REFLOW exhaust outside or filter

Hi All,

We are gathering information on the environmental conditions in our facility, including the fresh air exchanges.

A driving factor is any point of exhaust that goes to the outside air and the CFM that it pulls from the facility and if there should be outside make-up air to offset that exhaust CFM.

My question is: Who here has experience with inside exhaust filtration rather than outside air exhaust, for reflow ovens and wave solder? Are there benefits to either system? Are there oven manufacturers that use a semi-closed system with filtration, rather than outside exhaust?

I would think that there would be energy efficiencies in controlling the heat energy being exhausted, rather than blindly blowing it out the building exhaust.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

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