10.27

 

 

Chemical Engineering Processes Laboratory

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall, 1999
10.27       Chemical Engineering Processes Laboratory

Fall, 1999

 

MANUAL

 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

 

 

Instructors:

 

 

William H. Dalzell

66-450

x3-5273

wdalzell@mit.edu

 

Jean-François Hamel

56-483

x8-6665

jhamel@mit.edu

 

Jack B. Howard (in charge) 

66-454

x3-4574

jbhoward@mit.edu

 

Barry S. Johnston

66-409

x8-7141

bsjohnst@mit.edu

 

Preetinder S. Virk

66-405

x3-3177

psvirk@mit.edu

 

K. Dane Wittrup

66-552

x3-4578

wittrup@mit.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technical Resources:

 

 

Anthony J. Modestino

66-153

x3-4573

ajmod@mit.edu

 

Stephen K. Wetzel

66-0054

x8-7166

swetzel@mit.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Building:

 

 

Bonnie Burrell

66-471

x8-0733

bburrell@mit.edu

 

 

 

Writing Program:

 

 

Saleem Ali (Practicum)

7-337

8-0751

saleem@mit.edu

 

Mary Zoll (Cooperative)

14E-303

x3-7899

 

 

 

 

Health and Safety:

 

 

Pamela Greenley

56-235

x3-9390

greenley@mit.edu

 

William C. Van Schalkwyk

E19-207

x3-4736

billv@mit.edu

 

 

 

Teaching Assistants:

 

 

Jeb E. Keiper

66-0056

x5-9876

jkeiper@mit.edu

 

Michael C. Kutney

66-053

546-2583-pager

(leave your number after the beep)

mkutney@mit.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

Web Page:       http://web.mit.edu/10.27/www/

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1.  Process Laboratory                                                                                                                            5

1.1          General Background

               1.2          Objectives

               1.3          Requirements

               1.4          Grades

               1.5          Schedule

 

2.  Description of Experiments                                                                                                            9

1.      Methanol Pyrolysis

2.      Catalytic Hydrogenation

3.      Stripping

4.      Convective Heat Transfer in High Performance Cooking Ovens

5.      Microwave Power Delivery in High Performance Cooking Ovens

6.      Distillation

7.      Pressure Swing Adsorption

8.      Electrodialysis

9.      Bioengineering

10.   Immobilized Enzyme Kinetics

11.   Fermentation and Bioseparations

12.   Oxygen Mass Transfer

13.   Mass Transfer in a Dialyzer

14.   Dialysate Residence Time Distribution (RTD) in a Dialyzer

15.   Ultrafiltration

16.   Resident Time Distribution in a Flow Reactor

17.   Wiped Film Evaporator

18.   Fluidized Beds

19.   Fluidized-Bed Dryer

20.   Pump and Valve Characteristics

21.   Comparison of Laboratory Mixer Performance to Published Correlations

22.   Process Control

23.   Metal Deposition by Thermal Evaporation

 

3.  Organization and Operation                                                                                                          12

               3.1          Teams

               3.2          Responsibilities of Team Leaders

               3.3          Experiment Planning

4.  Experiment Operation                                                                                                                      13

               4.1          Problem Assignment

               4.2          Preliminary Conference

               4.3          Laboratory Work

               4.4          Laboratory Notebook

               4.5          Miscellaneous Equipment Requirements

               4.6          Laboratory Cleanup and Checkout

 

5. Data Analysis and Presentation                                                                                                     15a

 

               5.1          Errors in Experimental Data and Their Statistical Treatment

               5.2          Fitting Data to a Straight Line

               5.3          Presentation of Data and Information

 

6.  Written Report Preparation                                                                                                            16

 

               6.1          Report Format

               6.2          Report Writing

 

7.  Presentation of Oral Reports                                                                                                          20

 

               7.1          General Discussion

               7.2          Organization

               7.3          The Speaker’s Platform Manner

               7.4          The Voice

 

8.  Laboratory Safety                                                                                                                              23

 

               8.1          Clothing in the Laboratory

               8.2          Behavior in Underground Laboratories

               8.3          Waste Disposal

               8.4          Emergency

               8.5          Spill Kit

               8.6          Material Safety Data Sheets

               8.7          Laboratory Safety Rules - Summary

               8.8          “What-If” Hazard Analysis

 

Appendices:

 

               I.             Listing and Citing References In Reports                                                                          28

               II.           How To Use Your Laboratory Notebook                                                            37

               III.          Data Analysis                   See you hardcopy for this appendix                        39

               IV.          Linear Regression            See you hardcopy for this appendix                        99

               V.            Strategies for Effective and Dynamic Presentations                                      102

               VI.          “What-If” Hazard Analysis                                                                                   107

 

 

1.            PROCESS LABORATORY

 

1.1          General Background

 

               The Chemical Engineering Processes Laboratory is designed to introduce you to practical chemical engineering operations through hands-on experience with representative pilot-scale equipment and processes.  The course is intended to provide instruction in experimentation and data analysis and to introduce you  to the theory of selected unit operations.  Emphasis will also be given to developing communication skills, both oral and written.

 

               You will be divided into teams of 3 people.  Each team will work on 3 separate experiments, here referred to as Experiments I, II and III, which will be assigned by the staff.  Each team will spend about 6 afternoon sessions in the laboratory working on an experiment.  In addition, each team will perform an initial experiment, the Wet Lab Experiment, as part of an assignment involving an introductory virtual experiment, the Web Lab Experiment, to be performed by each student. The Web/Wet Lab assignment will be described in class. Through the course of the semester, different teams may work on a given piece of equipment, but the precise goals of an experiment will be different for each successive team.  It will be the responsibility of each team to devise and execute a detailed experimental program which will fulfill their overall goals.  Written reporting of work will be required in the form of team written reports on Experiments I and III and individually written reports on the Web/Wet Lab Experiment and Experiment II.  Everyone will give one oral presentation during the semester.

 

               We hope that you will find 10.27 to be a good learning experience.  Throughout the semester we hope that you will provide feedback, suggestions, and comments on the procedures that have been adopted.  By your doing so, we can continue to improve and refine the subject.

 

1.2          Objectives

 

               The Process Laboratory is intended to:

 

               1) familiarize you with the operation of process and laboratory equipment;

 

               2) introduce you to the theory of selected unit operations;

 

               3) help you develop an appreciation for balancing theory with empiricism through the use of                                    correlations, approximations, and engineering judgment;

 

               4) give you an opportunity to work in a cooperative environment, serving as both a member                                     and a leader of an engineering team; and

 

               5) provide you with experience in presenting the results of your work in both oral and written                                  reports.

 

1.3          Requirements

 

               Your grade in 10.27 will be based on several factors which are discussed below.  We have designed the subject so that any written material may be resubmitted, within a week of being returned, to receive full credit.  The following are requirements for completing the subject:

 

· Preliminary Conference:

 

Each team should read the material given to them and plan their experiments before starting any work in the lab.  They will be asked to outline their plan at a preliminary conference.  (For details see section 4.2.)

 

· Laboratory Work:

 

All team members must participate in laboratory experiments assigned to the team.  Your work in the laboratory will be monitored by the 10.27 staff.  While in the laboratory, each team must keep an accurate written record of their work in the data book.  At the end of an experiment the team must clean the space used, obtain a satisfactory inspection, and submit a signed inspection form (see section 4.6).

