Vertical Laminar Downflow Booth

Hosokawa’s Vertical Laminar Downflow Booths provide safe working zones for operators; serving as protection from harmful, hazardous, toxic or sensitizing dusts that are both generated and handled during manual powder handling activities including sampling, dispensing and charging and offloading sub-division from powders or solvents, drum loading and un-loading. Processing or packing equipment can also be integrated within the ergonomic design.

Hosokawa Micron Ltd can offer various standard and bespoke Downflow Booth options to suit individual requirements, both operator protection and product protection, processing activities to be undertaken and environmental and energy issues.

Depending upon the application, two main design alternatives exist:

• Re-circulatory booths are typically used in dry powder handling operations and achieve a minimum H13 grade 99.995% @ MPPS filtration performance. A conditioned downflow of air passes evenly from the booth’s ceiling inlet plenum pushing any dust downwards and away from the operator’s breathing zone. The air is extracted from the booth via low level exhaust grills and through a series of filters prior to recirculation into the booth’s working area. A small percentage of air is discharged from the booth through high level bleed to maintain the working space under negative pressure, minimizing airborne contamination from leaving the booth.

• Single Pass, Once Through Booths are used in applications where solvent fumes or vapors are anticipated or when high potency products demand a once through philosophy. The single pass booth operates a vertical airflow, pushing dusts and vapors downwards and away from the operator’s breathing zone with air discharged 100% to atmosphere ensuring that solvent laden air will not be recirculated back into the booth.

Although typically used in pharmaceutical, fine chemical, cosmetics and food industries the use of Downflow Booths is now common in metal finishing, sampling and wider industries.

How it Works

Hosokawa Micron’s Vertical Laminar Downflow Booths work by creating a clean, controlled airflow environment that captures and removes airborne dust and vapors before they can enter the operator’s breathing zone. Clean air is introduced from the ceiling via HEPA filters, flowing vertically down through the booth and across the designated safe working area. This airflow drives particulates downward, where they are captured by low-level extraction grilles and passed through a multi-stage filtration system. In recirculation booths, the filtered air is returned into the system, while in single pass models – typically used for solvent vapors or high-potency materials – all air is exhausted safely into the atmosphere.

With an ergonomic, open-fronted design, the booths allow for easy integration of equipment and straightforward handling of materials like drums, IBCs, and bags. They can be tailored to almost any process or working space and are used across industries ranging from pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals to cosmetics, food, nuclear, and advanced materials. Whether managing dry powders or volatile solvents, Hosokawa’s Downflow Booths provide reliable operator and product protection while supporting critical cleanroom classifications.