) figure, any air handling / ventilation problem should IMO be designed for the “worst case scenario” requirements as the starting point.
Since there’s always a lot of variables in cases like this, it’s next to impossible to recommend anything specific.
A few thoughts.
As there should always be air assist to protect the lens and to avoid uneven lasering, as a minimum, the exhaust volume has to be at least the same as the volume of the air assist airflow.
If the exhaust volume is larger (as it usually is for multiple reasons) than the air assist volume, the fume extraction and -dilution is better, but a controlled makeup air is needed.
If there’s need for filtration, the losses of the filtration has to be compensated somehow.
If honeycomb- ,nail-bed, etc. is used, it’s a very good idea to have crossflow under the bed in order to avoid explosive concentrations of cuting gasses and air to form.
If the space where the laser equipment is used is either heated or air conditioned, a thought or a two should be had about how to minimize the energy losses that happen if the exhaust is directed outside.
The make up air has to come from somewhere, and it has to be either heated or cooled.
Directly or indirectly.
Regards,
Sam
