Flex-AirTM - Efficient
Low Velocity - Low Volume - Low Resistance - Low Turbulence
The Flex-Air System is designed using large plenums instead of small ducts. It is these large lower and upper plenums that create the low static pressure in the system. Placing the remainder of the plenums in a vertical fashion enables the use of naturally occurring convective currents within the system, again reducing resistance.
How Air Flows Through the System
The airflow within the Flex-AirTM Ventilated Rack is divided into two (2) areas; airflow through the rack, and airflow through the cage.
Airflow Through the Rack
In positive operation, the Air Handling Unit is mounted on the bottom. The air is pushed into the Lower Supply Plenum via a coarse particle pre-filter and the supply HEPA filter. It then fills the Lower Supply Plenum and rises into the Vertical Supply Plenums. The air enters the cages through the supply portals, is distributed down the cage wall via laminar airflow, across the cage bottom, and pushed out the other side of the cage through the exhaust portals into the Vertical Exhaust Plenums. The exhaust air is pushed into the Upper Exhaust Plenum and exits the unit via the Exhaust HEPA assembly..
In negative operation, the Air Handling Unit is mounted on top of the rack and the air is pulled through the system to maintain a negative pressure within the cages.
Using only one blower and larger vertical plenums greatly reduces the noise, vibration and air velocities that can possibly cause stress within the animals.
The Flex-AirTM is designed to operate efficiently at only 30 AC/H.
At 30 AC/H (Air Changes Per Hour), the Flex-AirTM has tested to effectively remove ammonia,
carbon dioxide and humidity to maintain a 14-day change out of cages under normal laboratory environments
and following proper husbandry procedures.
Airflow Through the Cage
As air enters the cages at the top, it must follow a “Tortuous Air Path” that captures any dust and contaminants to prevent it from reaching the cage interior under static pressure. Air is forced downward into the cage via multiple air openings or ports. This creates a laminar flow of air down the cage wall and more efficiently across the cage bedding. The warm gases and moisture are pushed up the opposite cage wall and out the multiple exhaust ports at the top. The air travels through another “Tortuous Air Path” to capture any animal dander/allergens and keeps it from entering the exhaust plenums.
Laminar Airflow for efficient bedding drying
Unlike other systems that deliver a high velocity of air at one cage entry point to stir-up the bedding,
Flex-Air uses 9 multi points that deliver a gentle, sheet of air to dry bedding more effectively…even in
corners. And this laminar air is delivered from the top of the cage along the side wall instead of animal
level. This eliminates the hard, chilling effect that can harm some mice such as nudes. Efficient coverage,
better protection.
