A PROACTIVE DESIGN STRATEGY FOR FACILITY MANAGERS OF LABORATORY ENVIRONMENTS A Thesis Presented to The Academic Faculty By Darrell R. Sandlin In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Building Construction and Integrated Facility Management Georgia Institute of Technology March 2004 A PROACTIVE DESIGN STRATEGY FOR FACILITY MANAGERS OF LABORATORY ENVIRONMENTS Approved: Linda M. Thomas-Mobley, Ph.D., JD, Chair Felix T. Uhlik, III, Ph.D., P.E. Richard W. Trent April 2, 2004 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to give a very special Thank You to my wife, Elizabeth and daughter, Annie Mac who have continuously stood by my side providing unselfish support along this three year journey. Without my family I am nothing and with this additional knowledge, I hope to give back to them in the years that follow. Thank You Beth and Annie for all your support! Darrell Sandlin iii TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................................IV LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................................VI LIST OF FIGURES ..............................................................................................................VII ABBREVIATIONS ...............................................................................................................VIII SUMMARY............................................................................................................................IX CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................1 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................1 INDOOR AIR QUALITY............................................................................................................................6 LABORATORY PROCUREMENT...............................................................................................................7 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................................8 SCOPE OF STUDY.................................................................................................................................9 ASSUMPTIONS OF THE SUBJECT LABORATORY......................................................................................9 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................10 MECHANICAL SYSTEM DESIGN FOR LABORATORIES .............................................................................10 BIO SAFETY LEVEL LABS ....................................................................................................................13 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR SAFE OPERATING LABORATORIES.........................................................13 INDIVIDUALLY DUCTED SYSTEMS ........................................................................................................14 VARIABLE AIR VOLUME CONTROL .......................................................................................................15 CONSTANT AIR VOLUME CONTROL .....................................................................................................15 VENTILATION ......................................................................................................................................16 COST OF POOR PERFORMANCE..........................................................................................................17 MECHANICAL SYSTEM AND MOISTURE LEVELS IN THE LABORATORY .....................................................17 LOAD REDUCTION STRATEGY FOR THE LABORATORY HVAC SYSTEM .................................................19 SENSIBLE AND LATENT LOADS ............................................................................................................20 LOAD REDUCTION OPTIONS................................................................................................................20 ROTARY WHEELS ...............................................................................................................................21 CROSS FLOW PLATE HEAT EXCHANGERS ...........................................................................................21 AQUEOUS COIL LOOPS .......................................................................................................................22 HEAT PIPES........................................................................................................................................24 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY.........................................................................................27 THE SUBJECT LABORATORY ...............................................................................................................27 DATA COLLECTION .............................................................................................................................33 DATA EXTRAPOLATION .......................................................................................................................35 EXPERT INTERVIEWS ..........................................................................................................................37 CHAPTER IV FINDINGS ...................................................................................................39 DATA FROM THE SUBJECT LABORATORY.............................................................................................39 ANNUAL COST OF OPERATION FOR THE SUBJECT LABORATORY ...........................................................40 PROPOSED HEAT PIPE SYSTEM..........................................................................................................40 EXPERT INTERVIEW DATA ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................44 iv CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...........................................51 CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................................................................51 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY.........................................................................................52 APPENDIX A........................................................................................................................53 INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE: ..............................................................................................................53 APPENDIX B........................................................................................................................59 CAROLINA HEAT PIPE, INC..................................................................................................................59 APPENDIX C .......................................................................................................................60 ASHRAE STANDARDS APPROPRIATE TO THIS RESEARCH ..................................................................60 APPENDIX D .......................................................................................................................61 EMPIRICAL DATA SUMMARY TABLE .....................................................................................................61 APPENDIX E........................................................................................................................65 ATLANTA GEORGIA WEATHER HISTORY (BIN DATA) ............................................................................65 APPENDIX F........................................................................................................................66 LABORATORY PERFORMANCE RESULTS..............................................................................................66 APPENDIX G .......................................................................................................................71 2 ROWS OF SENSIBLE REHEAT ...........................................................................................................71 APPENDIX H .......................................................................................................................74 4 ROWS OF SENSIBLE PRE-CONDITIONING .........................................................................................74 APPENDIX I .........................................................................................................................78 ANNUAL ENERGY IMPROVEMENT ........................................................................................................78 REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................79 v LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1 – OVER VIEW OF ENERGY RECOVERY EQUIPMENT ...................................................26 TABLE 2 - SENSOR LIST .........................................................................................................34 TABLE 3 – IMPORTANCE / CONCERN OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN LABORATORIES......................44 TABLE 4 - INTEREST LEVEL OF ENERGY RECOVERY IN LABORATORIES...................................45 TABLE 5 - ISSUES RELATED TO ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND RECOVERY IN LABORATORIES....46 TABLE 6 - TRADITIONAL DESIGN PARAMETERS FOR SAFE LABORATORY OPERATION..............47 TABLE 7 - COMPARISON OF ENERGY RECOVERY TECHNIQUES...............................................49