 

· Team Reports:

 

Each team is required to complete two team-written reports, one on Experiment I and one on Experiment III.  The reports will be reviewed by the 10.27 staff and returned with a grade and comments.  The report on Experiment I can be revised and resubmitted, within one week of being returned, to raise the grade of the report.  It is possible to receive full credit on the report if the revision adequately covers all the points noted in the evaluation.  The final grade for the report is the grade received on the rewritten version.  Experiment III reports cannot be rewritten because they are submitted at the end of the term.

 

· Individual Reports:

 

Each individual member must write two reports, one on the Web/Wet Lab Experiment and the other on Experiment II.  The reports will be graded by the 10.27 instructors both for technical content and for quality of English. In addition, the Experiment II report of students who wish to use the report to pass Phase 2 of the writing requirement will be graded by the Writing Cooperative instructor.  Students taking the Writing Practicum to pass Phase 2 should submit a copy of Experiments I, II and III reports to the Writing Practicum instructor. As in the case described above for team reports, individual reports may be rewritten, and the new grade will take the place of the earlier grade.  Students may be asked to rewrite.

 

· Submission of Reports:

 

The due dates for reports are specified in the schedule given in section 1.5.  Reports will not be accepted after the due date.  Requests for exceptions in cases of illness must be supported by a note from a medical doctor.

 

Two (2) copies of the team-written reports and the Web/Wet Lab Experiment report  and three (3) copies of the Experiment II report are to be submitted by 1:10 PM on the due date, in 66-110 on days of Oral Presentations or in the TA Office (66-0056) on other days.

 

· Oral Presentations:

 

Each student is required to give one oral presentation.  Oral presentations for each section of the class are scheduled for three different days throughout the semester.  The oral presentation will be evaluated by students and staff.  If you feel your performance was poor on the oral, you may present again at another session.  All students must attend the presentations given by other students in the class.

 

· Health and Safety:

 

All students must pay strict attention to the prescribed laboratory health and safety guidelines (see section 8). Any student that does not adhere to these guidelines will have their final subject grade lowered; severe or repeated health and safety violations will result in dismissal from the subject.  No health damaging or unsafe acts will be tolerated in laboratory work.  Health and safety issues in an experiment should be discussed in the oral presentation and in written reports.

 

 

1.4          Grades

 

               Final grades will be based on the assessment by the staff of your contributions and performance in different areas as indicated below:

 

 

 

Points

 

Quality, Interpretation and Presentation of Results

 

80

               Individually Written Report, Web/Wet Lab Experiment

(5)

 

               Team Written Report, Experiment I

(15)

 

               Individually Written Report, Experiment II

(20)

 

               Team Written Report, Experiment III

(20)

 

               Oral Presentation (Individual)  

(20)

 

               For each of the reports 2/3 of the grade will be for technical                content and 1/3 for communication skills

 

 

 

Teamwork

 

15

Other Areas of Performance

 

5

 

Attitude, Effort, Safety, Laboratory Performance, including Cleanup

                                                                          


1.5          Schedule, Fall 1999, Tuesday/Thursday, 1:00–5:00

 

SEPT

9

Introduction (1:00-2:00); Laboratory Tour (2:00-2:30); Web/Wet Lab Introduction and Assignment (2:30-3:00);  Team Formation and Experiment Assignments (3:00-3:20); Team Building Announcements and Assignment (3:20-3:30); Teams Meet with Experiment Instructors (3:30-5:00); Homework: Team Questionnaire, due Sept. 13 at noon; read Team Manual before Sept. 14; read experiment material and 10.27 Manual before Sept. 16.

 

14


16

Data Taking and Analysis Lecture 1 (1:00-2:00); Health and Safety Lecture (2:00-3:00); Team Lecture and Meeting (3:00-5:00); Homework: Data Taking and Analysis assignment given out; start Team Journals, Team Progress Report, and Team Ground Rules.

Team Lecture and Team Meeting (1:00-2:30); Experiment I/Lab 1 (2:30-5:00); Wet Lab Experiment (Teams 1-3, 2:30-3:45; Teams 4-6, 3:45-5:00); Team Ground Rules Duea

 

21


23

Data Taking and Analysis Lecture 2, and assignment from Lecture 1 due (1:00-2:00); Experiment I/Lab 2 (2:00-5:00); Wet Lab Experiment (Teams 7-9, 2:00-3:30; Teams other than 1-9, and repeats 3:30-5:00); Team-Building Progress Report #1 Duea

Writing and Oral Presentation Lecture (1:00-2:00); Experiment I/Lab 3 (2:00-5:00); Wet Lab Experiment (repeats, 2:00-3:30; repeats, 3:30-5:00); Facilitator's Training #1, Leadership Skills (4:00-5:00)b

 

28
30

Experiment I/Lab 4 (1:00-5:00); Web/Wet Lab Individual Reports Duec; Team-Building Progress Report #2 Duea

Experiment I/Lab 5 (1:00-5:00); Facilitator's Training  #2, Communicating (4:00-5:00)b

OCT

5
7

Experiment I/Lab 6 (1:00-5:00); Web/Wet Lab Report returned; Team-Building Progress Report #3 Duea

Experiment I/Lab 7 (1:00-5:00); Facilitator's Training #3, Conflict Resolution (4:00-5:00)b

 

12

14

Speaking and Presentation Skills Lecture (1:00-1:30); Experiment I/Lab 8 (1:30-5:00); Lab Cleanup (by 5:00)d; Team-Building Progress Report #4 Duea; Team Journal Due

Experiment I/Oral Presentations (1:00-5:00); Team Reports on Experiment I Duee; Facilitator's Evaluation Form #1, fill out in class and pass in; change Facilitators

 

19
21

Experiment II/Lab 1 (1:00-5:00); Facilitator's Training #1, Leadership Skills (4:00-5:00)b

Experiment II/Lab 2 (1:00-4:00); Team Reports on Experiment I Returned; Team Lecture and Team Meeting (4:00-5:00); Team-Building Progress Report #5 Duea

 

26
28

Experiment II/Lab 3 (1:00-5:00); Facilitator's Training  #2, Communicating (4:00-5:00)b

Experiment II/Lab 4 (1:00-5:00); Team-Building Progress Report #6 Duea ; Team Report Rewrites on Experiment I Duee

NOV

2

4

Experiment II/Lab 5 (1:00-5:00); Facilitator's Training #3, Conflict Resolution (4:00-5:00)b

Experiment II/Lab 6(1:00-5:00); Lab Cleanup (by 5:00)d; Team-Building Progress Report #7 Duea; Turn in second segment of Journal

 

9

11

Experiment II/Oral Presentations (1:00-5:00); Individual Reports on Experiment II Duee; Facilitator's Evaluation #2, fill out in class and pass in; change Facilitators

Veteran’s Day – Holiday

 

16
18

Experiment III/Lab 1 (1:00-5:00); Team-Building Progress Report #8 Duea

Experiment III/Lab 2 (1:00-5:00); Individual Reports on Experiment II Returnede; Facilitator's Training#1, Leadership Skills (4:00-5:00)b

 

23
25

Experiment III/Lab 3(1:00-5:00); Facilitator's Training #2, Communicating (4:00-5:00)b

Thanksgiving Vacation



DEC

30

2

Experiment III/Lab 4 (1:00-5:00); Individual Report Rewrites on Experiment II Duee; Team-Building Progress Report #9 Duea

Experiment III/Lab 5 (1:00-5:00); Facilitator's Training #3, Conflict Resolution (4:00-5:00)b

 

6-8
7
9

Exit Interviews (All Day)

Experiment III/Lab 6 (1:00-5:00); Lab Cleanup (by 5:00)d

Experiment III/Oral Presentations (1:00-5:00); Team Reports on Experiment III Duee; Facilitator's Evaluation Form #3, fill out in class and pass in; Turn in Journal. Questionnaire on web, due final week of term.

