A London Data centre had an issue with their air quality impact during normal site operations on the environment. The air quality impact caused by the existing diesel emergency power generators stopped a site upgrade program from taking place.
Since the site data centre was built, new residential areas have been built, and air quality has become a major concern.
Project brief.
Find a workable solution to protect the residents from the harmful effects of running diesel generators during the necessary testing, proving and operating in a power outage. Not reducing the power capacity, and being a cost effective solution. Allowing the upgrade project to take place.
Solution.
Develop a solution by employing the best minds in the Industry, removing the barriers put up by traditional working practices, instead work and collaborating on an innovative approach to reduce harmful emissions. This process delivered an industry first solution, exceeding the expectation of what was previously possible.This was where ML the industry experts, collaborated with all the stakeholders on the project, providing industry knowledge and know how, to allow the innovative design to be manufactured, delivered, installed and tested.
Design process
ML collaborated with the CAD design team, for the first site visit, ML understood the complex design and installation that would be required to complete a project of this magnitude.
First issue No site drawings, no drawings of services, no information of the existing generators, and they could no longer be operated.
"How did ML not even have to drill holes in steelwork onsite, how did they make it look so easy?"
The ML way, planning, first time fit, reduce site work, make the project safer.
How did we do it?
Site 3d scanning of the generators and surrounding areas, steelwork enclosures. Topography survey of the access areas and roads, information required for cranes and access platforms help us develop a detailed delivery strategy. We had to find out if we could allow a crane to access the lift area. We were also able to locate underground High Voltage cables and the Data cables, allowing us to plan a stress free project.
Then the design process started. We worked with our partners to deliver an industry first solution, designing, manufacturing and installation.
The industry leading solution, reduced NOx CO, HC, and particulate matter, reducing the impact on air quality from the diesel exhaust of the generators.
Delivery was no simple task, a live operational data centre, limited access, underground services, limited working time, and historic generators with limited or no information.
Project starts
We first removed the existing exhaust silencers, then tested the structural integrity of the containers, providing the client with comfort that the existing enclosures could withstand the additional weight from a full emission reduction system without any additional structural steelwork or modifications.
We then scanned the full and built a 3d model to tolerances of 0.5mm, enabling a first time fit.
After we had the model we were able to start the next phase, we manufactured an industry first, stage 5 retrofit emission reduction system.
The system was designed to allow us to minimise the amount of time onsite during the installation process, reducing the impact on the environment, minimising the impact on the residents and the data centre’s operations.We designed a galvanised steel frame that allowed the emissions system to be lifted level by the crane and would be the permanent supporting structure. We employed high quality stainless steel to reduce the weight of the system when compared to mild steel construction.
Within the framework was a reactor housing that contained diesel oxidation catalyst(DOC), diesel particulate matter filters(DPF), and selective reduction catalyst (SCR), all achieving the highest efficiency possible.reducing the impact to the environment, making a significant difference to the residents and operatives working in the data centre
