[RASMB] How to run an AUC in an earthquake...

[Renwick Dobson]

Hi All,

Some of you may know that there has been a lot of seismic activity around
Christchurch, New Zealand in the past year, and this is predicted to
continue for some time.

I'm in the process of purchasing an AUC for my new lab at the University of
Canterbury, Christchurch, but this has now stalled because of safety
concerns, i.e. I've been asked whether it is safe to run an AUC in a 6.0
magnitude aftershock.  There are AUC instruments in other areas of the world
where earthquakes occur, for instance Japan or California, and I wondered
how others have overcome this problem.  Are there any particular safety
procedures that are implemented?  What are the real risks?  Could the rotor
come through the shielding at 45K if it did move?

The issue has evolved largely from running preparative ultracentrifuges,
which often run at higher speeds.  However, it seems that people are happy
to run bench top centrifuges at to say 20K without major safety concerns.
Perhaps the best argument is simply to state that we run the AUC at lower
speeds compared to preparative ultracentrifuges? Or perhaps only do runs
overnight? Or have the AUC on the ground floor, where ground movement is
lower compared to upper floors?

Any advice to overcome this issue would be welcomed!

Cheers
Ren

********************************************************************
Dr Renwick Dobson
Lecturer
School of Biological Sciences
University of Canterbury
Christchurch
New Zealand
E: renwick.dobson at canterbury.ac.nz
T: ++64 (03) 364-2987
F: ++64 (03) 364-2590
http://www.biol.canterbury.ac.nz/people/dobson.shtml
********************************************************************


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