We maximize security: special generator sets to protect data in A Coruña and Bilbao Data Centers

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Do you know where companies keep their data?

In a world which is increasingly connected, storing data in a safe manner isn’t a luxury, but a necessity.

Data Processing Centers (DPCs) or Data Centers are spaces which house great computer equipment, and are key pieces in business infrastructure. These infrastructures tend to be proportional in size to that of the company they are storing data for: the higher the volume of data the company manages the more complex the Data Center and the safer its power supply system must be. The motive? A lengthy power outage can provoke a major catastrophe and millions in losses.

Most medium-sized companies – and of course all large companies – feature evermore modern and complex DPCs. Many occupy great rooms and even whole buildings where all of its computer components, necessary for the storage of information, are located. The correct maintenance of these spaces is vital for their optimal operation and here is where an essential factor comes into play: security.

Each second comes at a cost

These installations must not face a single risk and that’s why it’s so important to guarantee continuous supply under any circumstance. An accident which in other cases may not be too significant, such as a blackout, would cause great damage in a DPC. What would happen if a bank or administration entity lost millions of confidential pieces of data in mere seconds? And this is where, in the security system of a Data Center, emergency generator sets play a crucial role.

Emergency generator sets for DPCs have to be extremely relibale and powerful, two vital conditions to guarantee power supply under any circumstance, such as a fire, mains failure or any kind of accident, as a DPC cannot stop for a single instant. Each second, comes at a cost.

The distributed energy sector, in constant evolution, has provided answers to the particular requirements of DPCs, placing products and services in the market which are also very particular in the sense that they must comply with very specific norms regulated by Uptime Institute, an international organization which certifies exactly how these installations must be designed and classifies them in four levels: Tier I, II, III and IV according to their infrastructure.

Germany, a fulfilled challenge

At Genesal Energy we’re experts in manufacturing such special generator sets and their sucess in projects in which we’ve participated has turned us into references at a national and international level. In Spain for instance, we’ve reinforced the security of numerous DPCs in the peninsula, such as in Barcelona, and also in the Canary Islands, specifically on the island of Tenerife. Internationally, we’ve consolidated our presence in this field through other great projects. An example is the supply of two emergency generator sets for a DPC in Germany, one of the most important Data Centers in Europe.

At a national level, two of our latest projects have taken us to two cities in the North of Spain: A Coruña & Bilbao. In both, we’ve supplied emergency power for two important Data Centers, where a simple power outage can mean the failure of thousands of operations worldwide. The objective of our generator sets is to supply instant power in the event of a mains failure.

Emergency power for two great Data Centers in A Coruña and Bilbao

In the Basque Country we’ve recently participated in the construction of a new and important DPC in Bilbao through two 1250 KVA gensets with a parallel operation system. Our engineers’ solution consisted in two twin gensets with a special base frame adjusted to the client’s spatial requirements.

Additionally, a power outlet cabinet was designed with a specific Cu 50×10 busbar so that the client could connect their power cables. This cabinet, like the control cabinet, was installed according to the client’s needs in order to be able to adapt the units ergonomically to the existing infrastructure.

In the case of the DPC in A Coruña, the generator set we designed needed to be especially silent. To achieve this objective, the genset was installed inside a 20 foot container with external air inlet and outlet baffles, in order to reduce the level of decibels. This was the chosen solution to eliminate acoustic impact on the buildings surrounding the Data Center, which belongs to an important bank operator and is located in an urban area containing numerous offices. In this case, the client needed to increase the capacity and quality of the Data Center with another state-of-the-art genset.

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Bilbao Data Center Features

  • Engine-alternator assembly painted in the colour required by the client (RAL 7040)
  • Motorized breaker
  • Adapted power cabinet
  • Synchronization system
  • Exhaust gas silencer sleeve
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La Coruña Data Center Features

  • Power cabinet integrated in the soundproof container of the generator set.
  • Motorized louvers.
  • 1.500L integrated fuel tank.
  • Automatic fuel transfer system, connected to the existing installation.
  • External colour according to the client’s specifications.
  • Air inlet and outlet attenuators of -40Db. Turnkey solution including a great tonnage crane for the installation of the container, as well as fuel installation and night-time commissioning.

