Gas cabinet with reduced gas emissions and exhaust flow rate

A gas cabinet, comprising:

• an enclosure configured to contain at least one gas vessel and associated gas distribution components within an interior of the enclosure, the at least one gas vessel containing a process gas used in semiconductor manufacturing;
• an exhaust port arranged near a top of the enclosure, wherein an exhaust ventilation system is coupled to the exhaust port to create a negative pressure within the interior of the enclosure, wherein the negative pressure draws ambient air from outside of the enclosure into the interior of the enclosure and creates an airflow through the interior of the enclosure that sweeps any process gas, which leaks from the at least one gas vessel or the associated gas distribution components, up to the exhaust port where it is exhausted into the exhaust ventilation system;
• an air intake vent arranged on one side of the enclosure, the air intake vent having a first plurality of openings;
• and
• an air plenum mounted within the interior of the enclosure directly behind the air intake vent, wherein the air plenum comprises a planar surface having a second plurality of openings that are vertically offset from the first plurality of openings provided within the air intake vent, wherein the second plurality of openings are vertically offset from the first plurality of openings by an amount that ensures openings within the second plurality of openings do not align with any portion of the openings within the first plurality of openings;
• wherein the ambient air from outside of the enclosure is:
• (a) drawn into the first plurality of openings provided within the air intake vent, (b) redirected upward through a gap formed between a rear side of the air intake vent and the planar surface of the air plenum, and (c) drawn through the second plurality of openings provided within the air plenum into the interior of the enclosure.