Protecting the Electrical Power Supply at the Whitney Laboratory

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拨款，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州的东北海岸，该地区被热带天气系统所穿越，因此极易受到电力供应中断的影响。电力供应的长期中断会导致宝贵的，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中积聚的高湿度和含盐空气的损坏。此外，本化验所亦很容易受到区内常见的雷击天气所造成的短期停电及电涌的影响。这些会损坏设备，并对正在进行的研究造成不必要的中断。虽然小型设备（即计算机）可以通过商业浪涌抑制器进行保护，但大型设备（如超低温冷冻机）不能以这种方式进行保护，并且经常被电涌损坏，使冷冻库存和供应品面临融化和随后损失的风险。实验室目前使用一台已有25年历史的发电机提供应急电源。但是，该装置是在实验室成立时安装的，设备很少，提供的功率不到额定功率的50%。因此，它不足以满足实验室目前的需要，以致该单位无法提供包括冰柜在内的许多关键设备。此外，在长时间的运行过程中，它会过热，每隔几个小时就必须关闭冷却。为了弥补这一不足，化验室将利用这笔赠款购买和安装一台替代发电机，以满足化验室目前和预计的需要。为防止雷击造成电涌，本所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是美国领先的海洋生物医学机构之一，它已经并将继续为我们对基本生物机制的理解做出重大贡献，其中许多机制直接影响人类。为了支持这项研究，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，毛细管电泳系统，超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，包括一个非常活跃的REU计划，以及一个非常活跃且广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影响，这是沿海环境的共同特征，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.