Attachment 1 - Specifications.pdf

Large Poultry Isolator Specifications

USDA-ARS, US National Poultry Research Center desires to purchase multiple large poultry isolators compatible with our current chicken isolators.

Material:

All material used for isolator body, doors, plumbing, stands, etc. to be made of stainless steel as described herein. All gaskets, barriers and other equipment must be closed cell and airtight. Any windows or light-admitting panels to be of suitable plastic. All penetrations are sealed and air-tight.

Size and arrangement of isolators:

Isolators are to be supplied on a stainless-steel metal rack with locking casters to allow the rack to easily move for cleaning or repair. Each leg should be independently adjustable using a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic portion, motors and pumps should be enclosed and sealed to avoid getting dirty and the need to be washed. All portions should be stainless steel, where possible, to withstand cleaning and disinfection without corrosion. Controls should be easily accessible.

Corner Height Adjustment:

All 4 corners of the isolator need to have individual height adjustment capability due to different slopes in the floors where these isolators will be placed that will require adjustment of all 4 corners for different placement throughout the laboratory space. Levels should be included on front and sides of each unit. See above requirement on hydraulic legs.

Total size of isolators with fan motors, filters and all attachments, and stand should not exceed 75" wide by 33" deep by 78" high in order to fit through current doorways and corridors.

Isolator box interior dimensions shall be approximately 67" wide by 30" deep, with a height of 36" above the floor level, and 5" (0.13m) below the floor level to accommodate fecal trays.

Arrangement and accessibility:

The front shall be accessible through two hinged doors that are latched in the middle (no use of primate latches). The two openings should be gasketed with a water-impermeable, synthetic material to maintain air-tight barrier integrity. The doors will swing outward for ease of opening and access to the interior of the isolator. In addition, within each door there shall be an access window for accessing the animal compartment. These access windows shall have stainless steel hinges and should open down, not to the side. Located behind each door on the interior of the Isolator must be a stainless-steel metal wire screen with spring-loaded flap doors (“saloon doors”). The “saloon doors” shall be located behind each of the access windows. The entire screen shall be easily removable for cleaning but should be secured, without the use of pins, to prevent shifting during use.

Side panels shall have solid stainless-steel walls.

As much as is practicable, the door windows must be a clear plastic such as Lexan® that will remain clear after exposure to disinfection chemicals. All doors, through use of appropriate sealing material, must prevent ingress of outside air when properly latched. As much as possible, doors and openings should be constructed so that excess material does not build up between exterior door and feed tray.

The floor must be suspended plastic flooring designed for poultry and made from a material which is not damaged by disinfectants, of approximately 1" (2.54cm) square mesh that separates the upper area housing the birds and the lower area that contains the fecal catch tray. The grate shall be removable. The grate must be sufficient to fully support the weight of the birds occupying the isolator without bending, due to housing heavy birds such as broilers and turkeys. This would be equivalent to 25 pounds (11.3kg) evenly spread across the floor. Flooring grate should be secured so as not shift during use.

Two (or more) removable trays of stainless steel must occupy the lower area and serve as a fecal catch tray that can be removed by opening the front panel for easy cleaning. The trays must be at least four inches in height, and sturdy enough to support the weight of water and/or droppings without twisting while being removed. Tray should sit so that water from drinkers does not drip outside of the tray. In the isolator sidewall, provide a horizontal pipe for water sensor mounting in the bottom of the right sidewall. The tube will be centered front to back and the bottom of the opening will be ½” above the floor of the isolator. Tubing minimum inside diameter is 1.3”. The Inside should be flush with the interior sidewall, and the opposite end will have 1” female pipe threads.

Door latches and other surfaces shall be snag-free to the extent possible and be of stainless-steel construction, so that PPE will not get caught on cage equipment and become compromised.

Electronic controls, sensors, and other utilities shall be easily disconnected for maintenance and cleaning and be accessible from the front side of the unit assembly (isolators plus rack).

A removable divider should be included that divides the isolator into two halves in order to temporarily restrict birds to one side of the isolator. Hooks to hang the removable divider on the side or back of the isolator when not in use should be included.

