A C&EM PICTORIAL

Dr. M. G. Van Campen, Jr., general supervisor, and Lloyd Allen, manager, discuss the ventilating and heat­ing equipment for the new laboratory. The air»handling equipment seals the entrance to each of the 12 produc­tion booths with a blanket of filtered warm air, and circulates more than 1.2 million cubic fe Λ—or 42 tons— of air every hour through the drug-production area, sweeping away noxious vapors and preventing cross-contamination of chemicals. Automatically-operated dampers ensure constant air supply to each cubicle, no matter how many aie being used

Collapsible Walls and Explosion-Proof Devices Assure Merrell Lab Safety EXPLOSION-PROOF devices and "blow-out" type

walls, designed to protect lives and prevent dam­age to valuable equipment, are the big features of the William S. Merrell Co/s new ojganic research laboratory which began full-scale experimental pro­duction of medicinals on Nov. 20.

Specially designed outer walls, made of one-quarter-inch-thick asbestos-like paneling, are so con­structed that, should an explosion occur, the blast would push the loosely fastened panels away from the solid inner walls and drug production areas, per­mitting the gases to escape outward.

All electrical wires and fixtures ( telephones, clocks, water fountain, pyrometer, and other temperature controls) are enclosed in explosion-proof steel or one-half-inch-thick glass, to prevent electric sparks from starting fires or explosions. Special nonsparking metal (phosphorus bronze) was used in the moving parts of the air-handling equipment.

The modern U-shaped laboratory is designed so that all 12 completely equipped drug production booths are totally isolated from the main building (although no booth is more than 30 feet away). These are divided into two parallel wings of six cubicles each. If an explosion occurs in one wing, production can continue in the other.

anc*»n, 311 ird outside each of the ί · g-sroducing booths in this

v, Ht< six exhaust fans which i-u he interior of all noxious va­pors. Note the concrete-block walls betvxt.ii the two wings and the thin a <bestos-like wall in the fore­ground. Should an explosion oc­cur, the loosely fastened panels would be blown away from the solid inner walls, permitting gases to escape outward. The laboratory and main building (left back­ground) are separated by concrete wall and heavy steel fire doors

5164 C H E M I C A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G N E W S

PRESENTATION

Lengthwise view of one of the two wings shows the individual working booths, the special air-circulating equipment, and explosion-proof electrical fixtures. Each booth has its own exhaust fan which is connected with the intake equipment by an electrical interlock. This as­sures a positive flow of air, both ways, thus making it impossible for noxious gases to escape from one booth and to enter another

Every service needed for safe and efficient drug preparation has been provided in the booths. Top to bottom: an eight-inch flexible hose (connected to exhaust manifold) that provides "localized" suction for special ap­plications or particularly hazardous opera­tions, thermostat and motor connections, three electrical outlets, three vacuum out­lets, exhaust air grille, and booth drain (on spark-proof floor). The ventilating system is arranged so that the required air is sent to all booths in use but none that are idle

Lloyd Allen, manager of the labo­ratory, at an explosion-proof tele­phone. Among the drugs now be­ing produced in the new installa­tion are bentyl hydrochloride, for gastro-intestinal therapy; creepyn chloride, used in Cepacol, an alka­line antibacterial solution; and the antihistamine, decapryn

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