Glove Box Operating Principle
The glove box is a closed, watertight and hermetic enclosure to separate an environment from the ambient conditions. To do this, it has a fully sealed compartment where the atmosphere can be controlled and monitored by means of built-in regulators. For glove boxes operating under gas, a purification system removes moisture and oxygen from the gas to make the process safe. The glove box also includes transparent sides equipped with handling gloves. These allow operators to handle items, products or substances without the risk of contamination or the spread of dangerous products in the environment. A transfer airlock allows the protected items to pass through without compromising containment.
Glove box operate under negative pressure or vacuum when the pressure inside its enclosure is lower than atmospheric pressure. This type of glove box is dedicated exclusively to the protection of operators and the environment. It uses a ventilation system with HEPA filters that uses ambient air from the room and extracts it to ducts after circulating through the enclosure. Thus, hazardous materials can neither come into contact with the operators nor spread in the environment. It is possible to monitor the chemical composition of the environment, gaseous emissions and leaks for maximum safety.
Examples of applications for a glove box under vacuum include: handling of hazardous pharmaceutical or chemical compounds, weighing and sampling operations, handling of pathogens or radioactive materials, reconditioning of CMR and toxic powders, powder dissolution, etc.
Which Negative Pressure Glove Box to Select?
Glove box specialists design standard or custom-made glove box models for the protection of operators and the environment. Jacomex is a world reference in this sector. Specialized in the design and manufacture of containment solutions for various sectors, it offers several vacuum glove boxes:
PUREEVO Glove Box
This glove box is a modular model under filtered neutral gas with autonomous purification unit. It is suitable for industrial, nuclear, pharmaceutical and advanced research applications, particularly processes requiring the integration of instrumentation, equipment and machinery.
G(Safe) Glove Box
This high-security glove box under filtered air enhances the safety of operators and the environment. It keeps the atmosphere under negative pressure and automatically triggers a safety flow response in case of a break in containment. It is also a modular model for more flexibility.
G(Iso) Isolator
This high security stainless steel isolator under filtered neutral gas is adapted to the high requirements of pharmaceutical and medical processes. It is custom designed and operates in vacuum under air/nitrogen. It is ideal to protect the operators and the environment during the analysis and weighing of active ingredients and CMR, quality controls, in the manufacture of surgical and dental implants.
G(Polym) Glove Box
This polymer glove box is a versatile model that can be used for both operator and product protection. It is available in standard sizes, but Jacomex also offers a custom-made design.
All Jacomex negative pressure glove boxes can be accessorized according to the requirements of each project.