Flexible Design at Universities Accommodates Imaging Equipment

“The facility at Arizona State University was designed to be very flexible. Installing a 7 Tesla magnet in this facility would be impossible, but they did ask us to look downstream to give them as much flexibility as possible in allowing a variety of instruments to be brought in,” says Jerry Percifield, principal at Lord, Aeck & Sargent. “We were challenged by that fact.”

The design looked at ways to advance the zones of sophistication, starting on the lower level where there was the greatest opportunity to create quiet zones, vibration sensitivity, acoustics, and shielding from electromagnetic interference. The University is performing straight line laser work and uses sensitive electron microscopes. A ballroom approach with a large floorplate was used to facilitate the necessary shielding. One unique design aspect is a shielded elevator surrounded by low-carbon steel so that part of the floorplate not exposed to heavy shielding or EMI interference could be extended.

“There are specific limits of what you can and can’t do with sophisticated equipment,” says Percifield. “The verticality is an important part of looking at the zones of sophistication from a shielding standpoint. In this facility, the lowest levels are the best zones and the sophistication becomes less as you move up the building.”

The installation of a one-of-a-kind 900 megahertz small bore device makes the University of Georgia project unique. The machine examines the molecular level of carbohydrates. In order to accommodate the machine, a 14-foot, removable roof hatch was installed so the equipment could be positioned into the building by a crane.

Today’s imaging equipment requires a strong support system. For instance, the PET and the micro-PET require the use of isotope materials. Facilities that use this type of equipment must have a source of this radio-tracing material. Normally, a cyclotron is used to produce these materials.

The University of Michigan wanted to install the micro-PET technology, but they did not have a nearby source of isostope production. Therefore, Lord, Aeck & Sargent was asked to design a new cyclotron facility. When dealing with radioisotopes, the amount of exhaust that can be emitted from the facility is governed by local, state, and federal regulations regarding the particle emissions. The design included a delay maze so that the particles were actually under the guideline level by the time they reached the exhaust stack.

“We seem to be given these wonderful sites tucked between existing buildings and the difficulties associated with shoe-horning are often challenging,” notes Percifield. “If you have to install a delay maze, you better know about it early because it is not something you can add later.”

—T.C.