From: Geoff=Howlett%BioChem%UNIMELB@muwaye.unimelb.EDU.AU
  To  : rasmb@bbri.eri.harvard.edu
  Date: Wed, 4 May 94 7:29:41 +1000

...no subject...

I pass on the following message from Tom Laue re. temperature ranges in the 
XLA.  It seems it will take a while before we can boil eggs in these things.

message starts here:

There is clearly a need to go to
higher temps with the XLA. If
enough interest is expressed, 
Beckman will do it. On the other hand,
looking at the problem of high temperature
shows that a few changes and some testing 
(some of it rather tricky) would be 
needed.
The changes:
1) The electronics board (the so-called
TE board) would have to be better isolated
from the high temperatures.
2) The temperature control system would 
have to be modified, to what extent isn't 
 immediately clear. The thermal modules
may or may not hold up. If not, then the
can could be wrapped with tubing and hot 
liquid used to bring the rotor to temperature.
3) It isn't clear to me that the drive and
drive oil are up to handling high temperatures.
Beckman probably knows this. This is where
the tricky (dangerous) testing would need to
be done.

I know that the polymer houses would like
to see higher temperatures available on the
XLA. So there is a chance this will be put
on their list of things to do...it is a 
matter of what priority it is given, and that
will depend on them knowing that enough labs
intend to purchase the upgrade.

Best from the Springy North
Tom Laue

message ends here.


Further to the comment by Jeff Hansen - I also can see a problem if we are 
required to continually find money for upgrades.  On the question of the 
refractometric optics:  What are the characteristics of the prototype and 
will it be possible to take rapid frames for the dc/dt analysis that Walter 
Stafford has developed?

Geoff Howlett
Biochemistry
University of Melbourne