“Going Green In The Laboratory” Laboratory Association of NH September 24, 2009

1. “Going Green In The Laboratory”Laboratory Association of NH September 24, 2009 Greener Chemistry Associates LLC 66 Ridgeview Lane New Boston, NH 03070 Office 603-487-2235 <Jfellman@GreenerChemistryLLC.com>

2. Valero Harnesses Wind Energy to Fuel Its Oil-Refining Process “Embracing new green technology in order to make more money producing old fashioned fossil fuels” Wall Street Journal, June 29, 2009

3. Valero Harnesses Wind Energy to Fuel Its Oil-Refining Process • Key Points • Sunray, TX • 70 yr old refinery • 33 windmills, $115 million • Produce gasoline and diesel fuel • Payback 10 yrs • Produces 50 Megawatts/Hr -> 100% of plant needs, 40-45% of the time • 3 employees

4. Outline • Principles of Green Chemistry • Solvent Recycling • Energy Conservation & Funds • Water Conservation • Greener Consumable Materials & Supplies • Lab Equipment • Laboratories for the 21st Century • Additional Resources

5. Principles of Green Chemistry

6. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Prevent waste, not clean it up • Reduce scale of experiments • Reduce excess of chemicals used in an analysis, when possible • Reduce cost/quantity of hazardous waste • Preventing a problem is better than trying to solve the problem

7. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Incorporate all materials into the product • Synthesis

8. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Produce substances with little to no toxicity to humans and the environment • Synthesis

9. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Products should preserve the efficacy of function while reducing toxicity • Formulators

10. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Reduce the use of auxiliary substances • Synthesis

11. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Minimize energy requirements for process • Heat input for acceleration of reactions • Use of catalysts to reduce energy of activation • Need for cooling reactions • Energy required for separation

12. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Use renewable materials when possible • Solvents • Reagents

13. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Avoid unnecessary derivatives • Synthesis

14. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Catalytic reagents are better than stoichiometric reagents • A + B = C is > A + B = C + D

15. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Products should degrade to innocuous substances, not persist in the environment, at the end of their function • Bioaccumulators that persist in nature • Plastics • Pesticides • Degradable products that form more toxic derivatives • NPE’s

16. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Develop analytical methods for in-process monitoring and control prior to the formation of hazardous substances • Synthesis

17. Principles of Green Chemistry Paul Anastas, John Warner • Substances in a chemical process should minimize the potential for chemical accidents, including releases, explosions and fires • Toxics • Flammables • Explosives • Chemical recycling

18. Solvent Recycling

19. Solvent Recycling • Most any solvent is capable of being distilled • Recycling depends on contaminants (co-solvents; azeotropes; dangerous mixtures to heating) • Commercial units can be from 2.6 gallons on up in capacity • BPts 50-200o C; >200C with vacuum • Typical cycle time 4-6 hrs • Manual or automatic operation; batch or continuous • Explosion proof atmospheres

20. Why Recycle Solvents? • Reduce Cost! (Chemical purchases and waste disposal) • Reduce storage and handling of hazardous waste up to 95% • Reduce shipments of hazardous waste • Reduce landfill of hazardous waste • Help the environment • Be a greener facility

21. Cost Savings With Solvent Recycling?Small Scale Facility-Solvent Information

22. Cost Savings With Solvent Recycling?Small Scale Facility-Recycle Unit

23. Cost Savings With Solvent Recycling?Small Scale Facility-Cash Flow Projection First Year Savings = $2,240

24. Energy Conservation & Funds

25. Energy ConservationLighting Systems & Components

26. Energy ConservationLighting Systems & Components • Design of lighting system is critical for work done in the laboratory • Lab lighting is up to 2X greater than office space • Cost of lighting varies from 8% to 25% of total energy consumption • Laboratory lighting codes: 1.3-1.8 W/sf

27. Energy ConservationLighting Systems & Components • Daylight Integration • Electric lighting should supplement daylighting • Fixture Configuration • Direct-Indirect (20-40%:60-80%) ambient lighting parallel to benchtop • Task lighting (use only when required) • Lamps and Ballasts • T5 for new construction • “Super” T8 for upgrade from T12 or T8 • Electronic ballasts (RF shielded luminaires in instrument labs) • Compact Fluorescent (CFL) or Low Wattage Ceramic Metal Halide lamps instead of incandescent • Controls • Bi-level switching • Occupancy sensors

28. Energy ConservationLighting Systems & Components

29. Energy ConservationHVAC

30. Energy ConservationAudience Poll • How many attendees have hoods in their laboratories? • Is this a major source of energy waste?

