Date: Wed, 08 Jan 97 18:33:01 -0500
From: "Arthur Moseley" <moseley~ma@glaxowellcome.com>
Message-Id: <85438180107991/3566957@USA>
Subject: Reducing Noise in Mass Spec Labs
To: Recipients of ABRF List <abrf@aecom.yu.edu>
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Posted: Wed, 08 Jan 97 18:19:01 -0500
Date: Wed, 08 Jan 97 18:33:01 -0500
From: "Arthur Moseley" <"moseley~ma%Organization=ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY%Telephone=990-5836"@a1.usa>
To: "Elliott Nickbarg" <enickbarg@genetics.com.umc.usav00>
Subject: RE: sound reply
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Greetings:
Mass spectrometry labs are indeed noisy places to work. In
our "old" Drug Metabolism Lab we had four mass specs in one lab,
and the noise, while below OSHA limits, made speaking on the
phone in the lab impractical. The use of sound absorbing panels
on the walls does help, and it is worthwhile, but it only
diminishes "reflected noise", with the direct noise from the
pumps still being quite a problem. We tried putting the pumps in
a box, but the pumps were still quite noisy. The better solution
for us was to encase the pumps in a box which was lined with
sound absorbing foam panels. As you stated, we needed to install
a cooling fan, which also generates some noise. The resulting box
was quite large due to the 6"thick foam panels. Our "second
generation" box was made from an old mobile lab bench. This
allowed us to roll the pumps around as necessary, it made
changing the pump oil easy since the pumps were already up off of
the floor, and we had the top of the bench to use for for normal
lab applications (LC equipment, etc). The result was a welcome
decrease of 8dB in lab noise.
We used sound adsorbing foam panels from:
Sonex Corporation
distributed by
Bob Dillard Associates
Charlotte, NC 28209
800-264-6098
Be sure to get fire proof foam panels!
Good Luck!
Arthur Moseley
Glaxo Wellcome
RTP, NC, 27709 USA
mam30082@glaxo.com
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