According to My Green Labs, typical research lab can use as much as 13,000 gallons of water per year through single pass cooling, where water is continuously flows from the tap, used once, and sent down the drain (typically at a rate of .25 – 2 gallons per minute). This is common in equipment like autoclaves, and ice makers, and for distillation in reflux condensers.
Single-pass cooling also poses a flooding risk to laboratories, with the potential to cause significant damage and financial and research loss.
You can reduce these risks, operate a more sustainable lab and help Pitt towards our Sustainability Plan goal to reduce water use intensity 50% by 2030 by eliminating single-pass cooling from your lab with the following tips:
- When setting up your lab, look for opportunities to purchase equipment that utilizes closed-loop refrigeration and recirculation, and hook up with Pitt’s processed chilled water recirculation. Since 1993, the EPA’s Mid-Continent Ecology Division Laboratory has reduced potable water use by 90% and saves $75,000 annually in water and sewer costs by eliminating single-pass cooling.
- Opt for a simple recirculating water bath, typically between $50-160 to install, for smaller applications.
- Consider using air-cooled, waterless condensers (such as a Findenser for applications under 1 Liter or CondenSyn for greater than 1 Liter), as have been adopted at the College of the Sequoias, University of Texas at Austin and CU Boulder.
- Consider Closed Cycle Refrigerators using helium for cooling (and participate in Pitt’s Helium Recovery Program) to cut down on single-pass water for refrigeration.