31. Energy ConservationHVAC • Energy consumption is typically greater percentage of electricity usage than lighting

32. Energy ConservationHVAC • “RM&M” Regular Monitoring & Maintenance • Calibrate, check and adjust thermostats • Implement “set-back” strategies • Multiple HVAC systems “fighting” each other (simultaneous heating & cooling) • Clean/replace air filters and dampers • Inspect ducts and pipe insulation • Clean heat transfer coils – chillers, heat pumps, air conditioners

33. Energy ConservationTypical Causes for Waste • Underutilized or inappropriate fume hoods • Fume hoods with large bypass openings • Unnecessary reheat of lab space • Positive pressure in containment labs • Excessive duct static pressure • Over ventilated lab spaces • Supply air temperature overshoot • Lack of load management for equipment • Setback of temperature or airflow when unoccupied

34. Energy ConservationFume Hoods • Typical hood uses as much energy in a year as 3 U.S. households • U.S. safety standards require air turnover 6-12 times/hr. Not unusual to measure rates of 15-25 turnovers/hr. • A reduction from 12 to 10 turnovers/hr can reduce amount of fan power by >40%. • Key improvement can be variable air volume by adjust speed of fan • Sash opening

35. Energy ConservationFume Hoods • “Sash Police” and Lab Policy • Create atmosphere of friendly exchange and overlook

36. Energy ConservationSustainability • UK Survey of 400 laboratory scientists • 95% agreed science & technology are important if sustainable solutions were to be developed for the future • 40% said they always or often considered the effect of their work on the environment • 53% of the 40% thought not relevant to their area of science

37. Energy Funds • Regional Greenhouse Gas initiative (State Business Finance Authority) • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (3X funding for Rural Energy for America Program) • Expanded tax incentives through ARRA • Free or reduced cost energy audits • Federal grants or tax credits for alternative energy

38. Energy Funds • Utility rebates for more energy efficient lighting, motors and insulation (gas and electric heating) incentives • PSNH training program for energy audits for small and large businesses (Tom Belair) • EPA Portfolio Manager for comparing facility energy efficiency to others in similar business • Federal tax credits of 30% for installing solar, wind and fuel cells with no dollar cap • Federal tax credits of 10% for geothermal systems, microturbines and combined heat and power systems (secondary heating) with no dollar cap

39. Energy Funds • Tax credits based on facility square-footage to make them more energy efficient • Business Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP) run by NH Dept of Resources and Economic Development provides energy audits free of charge • Loans and grants for energy efficiency- conservation and renewable energy projects • Office of Energy and Planning competitive awards

40. Water Conservation

41. Water Conservation • Laboratory buildings use more water than standard commercial buildings, per SF • More opportunities for cost-effective improvements water usage • Big hitters: cooling towers and special process equipment; water treatment and sterilizing systems

42. Water Conservation • Audience Poll • How many attendees have a cooling tower for their labs or buildings?

43. Water Conservation • Cooling towers offer the greatest potential for improving the efficiency of water usage

44. Water ConservationLaboratory Processing Equipment • Cooling of equipment • Single pass (“once through”) • 40X more water than a cooling tower at 5 cycles of concentration to remove the same heat load • Equipment: • CAT scanners vacuum pumps • Degreasers X-ray equipment • Hydraulic equipment Air conditioners • Compressors Process chillers • Condensers Electron microscopes • Gas chromatographs Mass Spectrometers

45. Water ConservationLaboratory Processing Equipment • Process or cooling loop, at fixed temperature, is best alternative to single pass cooling • Water meter on the loop to determine water volume – separate process water from domestic • Optional uses: • Irrigation for farming • Initial water rinses followed by clean water • Heat recovery and transfer to another process

46. Water ConservationLaboratory Processing Equipment • Rinsing equipment • Counter flow rinsing operation • Fresh water is last rinse • Dirty water is first rinse • Number of rinses between determined by process requirements

47. Water ConservationLaboratory Processing Equipment • Flow control • Equipment “On” continuously even with intermittent use • 1.5 gpm trickle flow through small cooling unit becomes 788,400 Gallons of water consumed per year • Control or solenoid valve allows water to run only when equipment is being used • Shut-off valves or timers to automatically turn equipment off after-hours and for maintenance

48. Water ConservationLaboratory Processing Equipment • Water-treatment equipment for water free of minerals or organic contaminants • As finer and finer particles are removed, energy use and water waste increases • Particle filtration • Microfiltration • Ultrafiltration • Nanofiltration • Hyperfiltration

49. Water ConservationLaboratory Processing Equipment • Alternative water sources • Condensate recovery • Air conditioners • Dehumidifiers • Refrigeration units • Rainwater harvesting elements • Roof or catchment area • Downspouts, roof drains • Leaf screens, roof washers • Cisterns, storage tanks (above or below ground) • Conveyance system • Treatment system

50. Water ConservationPlumbing • Faucets • Automatic on/off • Low flow • Urinals • Waterless • Low flow • Toilets • Low flow • Variable volume • Plumbing Fixtures • Flow restrictors • Pressure regulators