Socony-Vacuum’s New Engineering Building C. H. SCHLESMAN, Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Padsboro, N. J.
I
N RECENT years leading architects have familiarized themselves with the requirements of chemical laboratory buildingj, so that the design of suitable laboratory space is fairly well organized. The same attention has not been given to structures intended for laboratory engineering use, since relatively few large buildings of this type are constructed in a single year. For this reason, the design of the new ,chemical engineering building erected by Socony-Vacuum, based upon a broad knowledge of requirements as well as a study of some more modern existing engineering buildings, should beof interest. In an engineering building provision must be made for handling bulky objects of considerable weight, for moviag large quantities of materials and products, and for supplying utilities in quantities not generally associated with lahoratory work. Attention must also be given to the elimination of
accident hazards, which are intensified by the need for working during 24 hours of each day. In designing the building, safety was considered of paramount importance, flexibility of layout and adaptation to future needs being next in importance. The lowest practicable operating cost was sought, recognizing that a substantial part of the operating personnel would consist of experienced chemical engineers and other skilled research technicians. The appearance of laboratory buildings should be as attractive as possible without increasing the capital investment unduly, since customers and field men are frequent visitors. A flat-roof structure of steel construction with a high central hay to provide the necessary head room was selected, as this would provide an unobstructed floor area for engineering work. By limiting the clear roof span to 28 feet, it was possible to avoid the use of deep roof trusses which create
DISTILLATION ROOM 192
February 15, 1942
difficult maintenance problems and are less flexible and satisfactory than flat-roof structures for laboratory buildings. The design requirements were met with a brick a n d s t e e l structure 208 feet long and 78 feet 6 inches wide. I n view of present emergency conditions, only the front half of the building has been completed and a temporary rear wall placed. A d e q u a t e utility capacity in the present structure will permit extending the building to any desired length. Inchemical engineering development work itis necessary to follow pilot-plant operations with analytical work and small-scale testing, carried on adjacent to the actual units as far as practicable The necessity of erecting bubble towers a n d similar structures dictated head room under the crane of about 30 feet, while laboratory work in some engineering operations required only 13 feet of head room. This led to the construction of the step typeof structure, which appears to offer several very definite advantages, since test work can he locatedadjacent to the unit while utilities can convenientlyhe supplied from headers placed on the columns. Experience with laboratory c o n s t r u c t i o n indicated that windows below a 7-foot level are a liability in an engineering building, as they interfere with the use of walls for the support of apparatus. In a building as large as this the routing of material, utilities, and foot traffic a s s u m e s great importance. The personnel enter the building through two small front entrances.
ANALYTICAL EDITION
(About?)SMALL LABORATORY (Center) LARGELABORATORY (Below) HIM BAYENGINEERING LABORATORY
193
194
INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
XI6X
Vol. 14, No. 2
M,
(Above) CROSS SECTION OF ENGINEERING LABORATORY; (below) FLOOR PLAN
Shower and locker rooms are adjacent to the entrances. Within the building the movement of personnel is channelized by two well defined longitudinal aisles. Samples, small packages, and drums are received at a door in the center, which is not ordinarily used by foot traffic. Heavy trucks and bulky pieces of equipment can be brought in through a large door in the rear. Steam, compressed air, water, and electrical services enter the building and pass directly across it by means of an underfloor pipe trench. Branches rise along the line of the main columns to a utility rack running the length of the building on each side of the main engineering bay. Laterals to the various laboratories and to the large chemical engineering units run overhead. All large electrical power loads are fed from a Flexa power system located along the utility rack. All lighting loads, laboratory benches, and small units are fed from small distributor panels spaced periodically on columns, which also serve to locate safety equipment, such as gas masks, fire blankets, fire extinguishers, heating and vent controls, telephones, and other general purpose equipment. Tall chemical engineering equipment is erected in the central bay. Floor drain outlets are provided at frequent intervals. Flue outlets are located along the utility racks. The flues connect to two vertical stacks which normally provide draft. A motor-driven blower forces a powerful jet of air through a throat in the stack if it is desired to augment the draft. This eliminates the corrosion and explosion hazard difficulties encountered where the stack gases pass through the blower, and avoids back pressure when the blower is not in use. As bubble towers and similar engineering equipment may rise 30 feet from the floor line, catwalks have been provided along each side of the bay at the 15 and 22 foot levels. These catwalks connect by platforms and stairs with the various
units, provide secure operating platforms, and also provide for escape of the personnel in case of an emergency. Along each side of the chemical engineering bay space has been provided a t the rear for small-scale operations which can be carried out in normal head room. The main aisles also serve the laboratories. Laboratory doors have always been a problem. Doors provide means for isolating areas in the event of fire or when toxic gases are being handled, but are othenvise best left open. A happy solution has been reached by providing double doors which fold back against the wall in the aisle and are held in this position by fusible links. The doors may be released a t any time and are small enough to avoid obstructing the aisles. The chemical laboratories are of a conventional design, a buff glazed tile being employed for the walls to reduce maintenance expense. Metal furniture was chosen, since wooden furniture sometimes gives trouble in this climate, and metal drawers are better able to carry the heavy loads imposed upon them in an engineering laboratory. Alberene stone has been found ideal in petroleum work for table tops; it can be cut, patched, and refinished as required with a minimum of loss. Fireproof construction has been used throughout, an explosion venting type of window has been specified, and provision has been made for fog-type automatic sprinklers in hazardous areas. Considerable experience is required before an accurate appraisal of the value of a new structure can be made. However, a building of the present design seems ideally suited to the needs of a rapidly growing chemical engineering organization. The structure is expected to show a low maintenance cost and make production efficiency possible without departing from the high standards of safety requirements which are common in the petroleum industry.
