Protecting the Electrical Power Supply at the Whitney Laboratory

摘要在安德森博士的指导下，佛罗里达大学惠特尼实验室获得了一笔赠款，以保护惠特尼实验室的电力供应。由于实验室位于热带天气系统横穿的佛罗里达州东北海岸，因此极易受到电力供应中断的影响。电力供应的长期中断可能导致宝贵的、有时是不可替代的细胞、抗体和其他用品的储存，并可能使实验室水族馆中的动物处于危险之中，因为缺乏流动的海水和通风。此外，当空调系统断电时，实验室的敏感细胞和分子生物设备极易受到实验室内积聚的高湿度和含盐空气的破坏。该实验室还很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涌的影响。这些可能并已经损坏了设备，并对正在进行的研究造成不必要的干扰。虽然小型设备(即计算机)可以通过商用浪涌抑制器进行保护，但超冷式冰箱等大型设备不能以这种方式受到保护，并且经常被电涌损坏，从而使冻结的库存和用品面临解冻和随后丢失的风险。该实验室目前使用一台已有25年历史的发电机来提供应急电力。然而，该装置是在实验室成立时安装的，设备最少，但提供的电力不到其额定功率的50%。因此，这笔经费不足以满足实验室目前的需要，以至于许多关键设备，包括冰柜，都无法由该股提供服务。此外，在长时间运行期间，它会过热，必须每隔几个小时关闭一次以降温。为了纠正这一不足，实验室将使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。为了防止雷击电涌，实验室的电气系统将安装中央电涌抑制器。惠特尼实验室被认为是该国领先的海洋生物医学机构之一，它已经并将继续为我们理解基本的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，实验室拥有各种非常灵敏的仪器，如DNA测序仪、许多显微镜，包括激光扫描共聚焦显微镜、毛细管电泳仪、超速离心机和电生理设备。除了其研究任务，该实验室还为大学生制定了各种培训计划，包括非常活跃的REU计划，以及非常积极和受欢迎的面向周围社区所有年龄段的外展教育计划。这笔赠款提供的资金将确保这些活动不会受到短期和长期电力中断的危害，而电力中断是沿海环境的一个共同特征，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.