 

a Submit Team Ground Rules and Team-Building Progress Reports via e-mail to 1027-faculty@mit.edu.

b To be attended by current team facilitators, in 66-110.

c Submit two (2) copies in TA office (66-0056) by 1:10 pm on due date.

d Teams must clean up lab space at end of each experiment and obtain a satisfactory inspection and signed checkout from Anthony Modestino or Stephen Wetzel (see Section 4.6).

e Submit to TA two (2) copies of Experiments I and III reports and three (3) copies of Experiment II report by 1:10 pm on due date in 66-110 on days of Oral Presentations or in TA office (66-0056) on other days. Students taking Writing Practicum: In addition to the foregoing, also submit to the Practicum Instructor one (1) copy of Experiments I, II and III reports.

2.            DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTS

 

               A brief description of the different laboratory experiments to be conducted in 10.27 follows.  Some of the experiments may not be available at a given time, and other experiments may be introduced as the subject proceeds.

 

               1. Methanol Pyrolysis (66-0042)

 

               The pyrolysis or thermal decomposition of methanol will be studied as a function of temperature and time.  The nature of the decomposition products and the kinetics of the reaction will be determined.

 

               2. Catalytic Hydrogenation (66-157)

 

               Hexadecene will be hydrogenated to hexadecane in the presence of palladium-on-carbon catalyst.  The kinetics of the reaction will be measured.  Progress of the reaction can be followed by analysis of samples and by measurement of hydrogen flow into the reactor.

 

               3. Stripping (66-165)

 

               A small 2-inch diameter stripping column will be used to study the stripping of sparingly soluble solvents from wastewater at flow rates close to flooding.

 

4. Convective Heat Transfer in High Performance Cooking Ovens (66-0042)

 

               Commercial cooking ovens made by TurboChef Technologies, Inc. use an array of impingement jets to blow high temperature air over the food in combination with high-power microwave units to reduce cooking times tenfold. To assess performance of the air impingement system and local convective heat transfer coefficients will be measured with novel heat transfer sensors. Results will be compared to available correlations in the literature.

 

5. Microwave Power Delivery in High Performance Cooking Ovens (66-0042)

 

               Commercial cooking ovens made by TurboChef Technologies, Inc. use an array of impingement jets to blow high temperature air over the food in combination with high-power microwave units to reduce cooking times tenfold. Power delivered by the microwave units will be measured by heating volumes of water and salt water in containers of different sizes and shapes. Performance will be compared to models and results in the literature.

 

               6. Distillation (66-157)

 

               A glass tray column is available, fitted with a reboiler, side feed ports, reflux splitter and condenser.  A mixture of methanol and water or acetic acid and water (for which the equilibrium data are published) will be separated by batch distillation.  Measurements will be made to determine the number of theoretical trays which can be compared to the number of actual trays.

 

               7. Pressure Swing Adsorption  (66-157)

 

               A skid-mounted pressure swing adsorption apparatus will be used to separate nitrogen from oxygen in air.  The effect on nitrogen purity of pressure, flow rate and time will be studied.

 

               8. Electrodialysis (66-157)

 

               Electrodialysis will be used to produce drinking water and concentrated salt from a simulated brackish water of about 3,000 ppm salt.  Current efficiency, power efficiency and economic throughput will be investigated.

               9. Bioengineering (56-454 [exp. 1 & 2] and 66-157/265 [exp. 3])

 

               Growth kinetics of mammalian cells are studied in bioreactors such as a fluidized-bed perfusion system. An upward fluid circulation through the bed allows for a homogenous distribution of nutrients. This gentle mixing of the bed and the controls of the unit (pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature) help to provide a favorable environment for a wide range of cells. This experiment is done in the facility of the Biotechnology Process Engineering Center (BPEC).

 

               10. Immobilized Enzyme Kinetics (66-165)

 

               A reactor filled with pellets containing the enzyme glucose isomerase will be used to study the behavior of packed bed catalytic reactors.  A strong solution of glucose (corn syrup) when passed down the bed will be converted to about 50:50 glucose: fructose which is much sweeter  to the taste than pure glucose.  The effect on reaction of temperature, residence time, and concentration of glucose will be studied.  Analysis will be by polarimetry.

 

               11. Fermentation (66-265 and 56-454)

 

               Several biological systems are available to study various aspects of fermentation, oxygen mass transfer and production of substances relevant to the chemical industry (e.g., ethanol, citric acid) and to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries (e.g., viral proteins, anti-cancer products, antibiotics).

 

               12. Oxygen Mass Transfer (56-454)

 

               In this experiment, high-resolution columns are used to recover and purify desired products from a multi-component feed, based on differences between the components in terms of net charge, size and functional groups. For example, a viral protein produced by fermentation (Experiment #11) can be purified by ion-exchange and by size-exclusion chromatography.

 

               13. Mass Transfer in a Dialyzer (66-0064)

 

               Mass transfer rate in a dialyzer is measured in this experiment.  The results are interpreted by making use of  the analogy between mass transfer and heat transfer.

 

               14. Dialysate Residence Time Distribution (RTD) in a Dialyzer (66-165)

 

               This experiment is concerned with the measurement of residence time distribution of the dialysate in the shell-side compartment of a dialyzer.  Some dialyzers give nonideal flow.  This is a fluid flow problem, and work on it is made possible by using equipment which permits rtd measurements that would not be possible manually.

 

               15. Ultrafiltration (66-165)

 

               A laboratory ultra filter will be used to separate a high molecular-weight polymer from a low molecular weight compound.

 

               16. Residence Time Distribution in a Flow Reactor (66-165)

 

               Performance of a flow reactor depends on residence time distribution (RTD) of reactants within the reactor.  In many cases RTD is not well known and reactor performance, e.g., extent of reactant conversion to product is based on assumed flow pattern and associated RTD.  This experiment is concerned with an Auquafine, annular, cylindrical flow reactor with an ultraviolet lamp down its center.  Reactants flow in the annular space between the lamp enclosure and the walls of the reactor.  The goal of this experiment is to measure the RTD of the Aquafine reactor, to compare the results against theoretical expectations based on different assumptions about the flow, and to develop a suitable model for the flow.

               17. Wiped Film Evaporator (66-157)

 

               The heat transfer characteristics of a pilot-scale Artisan Industries Rototherm wiped-film evaporator will be measured.  The effect of preheating the feed will be studied as will evaporation under vacuum.

 

               18. Fluidized Beds (66-157)

 

               A fluidized bed is formed by passing a fluid, generally a gas, upwards at sufficient velocity through a bed of particles suspended on a distribution plate.  The good solids mixing achieved in such a bed results in every high thermal conductivity and provides high rates of heat transfer per unit area between surfaces and the fluid bed and excellent gas to particle heat and mass transfer.  Fluidized beds are effective for a wide variety of chemical and physical processes.

