Project Clearinghouse

Solvent Purification System for Physical Sciences

Sustainability Problem and Proposed Solution: 

The​ ​solvent​ ​filtration​ ​system​ ​will​ ​avoid​ ​all​ ​of​ ​the​ ​water​ ​and​ ​electricity​ ​usage​ ​involved in the purification of solvents by individual labs using old-fashioned distillation methods. It will ​save​ ​100​ ​amber​ ​bottles​ ​per​ ​year,​ ​and​ ​save​ ​20​ ​liters​ ​of solvent​ ​that​ ​is​ ​otherwise​ ​discarded.​ ​Not​ ​only​ ​will​ ​this​ ​ensure​ ​a​ ​greener​ ​path​ ​for research​ ​but​ ​a​ ​far​ ​more​ ​safer​ ​environment​ ​for​ ​labs.

Jump to: Contact | Project Description | Funding Sources | Metrics for Success | Results
Project Categories: 
Buildings & Facilities
Energy & Climate
Waste & Recycling
Water
Project Status: 
In Progress
Campus Organization: 
Carbon Fund
Project Location: 
On campus


Front view of solvent purification system (DMF cylinder not shown).


Stakeholder Contacts: 
Contact NameEmail AddressContact NumberDepartment
Scott Lokey
slokey@ucsc.edu
8313592832
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Funding Sources: 
Carbon Fund

Project Description: 

We aim to install a new solvent purification system. The old system is being refurbished by JC Meyer Solvent Systems, a contractor at UC Irvine, and will be delivered in early 2019. We expect to complete installation by March, 2019.

Metrics for Success: 

The level of usage of the new system will be monitored and the energy savings can be calculated based on usage.

Result Categories: 
Infrastructure/Built Environment
Results: 

The​ ​current​ ​solvent​ ​purification​ ​system​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Physical​ ​Sciences​ ​Building​ ​has​ ​been out​ ​of​ ​commission​ ​since​ ​2015.​ ​In​ ​order​ ​to​ ​run​ ​reactions​ ​that​ ​are​ ​sensitive​ ​to​ ​air​ ​and/or water,​ many labs have resorted​ ​to​ ​buying​ ​individual​ ​1-L​ ​containers​ ​of​ ​anhydrous
solvent.​ ​Instead​ ​of​ ​collecting​ ​just​ ​the​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​solvent​ ​that​ ​is​ ​needed​ ​(as​ ​done​ ​with the​ ​purification​ ​system),​ ​the​ ​1-L​ ​bottles​ ​do​ ​not​ ​remain​ ​anhydrous​ ​for​ ​very​ ​long​ ​once the​ ​seal​ ​is​ ​punctured,​ ​so​ ​often​ ​they​ ​must​ ​discard​ ​half-full​ ​containers​ ​because​ ​the solvent​ ​is​ ​no​ ​longer​ ​air​ ​or​ ​dry-free.​ ​Each​ ​lab​ ​has​ ​their​ ​own​ ​old-fashioned​ ​stills​ ​for​ ​each solvent,​ ​entailing​ ​water​ ​being​ ​used​ ​for​ ​the​ ​condensers,​ ​electricity​ ​for​ ​the​ ​stir​ ​motors and​ ​the​ ​heating,​ ​and​ ​strong​ ​vacuum​ ​pumps​ ​being​ ​used​ ​in​ ​the​ ​case​ ​of​ ​DMF​ ​solvent. Without​ ​the​ ​solvent​ ​purification​ ​system,​ ​DMF​ ​(Dimethylformamide)​ ​solvent​ ​is​ ​dried over​ ​calcium​ ​hydride​ ​requiring​ ​refluxing​ ​at​ ​high​ ​temperatures​ ​for​ ​over​ ​24​ ​hours​ ​and distilled​ ​slowly​ ​under​ ​a​ ​high​ ​vacuum​ ​with​ ​stirring​ ​and​ ​water​ ​cooling​ ​under​ ​nitrogen gas.​ ​All​ ​of​ ​which​ ​uses​ ​lots​ ​of​ ​water​ ​and​ ​electricity,​ ​and​ ​ultimately​ ​labs​ ​then​ ​have​ ​to dispose​ ​of​ ​the​ ​calcium​ ​hydride​ ​waste​ ​at​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​still’s​ ​lifetime​ ​(a​ ​dangerous material). All of these sources of waste will be remedied by the installation of the new solvent system.