Lab Efficiency 101: Strategies for Environmental Responsibility

The detectives have reconvened and are enjoying the treats Miss Mapple got from the Lickety Split ice cream company for helping them improve their NIR calibrations. “I’m sorry the ice cream is so soft; I think there’s an issue with our fridge,” says Miss Mapple. “We should move it,” says Eggcule Poirot. “Move it?” asks Cornlumbo, looking confused. “Yes, we should move it; look at it; it’s right next to the oven by a huge window in direct sunlight. All that ambient heat is making the poor thing have to work twice as hard,” says Eggcule. “Ha... I would have never thought of that,” says Cornlumbo as they get to work moving the fridge. 

Shallot Holmes enters the office and is shocked to see Eggcule and Cornlumbo dragging the fridge across the floor. “What’s going on here?” asks Holmes. “They’re keeping the ice cream cold,” says Nancy. “We should also change the light bulbs, install motion sensors, get smart plugs, and put a motor in the blinds, too,” says Eggcule. “Have I missed something?” asks Holmes, still bemused by the goings-on. 

How can you save energy in your home?

Eggcule says that the heat from the summer sun has been putting undue strain on the refrigerator and explains in length his latest obsession, home automation. It all started when Eggcule had a smart electricity meter installed in his house. He immediately became obsessed with energy consumption and wanted to find out what was using, or more importantly, wasting, energy in his home. He bought smart plugs that show how much energy each of his appliances uses and immediately set about making things more efficient. “It’s incredible how much energy you can save by making small changes and automating things,” says Eggcule. 

Holmes was fascinated by how animated Eggcule was when talking about the subject, which immediately got him thinking. Holmes knew that laboratories are one of the largest energy-consuming sectors and thought about the huge sustainability benefits that could be achieved. He immediately formulated a plan and explained it to the detectives. “As we currently don’t have any cases to solve, why don’t we use our energy wisely and see if we can assist all our clients by helping them improve the sustainability and efficiency of their labs,” says Holmes. “And how do you propose we do that?” asks Miss Mapple. “We look at labs, as Eggcule has done with his house, and work out how to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability by eliminating unnecessary waste,” says Holmes.  

Eggcule immediately jumps into action and starts asking the detectives to list all the areas in a lab that consume a lot of energy or use a lot of consumables. As the detectives hand him slips of paper, he immediately gets to work, figuring out where savings can be made. With his list in hand, Eggcule pays a visit to a former client and asks if he can monitor their lab as he had done with his house. Once Eggcule explains the cost savings and environmental benefits, the client happily agrees, and Eggcule gets to work.

After a long day making notes and taking measurements, Eggcule creates his top list of things labs can do to become more sustainable and conserve energy.

What are Eggcule’s Top Tips for Environmental Responsibility?

1.    Use a recirculating chiller instead of tap water to reduce water consumption and costs.

Eggcule couldn’t believe how much water the lab used until he realized tap water was being used as a cooling solution for several processes. Laboratory equipment such as rotary evaporators, parallel evaporators, Kjeldahl, and extraction units all require coolant flow in their processes. A recirculating chiller uses a closed-loop system whereby water circulates within the chiller and is reused continuously, significantly reducing water consumption. 

Eggcule suggests using energy-efficient instruments that can communicate with the recirculating chiller to automatically start and stop the flow of coolant, further enhancing the process's efficiency.

2.    Use the Delta 20 Rule and Delta 25 Rule as guidelines for rotary evaporation and extraction.

When investigating the efficiency of recirculating chillers, Eggcule considered optimizing the processes of the instruments that used them. For rotary evaporation, the Delta 20 rule states that the temperature difference between the heating bath and the condenser should be 20 ºC. This temperature gradient ensures efficient condensation of solvent vapors, improving solvent recovery and reducing losses. For extraction, the Delta 25 rule states that the temperature difference between the extraction chamber and the cooling system should be around 25 ºC to optimize extraction efficiency.

3.    Equipment placement and Ventilation

As Eggcule discovered with the fridge in the office, the chiller's location was also important. Lower ambient temperatures improve the chiller's efficiency, facilitating easier heat dissipation. The location should also not suffer ambient temperature fluctuations that may affect the stability of the process temperatures. Heat-generating equipment such as autoclaves and ovens should be kept away from temperature-sensitive areas. 

From Eggcule’s tests, he discovered that fume hoods and autoclaves were the areas where most energy could be saved. Variable air velocity fume hoods, in particular, use a lot of energy and should be closed whenever they are not in use. Constant air velocity fume hoods consume energy when open or closed. Auto enclaves should also be put in standby mode when not in use.

4.    Lighting

Eggcule recommends maximizing the use of natural light and using light shelves and reflective surfaces to distribute light effectively. Incandescent and fluorescent lights should be replaced with energy-efficient LED lighting. Use motion sensors and timers to ensure lights are only on when needed. 

5.    Use energy efficient Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

Get HVAC systems with programmable thermostats and maintain and service them regularly to ensure optimal performance. Implement zoning to control heating and cooling in different areas and use insulated doors and windows to reduce heat loss or gain.

Eggcule presents his findings to Holmes and explains that the list is by no means exhaustive. He has been monitoring his house for months and is still finding new ways to save money and consume less. He recommends that their clients perform regular energy audits to identify areas for improvement. Holmes is ecstatic and immediately prepares a document of recommendations to be sent to all their former clients. “Who would have thought that we could be so efficient given that we didn’t have a case to solve,” says Holmes. “And even more importantly, look! The ice cream is now the perfect temperature!” shouts Cornlumbo as he dives head-first into a huge tub of ice cream.