 

               Three different small-scale fluidized beds with auxiliary air metering equipment are available for this experiment.  One of them will be used to:

                    ·        Learn to use orifice and venturi flow meters with a gas.

                    ·        Measure the efficiency of an ejector.

                    ·        Investigate pressure drop and gas bubble formation in a two dimensional bubbling bed.

                    ·        Investigate heat transfer to air with and without the presence of fluidized solids.

                    ·        Investigate the regimes of fluidization and heat transfer in a 3-inch diameter fast circulation bed.

 

               19. Fluidized-Bed Dryer (66-157)

 

               The focus in this experiment will be a fluidized bed used as a batch dryer for solid particles.  The gas-flow and solids-mixing characteristics of the bed and heat and mass transfer within the bed will be measured and compared to literature values, and used to predict performances of a production bed.

 

               20. Pump and Valve Characteristics (66-0042)

 

               A simple water pump is set up to study the characteristics of a centrifugal pump and to measure the Cv factor of a globe value used for control.  Also, a model batch mixer is set up to study the effect of speed, stirrer diameter and viscosity on power.

 

               21. Comparison of Laboratory Mixer Performance to Published Correlations (66-165)

 

               Fluid mixing plays an important role in most chemical process systems.  This experiment is concerned with a mixing vessel in which the fluid motion needed for mixing is driven by an impeller.  Power requirements for a laboratory mixer with a variety of impellers and fluids will be compared to correlations available in the literature.  Sources of random and systematic errors will be identified and changes made in the system to reduce them.

 

               22. Process Control (66-0042)

 

               A programmable process controller can be used to control level in a tank with variable outflow.  Students who have had a control course may also choose the more complicated experiment of simultaneously controlling temperature and level by arranging the interaction of two controllers, one controlling cold water flow and one controlling hot water flow.

 

               23. Metal Deposition by Thermal Evaporation (66-0064)

 

               Metals are heated to the point of evaporation in ultrahigh vacuum process commonly used in the semiconductor industry to deposit thin metal films.  Experiments focus on relationships between processing conditions and materials transport.

3.            ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION

 

3.1          Teams

 

               Work on each experiment will be performed by teams consisting of 3 people. Teams will be formed by the staff on the first day of class. The team will choose a leader for the first experiment.  The leadership position will be rotated each experiment so that everyone will have an opportunity to be team leader at least once.  

 

               At the beginning of every experiment, a problem statement will be issued to each team.  The problem statement will contain the following information: general background, the overall project objectives and the specific problem area(s) for the team to investigate.

 

3.2          Responsibilities of Team Leaders

 

               In addition to participating in all experimental work and writing individual memoranda after experiments I and III, the specific duties of the team leader will be as follows:

 

               - Coordinate group activities: planning, scheduling, and execution of assigned work.

               - Be the editor of the group reports for experiment II.

 

3.3          Project Planning

 

               Only 28 hours or less of laboratory time is scheduled for each experiment (25.5 hours for Experiment I and 28 hours each for Experiments II and III), and some of this time will be used initially in learning about the equipment and at the end in cleaning up. Therefore, it is extremely important to plan and organize your project carefully.  The first step you should take, after receiving your project assignment, is to acquaint yourselves fully with the theory and principles of equipment operation.  Your problem assignment will contain the essential background information and theory; a set of notes will generally be attached from which you will be able to obtain more detailed information.

              

               Before you begin your experimental program you will be introduced to the experimental apparatus by a member of the staff.  The initial inspection of the apparatus will give you some familiarity with the operation and available instruments.  Keep in mind that no experimental measurement is exact.  The precision and accuracy with which you can make measurements will affect the details of your experimental plan.

 

               Several general guidelines for experimental work should be kept in mind throughout:

 

               1) Don’t forget to make all necessary measurements.  A good rule is to complete a sample analysis of the data to be certain that nothing is omitted.  Look for independent measurements that can be used to check the internal consistency of the data.  Qualitative observations should also be noted, because they may play an important role in the interpretation of the results.  Be sure to include control and duplicate experiments.  Make certain that you structure your experiments to distinguish between “a good indication” and unequivocal experimental proof in analyzing your results.

 

            2) Keep abreast of the progress.  Don’t blindly follow a planned set of experiments if your preliminary results indicate the plan should be changed.  Analysis of the results should be up-to-date with the experiments to provide a check on the precision and accuracy of your measurements.

 

               3) Don’t plan unnecessary experiments.  Each experiment should have a definite purpose and should yield the maximum quantity of useful information.  Again, remember to include experiments to check the reproducibility of your measurements.

4.            EXPERIMENT OPERATION

 

               Each experiment is divided into separate phases: problem assignment, the preliminary conference, laboratory work, and documentation of work.  The different phases of a project are discussed in this section.

 

4.1          Problem Assignment

 

               Before the beginning of each experiment, a problem assignment will be given to each group.  The problem assignment will contain a background section leading to the overall objectives and the specific problem areas that the group is to investigate.  Generally there will be several questions asked and strategies suggested; you should consider these carefully when developing a detailed experimental plan.  Quite often any particular assignment will begin where the group previously working on the experiment ended.  In this case, part of your assignment will be to talk to the previous group and also to make yourself available to the group that takes over from you.

 

4.2          Preliminary Conference

 

               The preliminary conference provides you with an opportunity to discuss your planned work more formally with the course staff.  Your plan should include the following topics:

 

                              - Motivation/Objective

 

                                                  ·        Equipment operation/theory

                                                  ·        Experimental measurements

                                                  ·        Range of conditions to be studied

                                                  ·        Accuracy/precision of measurements

                                                  ·        Treatment of data

                                                  ·        Interpretation and representation of results

 

                              - Timetable

                                                  ·        Schedule showing when different experiments are planned

                                                  ·        Overall timing of the project: experimental work; data analysis; report writing; etc.

 

               During the preliminary conference it is a good idea to have a few figures, tables, or graphs to illustrate the points that you want to make.  Your experimental plan should be written down so that it can be more effectively evaluated and reviewed.  By way of example, include things such as types and numbers of experiments, range of conditions to be studied, measurements that will/can be made, limitations of the experimental procedure.  Your group should meet outside of scheduled laboratory hours to review background material, problem statements, and experimental plans.  You should be prepared early on the first assigned laboratory period to conduct a preliminary conference.

 

4.3          Laboratory Work

 

               All experimental work should be performed during the normally scheduled course hours: Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday 1 to 5 PM.  During these hours there will be a TA available in the laboratory to answer questions.  If a group cannot complete their experimental work during the scheduled laboratory hours they should consult with one of the staff members in charge of the course.

4.4          Laboratory Notebook

 

               Each team should keep a laboratory notebook on each experiment they do. Laboratory notebooks provide a record of progress in the investigation and a basis for patent litigation.  Notebooks serve as references to the procedures, thought processes, and original data of an investigation.  Neatness, completeness, and clarity are of the utmost importance.  Because someone else should be able to read and understand your notebook, considerable explanatory material, drawings, samples, calculations, etc. should be included.

 

               In patent litigation, the scope and date of an invention are usually the important issues.  The authenticity of such documents must be established in litigation; hence, it is important to do nothing which will cast doubt upon the work (erasures, undated entries, torn out pages).  To strike out certain parts of an error, just draw a line through that section.  Each entry should be signed and dated by the person who made the entry.

