High Pressure/Hydrogenation Lab

David Sarlah                                William Boulanger

Faculty Advisor                                             External Advisor
sarlah@illinois.edu                                       wboulanger@illinois.edu
217-244-9154                                               217-621-4023 (cell); 217-359-1626
 

Purpose of the High Pressure/Hydrogenation Lab (HP/HL)

The purpose of the Department of Chemistry's HP/HL is to provide an environment outside of a standard research laboratory with additional safety features where chemical reactions can be performed at high temperatures and/or high pressures in equipment designed for those purposes.

Facility Description

The HP/HL, which is located behind door P-8 on the west wing of the penthouse of the new section of Roger Adams Laboratory RAL), has a control room and two 4’ x 6’ cells which are independently ventilated. They have walls reinforced with 3/8” plate steel and 12” reinforced concrete as well as sliding reinforced doors with bullet-resistant viewing windows.

Who May Use the Lab

The HP/HL is available for scheduled use by any employee or student in the U of I School of Chemical Sciences, or by others upon specific approval by the Laboratory Supervisor and Facility Advisor.

Conditions for HP/HL Use

Prerequisites

Prerequisites for HP/HL use include passing a HP/HL Safety Exam and submitting a Use Request Form which has been approved by the responsible Faculty Advisor.

Requirements During and After Use

Anyone using the facility will be required to abide by the following guidelines for lab use under penalty of loss of loss of laboratory use privileges and/or fines which will be charged to the account number specified on the Use Request Form.

  • Safety glasses or goggles must always be worn in the lab when equipment is pressurized above 200 psi and/or heated over 60 °C and when working with hazardous chemicals.
  • A cell which has heated and/or pressurized equipment in it should never be entered unless there is another person in the lab who can help in the event of an emergency.
  • A cell which has heated and/or pressurized equipment in it should never be returned immediately to the Laboratory Supervisor after use.
  • the laboratory should be kept locked at all times and all keys should be returned immediately to the Laboratory Supervisor after use.
  • Equipment or supplies should not be removed from the lab without approval form the Lab Supervisor and just be signed out.
  • The lab should be maintained in clean, orderly condition, and all equipment used should be thoroughly cleaned after use.

Component Manuals

All the original component manuals including manuals for major mechanical equipment, electrical equipment, systems parts, and tools, can be found in a large, black three-ring binder entitled Component Manuals: Appendix I. Each manual is in its own tabbed section.