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Typical bench installation in Continental Oil Co.'s re- search laboratories in Ponca City, Okla., shows standard- ized assembly of steel par- titions and benches. Support of utilities by partition supports means benches may be removed or changed with- out affecting the utilities Conoco's $2,250,000 lab is a three story reinforced con- crete building with 40,000 square feet of floor space Λ C&EN PICTORIAL PRESENTATION Movable Sections Give Flexibility in Lab Design XJL MODULAR plan with movable steel sections, with no fixed partitions, gives Continental Oil Co.'s new research lab in Ponca City, Okla., maximum interior flexibility. The stand- ard module is 3 feet, 8 inches wide. The basic laboratory is three by six modules (11 feet by 22 feet ), but some of the larger service areas are from four to sLx units. The modular design lends itself well to efficient and eco- nomical utility distribution. All utilities—hot, cold, and de- ionized water; compressed air; utility vacuum; steam at 15 and 150 pounds per square inch; and natural gas- are distributed in vertical shafts from the roof penthouse. The utility mains are taken from the sub-basement engine room to the penthouse. Every 22 feet, on each side of the central hallways, a vertical shaft passes down from the penthouse to the three laboratory floors below. These shafts also carry the hood exhaust ducts and electrical conduit. On each floor, steel doors give access to the utility shafts. The basic standard modular design not only lends itself to economical and flexible construction, but also results in exceptional efficiency in the use of space, according to Conoco. For example, in the single or double unit lab, the utility shaft occupies the right hand corner of the room be- hind the benches and hoods. The hoods, being of the same depth as the utility shafts, fît into the double wall between the room and hall, thus permitting fume ducts to pass vertically up through the shafts to the fans. All chemical and gas hoods are located adjacent to the utility shafts and individual ducts from each hood pass vertically to individual variable speed exhaust fans in the penthouse. This ensures an ample controllable exhaust for each hood and eliminates any possibility of gases flowing from one hood to another. Completion of the research lab marks the fourth step in Conoco's expansion of its research facilities. The other units include a pilot plant or unit operations lab equipped with all unit processes required for petroleum refining and petrochemical operation: a fuels and lubricants testing lab; and a detergent testing lab for development of detergents. A variety of research projects is now in progress at the center. The process lab section of the product division concerns itself with the continued study of refinery process, development of petrochemical processes, and production of semicommercial quantities of new petroleum and petro- chemical products. The product use lab is interested in practical testing of newly developed fuels and lubricants with particular emphasis on special lubricating oil character- istics required with the use "of high sulfur fuels. Many special services - are available to expedite these projects. These include a large giassbiowing shop, a ma- chine shop to handle metal and plastic fabrication, an electronic and instrument shop, and a shielded lab for radioactive work. 440 CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING NEWS
