Code Considerations for the Design of Laboratories Which Will Also House Pilot Plants

Abstract

With the increased cost of research and the improvements in instrumentation and analytical devices, the size of pilot plants has decreased significantly over the past several decades. The smaller the pilot plant, the less costly it is to construct and operate, and the faster it is to build, start up, and commission reducing the lead time to productive results. It is now common to have pilot plants small enough to fit in a standard laboratory, even in a fume hood. This is desirable as it often reduces staffing requirements, shrinks the building footprint, and reduces facility operating costs. Shared equipment and resources are more feasible. Staffing often is more flexible. Overall, it seems to be a very good idea particularly for a newer organization without the deep pockets to afford a larger and more expensive facility. Placing pilot plants inside a research laboratory, however, creates some issues unfamiliar to many laboratory designers and raises issues that pilot plant designers may not recognize exist. First and foremost is code compliance without which you cannot get a permit to construct the lab. This paper will try and discuss some of the implications of designing a laboratory which will have pilot plants incorporated in its use to meet these code requirements. The paper will try to address the issues that need to be evaluated and addressed in the overall design of the laboratory to ensure that installing pilot plants is done safely and in compliance with the code. While this is very feasible, it does require the laboratory designer to address several aspects of the codes that can significantly affect either the design of the laboratory or how to best design the pilot plants to fit safely into an existing laboratory.

Introduction to a Virtual Special Issue: Safe Lab Design

“…Kretchman explains how Chapter 510 applies to research laboratory exhaust systems. Palluzi addresses codes affecting laboratories that will have pilot plants incorporated in their use. This includes the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)-45 Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals, and the International Building Code (IBC) and attendant International Fire Code (IFC).…”