 

               Every laboratory experiment will have a notebook which is dedicated to it.  Your TA will give you a notebook to use. Turn it in to the TA when you finish the experiment and turn in your report. You should make copies of the pages in your notebook for use at home.  Further, if you require other pages in the notebook from previous groups you should make arrangements with the TA so that you can make copies of them.

 

               At the end of each laboratory period or at the beginning of the next period you should have one of the course staff initial each of the pages in your notebook that you completed that day.

 

               A section on “How to Use Your Laboratory Notebook” is appended.

 

4.5          Miscellaneous Equipment Requirements

 

Equipment for laboratory work can be obtained from the TA. Before you go investigating what equipment or supplies are available, first check with the TA.  Every effort has been made to insure that most of what is required for the course is available in the laboratory. 

 

               Supplies and other items that you may require for unforeseen circumstances can usually be obtained from one of the following MIT stockrooms:

 

· VWR Stockroom, 56-068 (sub-basement), ext. 3-1881/1882 (Hours, 8:00-4:30)

 

  Supermarket format - drop in and browse around.  Normally this stockroom has most glassware, glass, metal and plastic tubing and fittings, gas regulators, organic and inorganic chemicals (except acids, solvents, flammable or explosive materials).  Also, there is safety equipment such as gloves and glasses.

 

· Solvent Stockroom, 18-105, ext. 3-1425 (Hours, 1:00-2:30)

 

  This stockroom handles all bottled acids, solvents and flammable materials.

 

· Bottled Gases

 

  Order through BOC at the VWR Stockroom.

 

· Physics Stockroom, 4-335, ext. 3-4819 (Hours, 9:00-12:00 and 1:00-5:00)

 

  This stockroom contains a wide range of electronic supplies such as batteries, thermocouple wire, printed circuit chips, resistors, and other similar items.

 

· Physical Plant Stockroom, E19-111, ext. 3-4752 (Hours, 7:00-3:30)

 

  This stockroom carries all the supplies you might expect a machinist, plumber, electrician or carpenter to need.

 

· Chemical Engineering Stock

 

  Before buying equipment please ask Steve Wetzel, Tony Modestino, a TA or member of the faculty if the equipment is available in the department.

 

4.6          Laboratory Cleanup and Checkout

 

               You must clean up your lab space when an experiment is completed.  When your cleanup is complete, see Tony Modestino or Steve Wetzel for an inspection.  When your cleanup is approved they will sign you out on a form which they will provide.  The experiment will not be regarded as complete without an approved checkout form.

 

               Please consider the following during you cleanup:

·        Glassware should be cleaned and dried and returned to the proper storage area.

·        Tools and equipment should be returned to the location they came from.

·        If you borrowed anything from another lab please return it.

·        If you have equipment that needs attention, please notify Tony Modestino, Steve Wetzel or a Teaching Assistant.

·        Discard all items that are not likely to be reused.

·        Use CAUTION when disposing of chemicals.  Be sure that every container is clearly identified with its contents, full names only, no abbreviations or formulas.  We have special tags and forms that need to be filled out for the disposal of chemicals.  Please ask if you have any questions about mixing, compatibility or proper disposal method.

·        Dispose of sharps only in proper containers.

·        Clean the top of your bench.  Remember you started with a clean bench and you should leave it clean.

6.            WRITTEN REPORT PREPARATION

 

               One of the most important parts of an investigation is the written and oral reporting of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations.  For this reason, and also because of the enormous value that increased training in effective technical communication will add to your potential for a successful career, written and oral technical communication is the single most important component of 10.27.  In this subject we require you to prepare two team written reports (Experiments I and III) and two individually written reports (the Web/Wet Lab Experiment and Experiment II).  In addition, each person is required to give one oral presentation to the entire class.  The schedule for these different assignments is given in section 1.5.

 

               This section covers the content and format to be used in your written reports, as well as some mention of issues of style and guidelines for collaborative writing in a team. When not specifically delineated in this manual, the ultimate authority will be the following book written by three MIT faculty members:

 

Perelman, L.C., J. Paradis, E. Barrett, The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing, Mayfield Publishing Co., Mountain View, CA, 1998.

 

This is an extremely valuable information source with which you should become familiar. It is available online at http://tute.mit.edu:8001/afs/athena/course/21/21.guide/www/home.htm

 

It is also embedded within two other useful web sites:

 

1.      MIT Online Writing and Communication Center at http://web.mit.edu/writing

 

This site contains links to answer just about any question you might have and has extremely useful material about all aspects of the writing process.

 

2.      Writing Resources on the World Wide Web at http://web.mit.edu/uaa/www/writing/links

 

This older site contains links to some useful documents on the web not contained in the Online Writing and Communication Center.

 

6.1          Report Format

 

               The reports are expected to be concise but thorough.  Use double spacing and the format outlined below.  The target length for the report is 12 to 15 pages not counting the title page, table of contents, reference list, tables, figures and appendices.

 

               The general format you should use for the reports is:

 

Title Page                                          (Can often be on one sheet of paper)

Abstract

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

               1.1 Background

               1.2 Objective(s)

               1.3 Theory                         (This should be important and relevant theory only; for example, the                                                                  model you wish to verify or use for correlation.  Interesting theory that                                                              is not immediately of importance can be appended.)

               1.4 Approach                    (Optional.  May be included in Experimental.)

2. Experimental

3. Results

4. Discussion of Results                               (May be included with the results)

5. Other Sections of Interest (inserted where required)

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

7. References

8. Appendix

 

PLEASE try very hard NOT to use generic titles given in the general outline above.  Try to use titles SPECIFIC to your report.

________________________________________________________________________________

 

               The functions of the different sections of a report are summarized below.

 

               Title  The title should state concisely the specific contents of the report.  Titles should be technically precise; avoid acronyms unless they are defined.  Avoid deadwood: “investigation of...”, “analysis of...,” “effect of...,” and “influence of....”

 

               Abstract  Every report should contain an informative abstract, which conveys results of the report.  the abstract is usually circulated separately from the report; its primary purpose is to serve as an aid in a literary search and for information retrieval.  The abstract should be a reduction of the report.  Generally it should be no longer than 200 words.

 

               Table of Contents  This section is intended to aid the reader in locating specific information within the report.  The main divisions of the report should be listed together with the number of the first page of the division.  Subheadings of long divisions should also be listed with their page numbers.  Headings in the Table of Contents and the text should be identical.

NOTE.  NUMBER ALL PAGES INCLUDING FIGURES.  The reader needs to know if a page has been lost.

 

               Introduction

 

               Background:                     Detailed background information which is required to place the project                                                                            in the proper perspective.

               Objective:                          A sentence describing the overall objective of the work.

               Theory:                A brief but accurate summary of any useful, applicable theory.  Do not                                                               write a                text book; discuss only the theory that you use.  References will                                                              help.  However, you may not refer to theory notes handed out in the                                                               subject.  Relevant sections must be rewritten, in your own word, in the                                                                report.

               Approach:                         A list of the different tasks that were performed during the                                                                                     investigation.

              

               Experimental.    This section should contain the details of the experimental work,.  You should provide brief statements of the essential steps and methods used to obtain your data.  The purpose of this section is not only to inform the reader of the approach taken, but also to allow him or her to form an independent judgment of the accuracy and precision of the results.  It is important to note any changes in the procedure between different runs.

