16 February 2011
Emergency power generators for Australian Defence Force premises
 IAC Colpro Pty Ltd in Australia has completed a turnkey contract for a new emergency power generation system for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in Bendigo, Victoria. The system protects computer systems from interruptions in grid power supply in a building acquired by the ADF for one of its civilian operations.
The brief for the installation of two containerised 2,000 kVA emergency generators also included all the civil works and the supply and installation of a massive 30,000 litre in-ground bulk fuel tank pumping system.
A key challenge for this project was the positioning. “Our only option for the positioning of the fuel tank was on solid rock,” said Senior Project Engineer Dave Pearce, leading the team of seven. “We excavated a 8mx3.5mx4.5m deep pit for the fibreglass tank, as well as all the trenching for the fuel pipework system over about 13 weeks.”
IAC Colpro also undertook the design and building of a new stand alone fuel pump-room complete with concrete floor, floor pit and louvred doors.
In-ground piers were capped with concrete to support the dead load of each canopy generator. IAC Colpro then placed a new 11mx8m concrete slab over the bulk fuel tank, with an aluminium manhole access cover, tank dip location and tank pit monitoring wells.
Two positive displacement fuel pumps were fitted to supply the fuel to each generator canopy on a standby arrangement. The fuel filtering system runs automatically and recirculates fuel throughout the bulk fuel tank.
To protect against fuel leakage - more likely with any in-ground bulk fuel tank - the bulk tank was double walled. A liquid brine solution was placed between the inner and outer walls of the tank. A float level switch was adapted to the tank to monitor the change in height of the liquid and alarm at any significant drop in liquid due to tank rupture or cracking. Any spill or leak of diesel fuel, will trigger the Optic-type alarms.
The project took 6 months to complete at which point the bulk fuel tank was pumped dry of ballast water, filled with 30,000 litres of diesel fuel, fuel pumps primed, and fuel day tanks filled. Dave Pearce, again, “To finalise the commissioning, we also tested the generators to cover all electrical loads and so were able to leave the site will full performance guarantees.”
Another well designed and engineered project by IAC Colpro Australia.
ENDS
For more media information please contact:
Sally Davis
IAC Press Office
+ 44 (0)23 9266 1600
sally@theprdepartment.co.uk
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