I am modifying a facility to house a large autoclave in an urban area. Next to power requirements and legislation, what are the crucial things I should consider?
You should check with your jurisdictional authority, they may have some requirements for clearances around the vessel. Be sure to think about potential maintenance issues, I've been involved with several welded repairs just at toe of weld of saddle which supported an autoclave. It was easy for the welder to weld from inside, but was difficult to view repaired area during pressure test. Be sure you can get to safety valve(s) for testing or inspection.
Large can be a subjective term in composite curing autoclaves. Along with the proper level of electricity, you'll also need a water source. You can provide your own cooling water supply, or have the autoclave manufacturer provide one. (This is generally the best option) Depending on it's size, you may want to put this autoclave into a pit to allow the autoclave floor to align with the shop floor to make the movement of tools in and out of the autoclave easy. As stated, you'll also need to think about maintenance, mainly in the rear of the autoclave. A large door is best if it is provided behind the autoclave to allow a forklift in and out. A big one to consider is how you're going to pressurize the autoclave. Do you plan to use nitrogen to prevent fires, or compressed air. Again, depending on the size of the autoclave, this can be a major consideration.
I would contact a reputable composite autoclave manufacture to get some general requirements for the autoclave you're planning to install, along with some general costs on the equipment. If you enter "composite autoclave" into Google, you'll find a list of them.
Thank you for the feedback. Very relevant tips. Other than positioning the autoclave in a pit, does anyone have tips on leveling. I need to level mainly the bed/rails which will be positioned on sloping floor with half a meter of drop over 50 meters?
