Superlab Postcard (click to view)
The lab can hold 120 students at a time.
The north end is designed for 48 organic chemistry students. Each student has a workspace consisting of bench space, drawers and half of a fumehood. The south end is for first year courses, and holds 72 students at a time.
The A/V consists of four identical but linked installations. Anything shown on one screen can be shown on any of the other screens at the same time, or the fours screens can be operated independently. There is also a blackboard in each corner.
The benchtops and the floor are made of an epoxy composite, rendering them impervious to all chemicals used in the lab. Sinks are made from the same material.
All drains are made of glass for chemical resistance (even though things should not be flushed down the drains!). Some of the glass vent lines are visible between the fumehoods.
The fumehoods have variable airflow, meaning that when they are not in use, the airflow is reduced, and the extra capacity can be used elsewhere in the building. A constant linear flowrate of 100 feet per minute is maintained regardless of the height of the sash. Approximately 20,000 ft3/min of air can flow through the lab (and these fumehoods) at maximum capacity.
Each fumehood is equipped with two variable transformers for operating heating mantles. The controls are outside the fumehood for safety. Each fumehood is also equipped with a vacuum generator which generates vacuum using compressed air, rather than using a water aspirator. This allows condensation and capture of solvent vapours for proper disposal, rather than allowing the solvents to go down the drains.
There are 240 spaces in vented cabinets for students to leave their chemical samples in for a week or two while they wait to analyze them in the instrument lab.
There is one barrier free work station, designed for a student in a wheelchair, as well as one barrier free eyewash and emergency shower station.
The east corridor was filled in with preparation labs. These three labs are essentially identical to one another, and are used for storage of chemicals and equipment, as well as preparation of solutions. These labs lie between the lab coordinators’ offices and the Superlab.
The lab cost about $5 million and was funded by the Ontario Government.
The lab was conceived of, designed and built in less than one year. Demolition of the old labs began on April 15, 2008 and the Superlab was completed September 2, 2008. At the peak of construction, there were 50 workers on this project at the same time. Much of the required demolition was done at night. The main construction challenges were getting the air handling ducts to the fifth floor, and removing asbestos from the old labs, both done during full occupancy of the building.
To arrange a tour, please contact: Dr. Robert Burk, Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, (613) 520-3855, robert_burk@carleton.ca