Both warm and cold rooms at MIT use refrigerant gas (Freon-22, R-12, or MP39) to control temperatures within the room. The gas circulates from the compressor, which is located in a different section of the building, to piping above the ceiling in the warm or cold room. Depending upon the configuration of the equipment, the circulating gas either cools or warms the room. Many rooms are dual-purpose and can be converted to either type of room.
Each room is designed according to ASHRAE (American Society of Heating and Refrigeration Engineers) Safety Code for Mechanical Refrigeration 15-1994. The total amount of refrigerant in the systems is restricted so that even if all the refrigerant were discharged into the room, the oxygen level would not fall to dangerous levels. In addition, each room is alarmed so that an alarm goes off if the temperature changes by more than one degree. Most times, an alarm indicates that the door has been left open and the temperature has changed. In rare instances, a leak of refrigerant gas has occurred, causing a change in temperature. Generally, the refrigerant level would have to leak by 10-20% before a change in temperature would activate an alarm.
To ensure a safe working environment and practices in warm and cold rooms, observe the following procedures:
- If an alarm sounds, leave the room immediately. If the door is open, shut it; the room temperature will restabilize, and the alarm will automatically reset. If the alarm does not reset and the room is wired into the central Facilities alarm system, a Facilities employee will respond and check the room. In the case where the environmental room is not connected to the central alarm, please call Facilities (x3-4948 from an MIT Campus phone or 617-253-4948 from any phone) and report the alarm condition. Do not enter the room until the Facilities employee has checked the room and determined the cause of the alarm.
- If you smell any unusual odors, leave the room and call Facilities (x3-4948 from an MIT Campus phone or 617-253-4948 from any phone). Freon does not have an odor, but leaking from pipes will sometimes have an oily odor.
- If you experience any dizziness or lightheadedness while working in the room, leave immediately and dial x100 from an MIT Campus phone or 617-253-1212 from any phone. Report the incident to EHS. Additional follow-up may be conducted by MIT Health. In general, keep time spent working in environmental rooms to a minimum. If extended work is necessary, contact the Industrial Hygiene Program at (617) 452-3477 for an evaluation of the room’s general air quality during your experimental procedure. Notify a coworker if you are using the room alone for more than a few minutes.
- In general, work with flammable solvents, corrosive acids, asphyxiants such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide, and open flames (e.g. Bunsen burners) should not be done in environmental rooms. These rooms have either limited mechanical ventilation (20-40 cubic feet per minute) or no mechanical ventilation and rely on opening and closing the door to change the air in the room. Volatile flammable solvents can cause fires or explosions; the exposed motors of the circulation fans are the ignition source. Acids can corrode cooling coils in the refrigeration system, causing Freon leaks. Asphyxiant gasses can displace oxygen in the room due to the low ventilation rate. The storage of large quantities of dry ice in freezer rooms can release carbon dioxide and lower oxygen levels. Environmental rooms need to be specially designed to conduct chemical work. If you have any questions about chemical work or general air quality in environmental rooms, please contact the Industrial Hygiene Program at (617) 452-3477 for an evaluation.
- Do not have open containers of water in cold rooms. These cause excessive frost in the refrigeration system, which can lead to malfunction and temperature instability.
- The contained atmosphere in environmental rooms and recirculation of most of the air create a potential for retaining any aerosols that are formed during research procedures. This can lead to cross-contamination of research projects and personnel exposure. Keep these rooms as clean as possible.
Preventing Mold Growth in Cold and Warm Rooms: Essential Tips
Cold and warm rooms create an ideal environment for mold growth, as moisture can accumulate in these spaces. To mitigate this risk, it’s essential to minimize clutter and avoid using cardboard boxes for storage, as they can trap humidity and provide a breeding ground for mold. Keeping an eye on any signs of water leaks and promptly addressing them further protects against mold proliferation. Implement a schedule for regular cleaning of the cold room. More information from the NIH Office of Research Services (ORS) can be found here.
If you have any questions about work or general air quality in environmental rooms, please contact the Industrial Hygiene Program at (617) 452-3477 for an evaluation.