 

               In cases where the apparatus or procedure is unique and must be understood before the results can be interpreted, a description should be included in the procedure section.  Ordinarily, a detailed description of the apparatus and procedure should be relegated to the Appendix.

 

               Results  The results of an investigation are those facts and observations which form the basis for your analysis and evaluation and upon which the conclusions and recommendations are based.  Results include data and other observations from your experiments and other information such as calculations from computer simulation runs.  Information obtained from others, such as design data, experimental observations, or computer calculations, may be used but of course must be properly referenced. Within the limits of accuracy of the equipment used and procedures followed, the results should be unquestionable.  The limits of uncertainty should be carefully defined for all numerical results presented, whether in the form of points on a graph or numbers in a table.

 

               Since results are evidence used in testing hypotheses, drawing conclusions and making recommendations, they should be presented simply and effectively.  For example, if a discussion of the nonclosure of a material balance around the Rototherm is presented, a table or figure should show the nonclosure.  The reader should not be required to calculate or rearrange numbers to discover that the nonclosure exists.

 

               The results section includes relevant observations as well as physical measurements.  Results should be presented in the form which will be clearest to the reader; well thought out tables and figures help enormously in organizing and presenting your data.  Units should be consistent and appropriate to the particular field of investigation.  Experimental conditions for each run should be included so that the results may stand alone.

 

               Sometimes the “Results” and “Discussion of Results” sections may be combined into a single section to obtain a clearer and more logical presentation.  However, the reader should always be able to distinguish between facts and conjecture, between results and the interpretation of the results.

 

Discussion of Results.  The discussion section evaluates the work that has been done and interprets its significance. It serves as a path to lead the reader from the results obtained from experiments or calculation to an acceptance of the conclusions and recommendations.  Moreover, in this section you should focus on the implication of the results in terms of the overall project objective:  not solely on the accuracy of the results.

 

               Significant discrepancies should be pointed out even when no reasonable explanation can be offered.  If the reader discovers discrepancies which have not been mentioned, the technical credibility of the report will suffer.  Proposed correlations and interpretations should be presented after the results have been discussed.  When possible, results and correlations should be compared with previous work or with values calculated from the application of existing theories.  Tables and graphs showing the actual comparisons are often effective; any deviations in values should be noted and explained when possible.

 

NOTES ON FIGURES AND TABLES:      Figures and tables should be placed either within the text on the page where they are first mentioned if their size permits, or as or on the subsequent page as necessary.  In either case, number all pages.  All graphs must have a title and a number.  Place the title and number at the bottom.  All tables must have a title and a number.  Place the title and number at the top.

 

               Other Sections of Interest  Health and safety concerns of the experiment must be discussed.  A “What-If” analysis must be conducted. (See Appendix IV for information on conducting a “What-IF” analysis.)  Also, it is often necessary to bring additional information to bear on a problem.  You may require extensive background or theory; possibly a literature review is required.  Any such sections should be included as and where you feel they are appropriate.  Again, however, do not place an excessive amount of detail in the body of the report.  Summarize the important aspects in the body of the report and put specific details into the Appendix.

 

               Conclusions and Recommendations  This section lists in order of decreasing importance the significant conclusions and recommendations already stated and justified in the Discussion of Results section.  No new material should be introduced in this section - see the last paragraph of section 5.3 which applies here as well.  Do not forget that although the conclusions are located here they will be written last.

 

               References  References are usually given before the Appendix.  If the Appendix contains references, then the reference page must follow the Appendix.  The procedure for listing and citing references is appended to this manual.  Note that a reading list is a list of References only is each item is referred to in the text.  Otherwise a reading list is a Bibliography.  A bibliography can be given if you wish, but it is less useful than a list of references.

 

               Appendix  The main body of a report rarely presents all the details of a project; it would bury the main argument in detail.  The appendix or appendices are where you give the detail that would enable a technical person to reproduce the work or evaluate the data independently.  Thus, incorporating detail into a Appendix, procedures and results can be validated.

 

               Appendix materials fall into two classes: (1) matters of supplementary detail, and (2) matters of record.

 

               1.  Matters of Supplementary Detail  This section might include sections on details of procedures or a detailed description of the apparatus used.  If standard procedures were followed then specific reference to them is sufficient.  You may wish to include a section on nomenclature if there are a number of different symbols that have been used.

 

               2. Matters of Record  In nearly all reports a definite record of the data obtained is essential.  A few items should be included:

 

               Summary of Data and Calculated Values  This section gives numerical values of measurements which lead directly to calculated results.  These values may be the original observed data and may include intermediate calculated values, properly identified as calculated and not measured.

 

               Location of Original Data  The location of the original data in the data books should be listed here.  The data-book number and pages should be given.

 

               Sample Calculations  Sample calculations are often very helpful.

 

ALL APPENDICES MUST HAVE A TITLE, MUST BE SHOWN IN THE TABLE OF CONTENTS BY TITLE, AND MUST BE REFERRED TO SOMEWHERE IN THE TEXT.

 

6.2          Report Writing

 

               It is extremely important to organize thoroughly and outline the material that is to be included in the report.  In the case of the team-written report, the team leader should get all group members together, and an outline should be developed.  All team members should clearly understand the sections that they are to write.

 

               If you have any questions on how to proceed with the writing of a report, you should consult with the subject staff.  Careful organization and planning at the beginning will save a great deal of time in the writing and revising of the report.

 

               Reports are seldom written in the order in which they are presented.  The Table of Contents is frequently written first although it may have to be modified as writing progresses.  Conclusions and Recommendations are written after the discussion of results.  The Abstract and Summary are written last.

 

               Once all the sections of the team-written report have been completed, the team leader should read through the entire report to check it over.  The final check of the report is critical to insure that everything is consistent and logical.  Many times teams have not coordinated their efforts well and  have ended up writing three different versions of “Apparatus and Procedure”.

 

 

 

7. PRESENTATION OF ORAL REPORTS

 

7.1          General Discussion

 

               As in the case of preparing written technical reports, there is especially useful information about oral presentations at the MIT Online Writing and Communication Center at http://web.mit.edu/writing

 

That site, and the Mayfield Handbook in particular, contains the authoritative guidelines for 10.27. The material in this section of the manual should be considered supplementary.

 

               Each speaker will be allocated 20 minutes for a talk.  The talk itself should take 12 to 15 minutes, leaving time for questions and critique.  All students must attend the oral presentations from beginning to end.

 

               Oral reports convey results quickly.  They emphasize the most important aspects of a project, and they allow for audience feedback with questions and answers.  This interactive environment frequently clarifies misunderstandings and helps to substantiate the high quality of your work.

 

               Oral reporting is an efficient mechanism for obtaining action because you as a speaker have isolated the audience, and you have their attention.

 

               In addition to reading this section, see also Appendix V, Strategies for Effective and Dynamic Presentations. 

 

7.2          Organization

 

               The most important feature of formal oral communication is the organization of the talk.  Speech organization is basically the same as report writing.  The important steps are:

 

               1) Determine the Objective  Every oral presentation should have a clearly understood objective: a speaker must know what specifically is to be communicated.  The objective will vary with the nature of the work being reported and with the audience.  One of the cardinal rules of good speaking is “know your audience”.

