From 2019-10-18 Update:

The preventive maintenance of the Birck Nanotechnology facility has been completed successfully. The cleanroom and laboratories are now open for operation.

Some research equipment is still shut down for maintenance, or is in the process of being started back up. Please check iLabs for individual equipment status.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this closure.

From 2019-10-15 Update:

We will not receive parts needed for switchboard #1 in a timely fashion, we well have to reschedule the shutdown at a later date. We have completed all the scheduled electrical interruptions.

Preventive maintenance activity continue for the rest of the week. The cleanroom will remain closed and all general laboratories involve chemical processes, exhausted hoods, vacuum systems, and/or toxic gas systems is still down for research until the maintenance activities are completed and all systems are returned to normal operation at the end of the day Friday.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during these difficult repairs and needed maintenance activities.

From 2019-10-14 Update:

Issues outside of our control switchboard #1 that supplies power to all the research equipment at the center was not fixed due to a safety interlock failure. This issue has to be fixed in order to safety power down switchboard #1 and fix the original bus duct issues. Purdue Campus high voltage crew and electrical shops are currently trying to figure out how to fix the safety issue to complete repairs to the original bus duct.

The inspect and repairs on the other switchboard #2 showed lose grounding connections and several of the main bolts required tighten back to original torque settings. Based on this information we feel that switchboard #1 needs to be shut down again to complete repairs. Our hope is to finish switchboard #1 this week if possible but we am waiting on feedback from the Purdue high voltage crew and electrical shops to see if this is possible. If not then another shutdown for Switchboard #1 requiring to power off all research equipment will be needed.

Please note that the building will remain closed till the end of the week to complete our normal preventive maintenance activates. We are sorry for the inconvenience but this issue is outside of our control. I will sent a updated once more information is available.

From 2019-10-12 Update:

We have been dealing with the serious building controls issue since 10PM yesterday evening with the cleanroom heating system that could shut down our cleanroom research and operation. After detailed investigation and troubleshooting we need to order some unique control valve repair parts that we have not needed since we have open the center 14+ years.

We are using contingency plans for our pre heating system to keep the cleanroom operational - but we are on the edge - when outdoor ambient temperatures reach freezing levels where uncontrollable safety sensors can shut down all makeup air systems that is critical to cleanroom operations causing the cleanroom to go super negative. For this reason we plan to shut down research and process in the cleanroom tonight at 12 midnight. Please make appropriate plans to secure your research that is sensitive to airborne contamination. All bulk gases and nitrogen to dry boxes in the center will remain operational with no interruption from now throughout next week.

From 2019-09-23 Update:

The Birck Nanotechnology Center will be undergoing a closure involving major electrical repairs and completion of our semi-annual preventive maintenance from October 14 through October 18, 2019.

There will be a major electrical power outage involving all research equipment in the center. During our electrical bus duct failure back in February is was discovered that main power to all research equipment has the same issue that caused the failure in February.

ELECTRICAL work is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, October 14, 2019. EVERY GENERAL LAB, MAIN CLEANROOM & BIO CLEANROOM AREAS WILL LOOSE POWER TO RESEARCH EQUIPMENT DURING THIS TIME. ALSO ALL BUILDING WIDE MAJOR UTILITIES WILL BE LOST INCLUDING Compressed Air, Process Vacuum, Process Cooling Water, Ultra Pure Water, Acid Waste System, & ETC. Research equipment on UPS or generator power will not be affected.

Power will be lost to all conference rooms and office areas as well so please plan accordingly to safely power down all office computers and electronic devises in your offices prior to the outage.

All air handling systems, exhaust systems, toxic gas delivery, and monitoring systems will be down beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, October 14 through 4 p.m. Friday, October 18 to complete our preventative maintenance activities.

Please contact Mark Voorhis if you need more detailed information.

MONDAY OCTOBER 14, 2019 BUILDING WIDE ELECTRICAL SHUTDOWN SEQUENCE

8AM – 12PM
- THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND AREAS WILL LOSE POWER.
  - ALL OFFICE AND CONFERENCE ROOM AREAS.
  - ALL GENERAL LABORATORIES AND GALLEYS WILL LOSE POWER LISTED BELOW.
    - 1217 1263 2217 2254 1031 1089 1066 2043
    - 1227 1265 2221 1039 1089A 2069 1100A
    - 1233 1267 2233 1043 1069 2031 1153
    - 1235 1269 2239 1045 1092 2077 1157
    - 1237 1273 2261 1077 2087 2081 1154
    - 1239 1261 2277 1081 2087A 2066
    - 1254 1261A 2283 1083 2087B 2037
  - ALL RESEARCH EQUIPMENT IN THE CLEANROOM.
  - ALL RESEARCH SUPPORT EQUIPMENT LOCATED IN THE SUB FAB AREA.
  - THE ULTRAPURE WATER SYSTEM (UPW).
- ALL EQUIPMENT THAT IS POWERED BY BUILDING WIDE UPS OR GENERATOR POWER WILL NOT LOSE POWER DURING THIS TIME.
11A – 3PM
- THE FOLLOWING BUILDING WIDE SUB-SYSTEMS WILL LOSE POWER.
  - LOW TEMPERATURE CHILLER SYSTEM
  - COMPRESSED DRY AIR (CDA SYSTEM WILL BE BACKED UP WITH UTILITY NITROGEN)
  - PROCESS VACUUM
  - PROCESS COOLING WATER
  - ACID WASTE NEUTRALIZATION
  - RECLAIM WATER

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