Protecting the Electrical Power Supply at the Whitney Laboratory

佛罗里达大学的惠特尼实验室在安德森博士的指导下获得了一笔赠款，以保护惠特尼实验室的电力供应。由于实验室位于佛罗里达东北海岸，热带天气系统穿越该地区，因此其电力供应极容易中断。长时间的电力供应中断会导致宝贵的、有时是不可替代的细胞、抗体和其他供应品的损失，并会使实验室水族箱中的动物处于危险之中，因为缺乏流动的海水和通风。此外，当空气调节系统失去电力供应时，实验室内积聚的高湿度和含盐空气极容易损坏实验室的敏感细胞和分子生物学设备。该实验室也非常容易受到该地区典型天气模式的多次雷击造成的短期停电和电力激增的影响。这些可能会损坏设备，并对正在进行的研究造成不必要的中断。小型设备（即计算机）可以用商用电涌抑制器保护，但大型设备，如超冷冷冻机，则无法用这种方式保护，而且经常被电涌损坏，使冷冻的库存和用品面临解冻和随后损失的风险。 实验室目前使用一台25年的发电机提供应急电力。然而，这台设备是在实验室成立时安装的，设备很少，供电量不到其额定功率的50%。因此，这不足以满足实验室目前的需要，以至于该单位无法提供包括冷冻机在内的许多关键设备。此外，在长时间运行期间，它会过热，必须每隔几个小时关闭冷却。为了弥补这一不足，实验室将利用这笔赠款提供的资金购买和安装一台替代发电机，以满足实验室目前和预计的需要。为防止因雷击而产生的电涌，实验室的电力系统将安装中央电涌抑制器。惠特尼实验室被公认为该国领先的海洋生物医学机构之一，已经并将继续为我们理解基本生物机制做出重大贡献，其中许多机制直接影响人类。为支持这项研究，实验室配备了一系列非常灵敏的仪器，如DNA测序仪、大量显微镜，包括激光扫描共聚焦显微镜、毛细管电泳系统、超浓缩仪和电生理设备。 除了它的研究使命，该实验室已经开发了各种培训计划的大学生，包括一个非常活跃的REU计划，和一个非常活跃和广受欢迎的外展教育计划，在周围社区的所有年龄组。这笔赠款提供的资金将确保这些活动不受短期和长期电力中断的危害，这是沿海环境的一个共同特点，对实验室的使命和成功至关重要。

ABSTRACT A grant has been awarded to the Whitney Laboratory, University of Florida, under the direction of Dr. Anderson, to protect the electrical power supply of the Whitney Laboratory. Because of its location in on the north east coast of Florida, a region traversed by tropical weather systems, the Laboratory is extremely vulnerable to disruptions of its power supply. Long term interruptions of the power supply can result in the loss of valuable and sometimes irreplaceable stocks of cells, antibodies and other supplies, and would put animals in the Laboratory's aquarium at risk because of a lack of flowing sea water and aeration. Furthermore, when power to the air conditioning system is lost, the Laboratory's sensitive cell and molecular biological equipment is be extremely vulnerable to damage from the high humidity and salt air that accumulates in the Laboratory. The Laboratory is also very vulnerable to short term outages and power surges caused by the many lightening strikes that typify weather pattern in the region. These can and have damaged equipment and cause unnecessary interruption to on-going research. While small items of equipment (i.e. computers) can be protected by commercial surge suppressors, large items such as ultracold freezers cannot be protected in this manner and are frequently damaged by power surges, putting frozen stocks and supplies at risk of thawing and subsequent loss. The Laboratory currently uses a 25 year old generator to provide emergency power. However, this unit, which was installed when the Laboratory was established and minimally equipped, supplies less than 50% of its rated power. Consequently, it is insufficient for the current needs of the Laboratory, to the point at which much of the critical equipment, including freezers, cannot be served by this unit. Furthermore, during prolonged operation it overheats and must be turned off to cool down every few hours. To correct this deficiency, the Laboratory will use the funds provided by this grant to purchase and install a replacement generator that will meet the current and projected needs of the Laboratory. To protect against power surges from lightening strikes, central surge suppressors will be installed in the Laboratory's electrical system. The Whitney Laboratory is recognized as one of the leading marine biomedical institutions in the country that has and continues to make significant contributions to our understanding of basic biological mechanisms, many of which directly affect mankind. To support this research, the Laboratory possess a diverse array of very sensitive instrumentation such as a DNA sequencer, numerous microscopes, including a laser scanning confocal microscope, a capillary electrophoresis systems, ultracentrifuges and electrophysiological equipment. In addition to its research mission, the Laboratory has developed a variety of training programs for college students, including a very active REU program, and a very active and well received program of outreach education to all age groups in the surrounding community. The funds provided by this grant will ensure that these activities are not jeopardized by short and long term power interruptions that are a common feature of the coastal environment that is so critical to the Laboratory's mission and success.