 

               2) Prepare an Outline of Your Talk  When the objective has been clearly stated, outline the arguments supporting desired conclusions.  The outline can be divided into sections:

 

Introduction  The introduction has two functions.  The first is to “break the ice.”  This is the place to gain the attention of the audience.  The second function is to introduce the subject matter of your talk and explain what the objective is.  These goals can be achieved simultaneously if you can persuade your audience that what you are about to say is important to them.

 

Body   This is the major portion of the presentation.  In it the evidence and arguments which relate to the objective should be logically developed.  Facts or data, presented in a form which can be immediately grasped, are the basis for the arguments.  The best talks contain only one or two principal conclusions supported by clear and well-developed arguments.  Health and safety aspects of the experiment are as important here as they are for the written reports.

 

Conclusions   Like the introduction, the conclusion has two functions.  The first is to summarize the major conclusions and recommendations of the work.  The second is to indicate clearly to the audience that  you have finished speaking.  A simple “thank you” is acceptable, but more imaginative exit lines are even more desirable.  All talks should have a conclusion.

               3) Prepare a Draft of the Talk  Although many experienced speakers are able to speak extemporaneously, the safest approach for you is to prepare a draft of exactly what you are going to say.  Just as in written reports, the importance of “polishing” cannot be overemphasized.  The use of the right word or phrase can make the difference between a successful talk and a weak one.

 

               4) Plan and Prepare Effective Visual Aids   While preparing the draft, note where visual aids will be used (charts, graphs, slides, etc.).  Mark these positions in the draft, and indicate at each position which diagram or other you plan to use.

 

               Visual aids are used to illustrate a verbal message.  The combination of different media is very effective for communicating an idea to the audience.  If you wish to discuss the annual trends in employment, you may describe them orally.  If, however, you use a slide which clearly shows the employment level versus the year, the audience can see as well as hear the information.  The meaning will then be more readily understood and better retained by the audience.

 

               Use visual aids which summarize or reinforce points being made verbally.  A slide, chart, or graph too complicated to be understood quickly will merely distract the audience.  Used properly, visual aids make the presentation more colorful, more understandable, and more effective.

 

               Many types of visual aids can be used.  The following is not a complete list, but imaginative use of these may be helpful:

 

               1) Transparencies projected overhead, usually 8 in. x 10 in.  Transparencies can be made on a photocopy machine.  A projector for 8 x 10 transparencies will be provided.  If you need any other type of projector please ask in advance.

 

               2) Blackboard and chalk illustrations.

 

               3) Slides for a standard projector (35 mm slide in 2 in. x 2 in. mounting).

 

               4) Prepared line drawings on a “tear pad” mounted on an easel.  These are particularly useful for material to remain in view for the entire talk.

 

               Other aids sometimes used include:

 

               5) Three-dimensional models, constructed from cardboard, wood, modeling clay, or any other suitable material.

 

               6) Samples from experiments.

 

               Brief words of caution:

 

               1) On all visual aids be sure that the drawing and lettering are large enough to be seen by the entire audience.  For instance, the type on this page is much to small for an 8 x 10 transparency.

 

               2) It is better to use two simple charts than one complex chart.

 

               3) Utilize color wherever it is possible to do so advantageously, but never rely on color alone because a significant fraction of people are color blind.

 

               4) Always keep your overall objective in mind when preparing and using visual aids.

               5) Rehearse the talk.  After preparing a draft of the talk, practice it once or twice.  Be sure to time yourself.  A good way to time the talk is to provide one visual aid (transparency) for each 2 minutes of the talk.  Develop a set of notes, and practice delivering the talk from the notes.  Experienced speakers frequently put brief notes or lead-in sentences onto paper copies of their slides.  They practice the lead-ins so the talk appears to be given extemporaneously without losing audience eye contact or forgetting the content of the visual aid.  Suggestions from others may be quite helpful in polishing the talk.  To maximize the benefit derived from others’ comments, you should carefully prepare the talk before presenting it to them.  Become familiar enough with the organization of the talk so that you can deliver it without reading notes.  The focus of your attention should be on the listener, not on a set of note cards.

 

7.3          The Speaker’s Platform Manner

 

Since your appearance is the first impression made on an audience, try to appear relaxed, confident, and poised.  If you don’t bother to tell anyone, no one will know you are nervous.

 

Look at the audience, not your transparency on the projector or the screen on the wall.  Move your focus around the audience - don’t just talk to your friends or the people in the front row.

 

Avoid visual idiosyncrasies which distract the audience - e.g., playing with the pointer, pacing back and forth, dramatic or repetitive use of hand motions, etc.

 

7.4          The Voice

 

The effectiveness of any oral presentation is influenced by the way you use your voice.  The following are some simple rule which you should utilize for controlling the voice:

 

Volume   If you look at the person seated farthest away and adjust the volume so that person can hear without straining, the volume should be appropriate.  Remember that speaking too softly will impair the audience’s concentration, and too much volume will give the audience a headache.

 

Rate   The rate at which a speech is delivered is very important.  Frequently a speaker will talk too rapidly for his or her audience.  When this happens, the audience must strain to find where one word ends and the next begins.  The speaker should be extremely careful to maintain a pace which is neither too fast not too slow.  A slow delivery may be rhythmic, boring, monotonous, or hypnotic in effect, so vary your rate.

 

Tone   The tone of voice used by the speaker is very important.  Be enthusiastic about your work.  an audience may infer from an unenthusiastic delivery that the speaker is not interested in the topic, and that the quality of the work is, therefore, questionable.  It is necessary for the speaker to talk to the audience, not down at the audience.  If you will remember that you are speaking to a number of individuals, rather than to a unified group, your tone will improve.

 

Variety and Emphasis   Perhaps the most important attribute you, as a speaker, can have is the ability to vary your tone, speed, and volume to emphasize key points and to avoid monotony.  A speaker can easily highlight points by:

 

               1) Raising or lowering the volume.

               2) Increasing or decreasing the pitch.

               3) Speeding up or slowing down the delivery.

               4) Stressing a key word by pausing before and after.

 

It is of prime importance that you recognize the need for variety in your delivery and the need to emphasize important points.

 

 8. LABORATORY SAFETY

 

               Each of you has received a copy of the American Chemical Society’s pamphlet “Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories”.  Take the time to read it over carefully.

 

               The rules outlined in this pamphlet which you should follow in all laboratory work are:

 

               1. Eye protection is required at all times in the laboratory and where chemicals are stored and handled.

               2. Horseplay, pranks, or other acts of mischief are especially dangerous and are absolutely prohibited.

               3. Work only with materials when you know their flammability, reactivity, corrosiveness, and toxicity.

               4. Laboratory areas should not be used as eating or drinking places.

               5. Unauthorized experiments are prohibited.

               6. Confine long hair and loose clothing when in the laboratory.  Men should remove neckties.

               7. Mouth suction should never be used to fill pipettes, to start siphons, or for any other purpose.

               8. Never perform experimental work in the laboratory alone.

               9. Know how to shut down your experiment if the alarm sounds.

 

SAFETY OFFICES

 

Safety Office,                                                                 Fire protection, accident prevention, laboratory safety,

               x3-4736                                                                           hazardous chemical waste disposal

 

Industrial Hygiene Office,                                         Toxicity, hoods, ventilation

               x3-2596

 

Radiation Protection Office,                                      Radioactive materials and sources

               x3-2180

 

Biosafety Office,                                                           Biological, DNA, live virus research

               x3-1740

 

Physical Plant Operations Center,                           Electrical, mechanical,

               x3-4948 (FIXIT)                                              heating, plumbing, elevators

 

Department Safety Coordinator,             

               Prof. P. S. Virk, x3-3177

 

8.1          Clothing in the Laboratory

 

               Everyone must wear eye protection at all times in the lab.  Contact Tony Modestino or Steve Wetzel to obtain eye protection  suitable for your experiment.

