COY Anaerobic Chambers

Owned by jr_crowder
Last updated: Nov 24, 2022
5 min read

COY Polymer (Hard Shell) Anaerobic Chamber

The polymer chamber is usually used in the Cold Room on the Focsle Deck.  The chamber can be moved out of the Cold Room to be stored or used elsewhere.  The JRSO has two polymer chambers described here.  Peripherals like gas analyzers and gas infusers can be used with either chamber.

5 Foot Polymer Chamber with Core Sleeve (Tag# 90589 with N1467)

The original 5 ft. chamber has two sets of gloves and is long enough the hold 150cm sections and has a vinyl sleeve airlock that was designed to fit a section.  The chamber was never used to handle full sections and was basically used as a basic anaerobic chamber for work and storage.  The chamber has many cracks after ten years and will be retired and store on-shore in the event it is needed.

3 Foot Polymer Chamber (Tag# 91183 with N1467)

A one-person 3 foot chamber was purchased in 2020 to replace the 5 foot chamber to gain more space and flexibility in the Cold Room.

Parts List:

  1. Gas Analyzer, CAM-12 (Tag#s N2272 or 53936)

  2. Airlock Controller (Tag# N1467)

  3. Catalyst Fan Box and Palladium Catalyst Staks

  4. HEPA Filter System (Tag# 53937) Optional

  5. Nitrogen Gas and MBIO Gas Mix

COY Vinyl (Soft Shell) Type A Anaerobic Chamber

The soft shell chamber provides the ideal anaerobic environment but does not have a permanent location to set it up.  The chamber can be set up when needed and the pieces are stored away while not in use. See the user guide for details and instructions for set-up and use. The vinyl chamber is not designed to be used in a cold environment.

Parts List:

  1. Base Table Top - The base table has a cushioned vinyl top and the foundations for the aluminum frame.  The table top can be put on the auxiliary MBIO table or a supporting frame could be made. (Stored next to the stairwell between the Pallet Stores and Lower Tween IT)

  2. Aluminum tube frame (four pieces)

  3. Vinyl Bag, Equipment Port Disk, plexiglass worksurface, and Rubber Stoppers

  4. Automatic Vacuum Airlock (Tag#s 90321(old) and 91182(new))

  5. Gast Pump for Airlock (Tags N2327 or N1992)

  6. Gas Analyzer, CAM-12 (Tag#s N2272 or 53936)

  7. Gas Infuser (Tag# 53938) used with CAM-12.  Can be used on polymer chamber.

  8. Catalyst Fan Box and Palladium Catalyst Staks

  9. HEPA Filter System (Tag# 53937) Optional, can be used with polymer chamber.

  10. Nitrogen Gas and MBIO Gas Mix and regulators.

Images from the 385 set-up on the Upper Tween staging area.  COY table top placed on the auxiliary MBIO table with a frame made by the welder to secure it to the overhead. Long aluminum pieces of the frame found after the chamber was set up.

New Automatic Vacuum Airlock Tag# 91182 and Gast diaphragm pump N2327.

X393 setup on Upper Tween

Jessica Labonte was performing incubations at room temperature in the soft shell COY. UHP nitrogen was used as the atmosphere. 

 

When setting up the chamber, care should be taken to protect it from sharp edges/items. Plywood was covered with soft material (included in the storage box), and a large rectangle of plexiglass was used as a work surface inside the chamber. The plexiglass will both provide an even work surface and protect the chamber from abrasion.  

 

X393 airlock setup

 

X393 used approximately one bottle of nitrogen in the COY soft shell chamber. The chamber was purged three times, and it was only used occasionally. 

Where's My COY?

Since the vinyl soft shell chamber does not have a permanent place to be set up, the various parts and pieces end up in a few different places.  Here's where to look.

Gray K-Box

The new vacuum airlock (Tag# 91182) with the bag attached is in a labelled gray kbox in the pallet stores.  The equipment port and the frame ends are also in the box.  Other peripherals may also be in the box.

Stairwell between the Pallet Stores and Lower Tween

Just beside the metal stairwell the COY padded benchtop, straight pieces of the aluminum frame, and the auxiliary MBIO table are stored.  The frame used to secure the table on 385 is also there with the plexiglass work surface.

Cold Room (FCOLD) and Microbiology (FMBIO)

The polymer chamber is usually set up in the cold room with its peripherals.  The peripherals for the vinyl chamber may also be stored in these areas because some pieces are interchangeable like the gas analyzers and stak paks.  The blue Vidmar cabinet has many of the smaller pieces like gloves and catalyst.

Bottom of the Stairwell

Under the bottom of the main stairwell a few items might be kept like the old airlock and the big Gast pumps.

 

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