Ventilation and heating:

Heat shall be provided by 2 ceramic heaters or similar source, integral to the unit and be controlled by a digital thermostat that displays in large numbers the current isolator temperature. Heaters should be at least 6 inches from the back or side walls. Temperature should be controllable between room temperature and 95°F (35°C) within +/- 4°F (+/-2°C) at a normal room temperature of 75°F (24°C). A thermometer shall be provided such that the interior temperature at bird level (about 4-6 inches from the floor) can be read from the front of the isolator, as confirmation of the operation of the heating controls. The heater unit shall be removable with a removable plate that holds all the necessary cabling and seals. The hole through which the cabling passes shall be at least 7.6cm by 12.7cm (3 in. by 5 in.) and should be located as close to the center of the top as possible, in order to provide for installation of future equipment. **A blank plate provided when the heater is not used, and the heating unit is removed**.

Isolators shall have pre-filters and HEPA filters on the intake and exhaust ports. Pre-filters on the intake and exhaust ports shall be easily changed from the exterior of the unit. Pre-filter housing design should prevent air from bypassing the edges of the pre-filter and going straight to the HEPA filter. HEPA filter housing should match our existing waterfowl isolators. Pre-Filter size should be approximately 2X the size of the previous prototype and a commercially available filter. Air movement shall be by way of a ventilator fan on the exhaust side, providing an air exchange rate of at least 15 times per hour, with a variable speed drive for adjustment. Meter access will be available on the supply and exhaust for HEPA filter certification. The isolator shall operate at a pressure differential that is negative with respect to the room pressure. Pressure differential shall be shown by means of a Magnehelic gauge or equivalent. (No fluid-type manometer gauges).

Feed and water supply:

Feed supply tubes or equipment must be easily accessible, but not be located within the door.

Feed must be delivered to the middle of the feed bin. The port for the feed must be at least 1.5 inches in diameter and angled to allow access from the front of the isolator. A removable extension tube should be included to allow the feed tube to reach the top of the feed bin when in the lowest position. The feed port must not have sharp angles. Feed bins must have a metal screen (approximately 0.5" mesh) on the top to prevent birds from entering the feed bin. The hole in the screen for filling feed should be no larger than 3.5” x 2”. There should be two feed bins, one against each of the side walls.

Feed bins must be against the sides of the enclosure such that birds cannot go between the feeder and the back wall or the feeder and the front door. Feed bins shall be 18” tall from the bottom of the feeder and be 3” deep, and extend the depth of the cage. Feed tube should be within 1” of the top of the wire mesh when the feeder is in the highest position, and adjustable to also be within 1” of the top when in the lowest position.

Water shall be provided by interchangeable broiler nipple drinkers and turkey cups. There should be a minimum of four broiler nipples that can be exchanged with 2 turkey cups. All water piping shall be food-grade, durable material that doesn’t easily break or crack. Watering equipment shall be mounted through the center of the isolator at the front of the isolator between the doors (likely off center for the wire divider to function properly but will still allow the saloon doors to fully open without hitting either the broiler nipples or the turkey cups). When the wire divider is utilized each side of the isolator will each have access to 2 broiler nipples or 1 turkey cup. Height of the waterer within the isolator should be adjustable from the top outside of the isolator. Feed and water equipment should be made such that they are secure and will not move due to activity of the birds or due to slippage of the mount or adjustment hardware.

Lighting:

Lighting is not needed.

Other considerations:

Isolators will be cleaned and decontaminated on a regular basis. This will expose them to certain harsh chemicals. Principal among these are Virkon- S (Potassium peroxymonosulfate}, paraformaldehyde fumigation (and ammonium carbonate neutralizer}, vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP), bleach, and ethyl alcohol. Materials used in the construction of the isolators and stands must be resistant to corrosion or other detrimental effects resulting from exposure to these chemicals.

All maintenance can be carried out from the top, front or side of the unit. No need to access the rear of the unit for most normal operations. Electronic controls, sensors, and other utilities shall be easily disconnected for maintenance and cleaning and be located on the front or on the side at the front of the unit. Side mounted attachments cannot protrude beyond the rack.

All inlet and exhaust ports shall have the ability to adapt the unit to a ducted air supply or exhaust.

This can be a tubular extension sufficient to attach flexible ducting.

**Note: Isolators should NOT have glovebox or access airlock.**