[BNC-all] Facility Notice!!

[Voorhis, Mark L.]

Dear Birck Users,

I wanted to provide feedback to what happened this morning with the building wide static UPS power.  The static UPS power distribution system, supports are building control systems as well as critical research equipment in the center.  The main 800 amp breaker that is between the UPS output and building wide critical load tripped this morning.  As a result this completely shut down all critical research tools and building controls to critical services (e.g. process cooling water, chemical exhaust, cleanroom operations, and lab operations).  This assumes that the connected research tools in the cleanroom or laboratories and/or building control systems, cause the main 800 amp breaker to trip, or the breaker tripped itself, for some unknown reason.  After the 800 amp breaker tripped, we noticed the UPS unit had a high priority critical alarm and appeared to have failed.  With not knowing if the UPS, connected critical load, or the main 800A breaker failed, we decided to energize the critical load to the building on purchase power, bypassing the UPS system and suspect 800 amp breaker.  At this time we are on purchased power with NO UPS protection.

We have call the UPS vendor to schedule service for 10AM tomorrow morning to check the UPS system and switch the critical load back to UPS.  There is a chance that the 800A breaker is still the issue, but we have to test it.  If the breaker trips again, that becomes a more serious issue, that could require a full day shutdown for all UPS power to all research tools and building control shutdown involving the cleanroom and labs, to replace the breaker.   The breaker replacement will have to be planned and scheduled at a later date.

Please call me if you have questions or concerns and to coordinate with activities planned for tomorrow morning.

We are sorry for the interruption, this kind of breaker failure is very rare and has never happen in the last 20 years.

Best Regards,

Mark Voorhis
Building Manager
Purdue University
Birck Nanotechnology Center
Office: (765) 494-3036






From: BNC-all <bnc-all-bounces at ecn.purdue.edu> On Behalf Of Reger, Ronald K
Sent: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 10:42 AM
To: bnc-all at ecn.purdue.edu
Subject: [BNC-all] Facility Notice!!

Dear Birck Users,

Just now the building experienced a power issue and we have lost all exhaust.  Therefore work in fume hoods should be suspended immediately and no further work requiring fume hoods will be allowed until power is restored and all fume hood exhaust is stabilized.  The facility group is working to understand and solve this issue.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this causes, and we will notify you when work is safe to resume.


Ron Reger
Engineering Manager
Birck Nanotechnology Center | Room 2289 |
Office:  765.494.6667 | Email: rreger at purdue.edu<mailto:rreger at purdue.edu>
Wiki:  https://wiki.itap.purdue.edu/display/BNCWiki
iLabs:  https://purdue.ilabsolutions.com/homepage/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue.ilabsolutions.com%2Fhomepage%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cbnc-all%40ecn.purdue.edu%7C94bab4e24d204060925c08db92b4a3a0%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638265076752109750%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=R9L50Cyg9kLMhz8tTPBGvI%2FTUi7PMtC6OKkS9MSg6T8%3D&reserved=0>

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