Both warm and cold rooms at MIT use refrigerant gas (Freon-22, R-12, or MP39) to control temperatures within the room. The gas circulates from the compressor, which is located in a different section of the building, to piping above the ceiling in the warm or cold room. Depending upon the configuration of the equipment, the circulating gas either cools or warms the room. Many rooms are dual-purpose and can be converted to either type of room.
Each room is designed according to ASHRAE (American Society of Heating and Refrigeration Engineers) Safety Code for Mechanical Refrigeration 15-1994. The total amount of refrigerant in the systems is restricted so that even if all the refrigerant were discharged into the room, the oxygen level would not fall to dangerous levels. In addition, each room is alarmed so that an alarm goes off if the temperature changes by more than one degree. Most times, an alarm indicates that the door has been left open and the temperature has changed. In rare instances, a leak of refrigerant gas has occurred, causing a change in temperature. Generally, the refrigerant level would have to leak by 10-20% before a change in temperature would activate an alarm.
To ensure a safe working environment and practices in warm and cold rooms, observe the following procedures:
- If an alarm sounds, leave the room immediately. If the door is open, shut it; the room temperature will restabilize, and the alarm will automatically reset. If the alarm does not reset and the room is wired into the central Facilities alarm system, a Facilities employee will respond and check the room. In the case where the environmental room is not connected to the central alarm, please call Facilities (x3-4948 from an MIT Campus phone or 617-253-4948 from any phone) and report the alarm condition. Do not enter the room until the Facilities employee has checked the room and determined the cause of the alarm.
- If you smell any unusual odors, leave the room and call Facilities (x3-4948 from an MIT Campus phone or 617-253-4948 from any phone). Freon does not have an odor, but leaking from pipes will sometimes have an oily odor.
- If you experience any dizziness or lightheadedness while working in the room, leave immediately and dial x100 from an MIT Campus phone or 617-253-1212 from any phone. Report the incident to EHS. Additional follow-up may be conducted by MIT Health. In general, keep time spent working in environmental rooms to a minimum. If extended work is necessary, contact the Industrial Hygiene Program at (617) 452-3477 for an evaluation of the room’s general air quality during your experimental procedure. Notify a coworker if you are using the room alone for more than a few minutes.
- In general, work with flammable solvents, corrosive acids, asphyxiants such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide, and open flames (e.g. Bunsen burners) should not be done in environmental rooms. These rooms have either limited mechanical ventilation (20-40 cubic feet per minute) or no mechanical ventilation and rely on opening and closing the door to change the air in the room. Volatile flammable solvents can cause fires or explosions; the exposed motors of the circulation fans are the ignition source. Acids can corrode cooling coils in the refrigeration system, causing Freon leaks. Asphyxiant gasses can displace oxygen in the room due to the low ventilation rate. The storage of large quantities of dry ice in freezer rooms can release carbon dioxide and lower oxygen levels. Environmental rooms need to be specially designed to conduct chemical work. If you have any questions about chemical work or general air quality in environmental rooms, please contact the Industrial Hygiene Program at (617) 452-3477 for an evaluation.
- Do not have open containers of water in cold rooms. These cause excessive frost in the refrigeration system, which can lead to malfunction and temperature instability.
- The contained atmosphere in environmental rooms and recirculation of most of the air create a potential for retaining any aerosols that are formed during research procedures. This can lead to cross-contamination of research projects and personnel exposure. Keep these rooms as clean as possible.
Preventing Mold Growth in Cold and Warm Rooms: Essential Tips
Cold and warm rooms create an ideal environment for mold growth, as moisture can accumulate in these spaces. To mitigate this risk, it’s essential to minimize clutter and avoid using cardboard boxes for storage, as they can trap humidity and provide a breeding ground for mold. Keeping an eye on any signs of water leaks and promptly addressing them further protects against mold proliferation. Implement a schedule for regular cleaning of the cold room. More information from the NIH Office of Research Services (ORS) can be found here.
If you have any questions about work or general air quality in environmental rooms, please contact the Industrial Hygiene Program at (617) 452-3477 for an evaluation.