 

               We recommend that you do not wear contact lenses in the lab as they may absorb harmful gases.

 

               The medical department reports that clothing of any kind is important protection against acid and chemical splashes.  Because of this, sandals and open-toed shoes are not permitted, nor may you wear shorts or tops that are completely sleeveless.  Safety clothing, such as lab coats and gloves, will be provided.

8.2          Behavior in Undergraduate Laboratories

 

               The undergraduate laboratories are usually crowded, and everyone is working at the same time.  In order to make the laboratories comfortable places to work the following commandments and suggestions are offered.  Please try to follow them and please make suggestions to your instructors.

 

               1.  You must not touch your neighbor’s equipment unless prior approval has been obtained.

 

               2.  You must wash your own glassware and plastic ware.  The best time to wash-up is at the end of the day, not at the beginning.  Please try not to leave a messy space when you finish (see Section 4.6).

 

               3.  Brooms and dustpans are available.  You may wish to sweep up around you occasionally.  The janitors do their best but  their service is infrequent and they do not know what may and may not be removed.

 

               4.  A box of tools is available in the TA’s office.  Please return all tools so that others may use them.  We will buy all necessary tools - please ask.

 

               5.  Breakage of glass is enormous.  If plastic ware is as good as glassware for your project, please buy plastic ware.

 

               6.  A few tables and chairs are provided for writing.  If you will keep them free of coats, packs and laboratory equipment, they can be used for writing.  Coat racks are provided.

 

8.3          Waste Disposal

 

Glass, broken or whole, including bottles if completely empty and rinsed out, may be placed in the box just inside the door of 66-157.  The TA’s will then package the glass and deal with it according to standard procedures.

 

Chemicals: All samples and products to be disposed of must be contained in bottles properly identified and labeled with its chemical name.  The bottle/can must be tightly closed at all times except when it is being filled.  A red 'Hazardous Waste' tag must be attached to bottle and name of the chemical and its associated hazards filled in on the tag.  The waste bottle should be placed in a secondary containment tray in an appropriately labeled "Hazardous Waste Satellite Accumulation Area".  When the bottle becomes full, the date must be filled in on the tag and the bottle must be moved to a "Hazardous Waste Storage Area" within 3 days.  The Safety Office should be contacted to remove the bottle to chemical waste storage shed within 50 days after becoming full.  See Tony Modestino or the TAs for help with tagging and handling hazardous chemicals.

 

Organic solvents must not be put down the drain.  Regulations which apply to MIT’s sewer system prohibit the discharge of organic solvents to the sewer system.  This applies to all organic solvents whether flammable or nonflammable, miscible or nonmiscible with water.  Mixtures of organic solvents that are compatible and combined in one container must be identified with an estimated proportion in fractions or percentages of each solvent in the mixture.  Refer to the above paragraph on chemicals for more instructions.

 

Acids and alkaline solutions may be placed in proper containers tightly capped, labeled and sent to the waste chemical storage area.  Many laboratory operations create neutralized acids and alkaline solutions which may be put down the drain providing they do not contain heavy metals or toxic contaminants.  Concentrated acids and caustics may be sent to the waste storage area in proper containers tightly capped and labeled.

 

Inorganic and organic solids in their original containers that are designated as waste because they are contaminated, old, or of questionable purity may be sent to the storage area.

 

8.4          Emergency

 

To Report Emergencies at MIT

 

Fire & Explosions                   Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station and/or dial 100. (Also for spills that ignite.)

Medical:                                  Dial 100 for serious accident, injury or illness requiring an ambulance, doctor or first aid.

Security:                                 Dial 100 for Campus Police response.

Spills:                                     Dial x3-4948.  The Operations Center will notify the Environmental Medical Service and the Safety Office.

 

Campus Police answers x100 and the Operations Center answers x3-4948 (FIXIT) 24 hours a day.  Stay on the line until the dispatcher hangs up.

 

No working alone policy -- someone to assist with emergency equipment.

 

Attachments

 

               Spill Kit

               Material Safety Data sheet for Methyl Alcohol

8.5          Spill Kit

 

A spill kit, on a cart, will be kept in 66-017 (basement).  The door can be opened with the reading room key.

 

All spills should be reported to the Industrial Hygiene Office, x3-2596, weekdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and to Prof. Virk, x3-3177.

 

The kit is for use on small spills only; for example, respirators are not provided.  For large spills and when respirators are needed call x3-2596 on weekdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM or x3-1500 any time.

 

For the safety of all do not remove tools or chemicals from the cart except to use them on a spill.

 

 

CONTENTS OF THE KIT

 

·      Sodium carbonate to neutralize spills of strong acids (lab supplies)

·      pH paper to help check neutralization

·      “Floor-Kleen” absorbent to sop up neutralized acids, solvents, oil, etc. (physical plant stores)

·      “Hg-X” for mercury spills (Acton Associates, 100 Thompson St., Pittson PA 18640, tel. 717-654-0612)

·      Each solid contains a plastic scoop

·      Broom

·      Plastic dust pan

·      Brush (To sweep up the absorbed spill)

·      Bucket

·      Plastic trash bags to hold the absorbed spill; used absorbent is a toxic waste, dispose of properly

·      Rubber gloves

·      Disposable plastic overshoes (Industrial Safety and Security Co. 1390 Neubrecht Rd., Lima OH 45801, tel. 1-800-537-9721.  Catalog 36-008833, 3 mil thick, large)

·      Apron

·      Goggles

·      Face Shield (To protect you while cleaning your spill).

 

8.6          Material Safety Data Sheets

 

Information on health and safety related properties, spill and disposal procedures, and special protection and precautions, for different chemicals is provided on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).  MSDS for chemicals handled in 10.27 experiments are available in the laboratory (see Anthony Modestino or Steve Wetzel), and on the web (web.mit.edu/safety/msds/msds.html).  An example MSDS is given on the following pages.

8.7          Lab Safety Rules - Summary

 

·      Eye protection must be worn in all lab areas at all times. The only exception is when seated at a microscope.

 

·      Proper protective equipment must be worn. Open toed shoes, shorts, skirts and large exposed areas of skin are not allowed in lab areas.

 

·      Horseplay in lab areas is forbidden.

 

·      Do not work in a lab area alone.

 

·      Food, drinks and smoking are not allowed in any lab areas.

 

·      For specific operations in specific experiments proper procedures must be followed (acid, solvent and biohazardous material handling for example).

 

·        Label all chemical containers with complete names, no formulas or abbreviations.  Segregate acid and solvent containers.

 

·        Dispose of sharps, including pipette tips, only in approved containers.

 

VIOLATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT

 

·        First violation - Verbal warning.

 

·        Second violation - Written warning.

 

·        Third violation - Leave lab for the day.

 

·        Fourth Violation - Will not be allowed to continue in 10.27.

 

8.8          “What-If” Hazard Analysis

 

               You are asked to carry out a “what-if” hazard analysis for each experiment and to include it in your report. A detailed description of the method including an example of the product of such an analysis is given in Appendix VI.