This article is recommended for those planning to build a new laboratory or renovate an existing one.
Preliminary Laboratory Preparation
Before proceeding with laboratory planning and design, it is essential to understand the overall plan for the target laboratory, including its nature, purpose, objectives, basis, and scale, and to determine the laboratory’s functions and the selection of instruments and equipment. The selection of instruments directly affects the laboratory’s layout.
Factors Affecting the Success or Failure of Laboratory Planning
Key aspects involved in laboratory planning and design primarily include floor plans, water supply, electrical systems, gas lines, and ventilation.
1. Floor Plan
Determine the overall floor plan of the laboratory to clarify its layout. The laboratory must be effectively separated from office areas, with clearly defined functional zones, minimal interference between experimental rooms, and unobstructed evacuation routes.
2. Water Supply
The laboratory’s water supply should follow the principle of convenient, nearby access, with sinks installed where necessary. In particular, sinks must be provided next to instruments that require an external water source to facilitate water access and use.
3. Electrical Systems
Electrical system design must consider total power requirements, three-phase power needs, and stability requirements for specialized instruments. To facilitate operation and meet safety management requirements, laboratories generally require the installation of independent control switches.
A proper and effective grounding system is essential for the normal, reliable, and safe operation of analytical laboratory instruments.
4. Gas Supply
There are two types of gas supply systems: centralized and individual. Gas lines should be installed in exposed runs along the walls to facilitate installation and maintenance.
5. Ventilation System
Ventilation is an indispensable component of laboratory design. To minimize harm to laboratory personnel, the laboratory must be properly ventilated.
There are two types of laboratory ventilation: local exhaust and whole-room ventilation. Local exhaust involves removing hazardous substances immediately upon their generation at the source; this method can remove large volumes of hazardous substances with relatively low airflow and is widely adopted in modern laboratories. For experiments where local exhaust cannot be used, or when local exhaust fails to meet requirements, whole-room ventilation should be employed. The primary focus of the ventilation system is determining the locations of air inlets and outlets and the pre-installation of ductwork.
Determining the Specifications and Selection of Laboratory Equipment
Laboratory equipment configuration primarily includes the layout of laboratory benches, structural dimensions, worktop selection, fume hood selection, laboratory cabinet selection, and the provision of safety facilities.
Layout Patterns
The key considerations for laboratory bench layout are safety and convenience. The following are several commonly used patterns:
(1) Island-type. This is the most common layout. It is often used in large, rectangular rooms. This layout is characterized by smooth pedestrian flow;
(2) Peninsula-style. This is also a typical layout, suitable for long, narrow rooms;
(3) L-shaped. The L-shaped layout is suitable for relatively narrow rooms;
(4) U-shaped and linear (i.e., side-mounted laboratory benches) layouts are also commonly used.
Structural Dimensions
Laboratory equipment structures are categorized into all-wood, steel-wood, and all-steel types; laboratories can select different workbench types based on specific circumstances. The dimensions of laboratory equipment directly affect the convenience and comfort of use. The height of seated workbenches typically ranges from 750 to 850 mm; if a higher proportion of male laboratory staff is present, a height of 900 mm may also be considered; the height of standing workbenches ranges from 850 to 920 mm, while workbenches in high-temperature chambers range from 450 to 600 mm; the length of workbenches should generally be 1,200 mm per person (with a minimum of 1,000 mm), though organic chemistry workbenches require a longer length, typically ranging from 1,400 to 1,600 mm; Reagent rack heights range from 1,200 to 1,650 mm, while tall cabinets can reach 1,800–2,000 mm; workbench depth is generally 750 mm, though workbenches in high-temperature rooms typically require a depth of 850–900 mm.
Laboratory Countertops
The following materials are currently the most commonly used for laboratory countertops:
(1) Epoxy resin: Primarily composed of reinforced epoxy resin, with consistent internal and external materials. It can be repaired and restored if damaged. It is resistant to acids and alkalis, impact-resistant, and heat-resistant (up to approximately 800°C), though it is relatively expensive.
(2) Corrosion-resistant solid chemical-resistant board: Made from high-quality multi-layered paper that is soaked in a special phenolic solution, then molded under high pressure through a thermosetting process, and finally treated with a special corrosion-resistant surface coating. It offers resistance to acids and alkalis, impact resistance, and heat resistance, and is economical and durable.
(3) Qiansi Board: Composed of 70% wood fiber and 30% melamine resin, it uses dual electron beam scanning technology to bond the melamine to the surface layer, followed by high-temperature, high-pressure molding. It offers moderate resistance to high temperatures and corrosion.
(4) Corrosion-Resistant Physicochemical Laminate: Made by treating kraft paper, white paper, and special surface paper—all impregnated with phenolic resin containing special additives—under high temperature and pressure. It offers resistance to acids and alkalis, impact, and heat; however, it must be used in conjunction with a suitable substrate.
Laboratory Fume Hoods
Fume hoods are the most commonly used type of local exhaust ventilation equipment in laboratories. There are many varieties, and their exhaust performance varies depending on their structure and operating conditions. The performance of a fume hood primarily depends on the speed at which air moves through it.
Laboratory Cabinets
Laboratory cabinets include chemical storage cabinets, hazardous materials cabinets, cabinets for drying and storing glassware, clean cabinets, and biosafety cabinets.
(1) Sample Cabinets
Sample cabinets, used to store various types of experimental samples, should have compartmentalized shelves that can be labeled to facilitate sample storage and retrieval. Since some samples—depending on their physical properties and chemical stability—must be stored in desiccators, the compartments come in various sizes to accommodate different types of samples.
(2) Chemical Reagent Cabinets
These are primarily used to store solid chemical reagents and standard solutions, which must be stored separately and must not be mixed together. Chemical reagents should be organized by category to facilitate retrieval. For safety reasons, chemical reagent cabinets should be equipped with glass doors and windows, and the cabinet structure should possess adequate load-bearing capacity and corrosion resistance.
(3) Hazardous Materials Storage Cabinet
Designed for the simple and short-term storage of hazardous materials, these cabinets are constructed of stainless steel or fire-resistant bricks.
(4) Glassware Drying and Storage Cabinet
Clean glassware is stored on racks, which are secured to the cabinet body via guide rails, allowing for easy access, cleaning, and drying of the glassware.