Genesal energy for a data centre. Always at the forefront of critical centres’ protection.

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A simple power outage, even if its duration is not too long, may be an eternity in a Data Centre. For this reason, generator sets must be extremely efficient and robust in terms of frequency/voltage stability and single step load acceptance.

Custom design and personalization make more sense in this market than ever as the greater number of data is stored, the more emergency power must be supplied to the Data Processing Centre (DPC).

At Genesal Energy we know the importance of details very well. We analyse the client’s needs based on the characteristics of the data centre and then we design the equipment adapting both to the client’s demands and the strict regulations affecting these facilities (the Uptime Institute, as responsible for making such certifications, establishes four levels: Tier I, II, III and IV).

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Engine and alternator at the highest level

One of our latest notable projects is a Data Centre in Valencia. The customer needed a diesel generator set to replace the existing one, which was obsoleted.

It was necessary to replace the genset with the data centre in operation, taking all the necessary measures to guarantee the supply in the event of a mains failure, which implied the need of counting on a rental generator set in order to ensure the power supply in the face of any contingency.

The solution provided by Genesal Energy consisted of replacing the old generator with a higher power equipment: a 400 kVA unit mounted on a 4500mm soundproof canopy with a top-level engine and alternator in order to guarantee a constant and uniform supply since it had to resemble the ideal conditions as much as possible.

Within the usual service that we provide to our clients, in this case we carried out the works including the crane for removal of the existing generator and positioning of the new equipment, as well as the electrical connection of the existing lines and fuel storage system with the new generator.

 

Genesal Energy will guarantee power supply to Vialia, the biggest shopping center in Vigo

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Vialia will open its doors in 2021 and will do so with Genesal Energy emergency power. We supplied two generator sets of great power, 600/660 kVA (GEN660YA) & 910/1,000 kVA (GEN1000YI) each, designed to guarantee power supply for the building, which shall become Vigo’s biggest shopping center.

Located in the center of the city -between Gran Vía and Urzaiz- the great complex will have a total surface of 43,080 m² and will combine its commercial use with the AVE’s new railway services and the bus terminal. Vialia will also feature a public plaza of 23,000 m².

Generator sets are essential for spaces of this nature. Just like with office buildings, shopping centers can’t risk a power outage: they feature multiple services, in this case, linked with leisure and restaurants, and as such the bustle of people is constant, and the planning facing any unforeseen setbacks is vital, as any accident or mains failure would cause great losses.

In the case of Vialia, at Genesal Energy we looked for a bespoke solution for the client, and opted for extremely reliable gensets adapted to the project’s requirements. These are the main features of both units.

GEN660YA Features

  • Genset with external fuel tank of great capacity.
  • Special baseframe for gensets of this size.
  • RS485 module.

GEN1000YI Features

  • New 6 meter canopy: for a soundproof genset of this power rating and characteristics, a new 6m canopy has been developed as an alternative to the 20 foot container to reduce size, lead time and costs.
  • The design of the canopy is characterized by being Heavy Duty. It’s modular, allowing for the installation inside it of engine-alternator assemblies of up to 1,250 kVA.
  • Allows an easy access to the control panel and circuit breaker, both located in their own cabinets with their own access door to the outside. It simplifies maintenance tasks due to its numerous doors on both sides.
  • External fuel fill connector, machinable cover for the control cable outlet and power cable outlet with rubber cover for improved isolation, and lifting lugs.
  • RS485 module.

We have increased our presence in Africa with the supply of three generator sets to the largest hydroelectric power plant in Cameroon

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The largest hydroelectric power plant in Cameroon will be powered by Genesal Energy. We participated in the project through the supply of emergency power to the electrical construction, which will allow the country to increase its installed electrical capacity by 30%.

The power plant is undoubtedly a key infrastructure in the development of Cameroon, where the electricity supply network, together with the transmission network, are the great pending issues of a country that spires to become the greatest emerging economy of Central Africa in the next 5 or 20 years.

The Cameroonian government’s mid-term goal is to provide sufficient energy capacity to meet the needs of its citizens.

Guaranteeing access for all countries to affordable and non-polluting energy is a commitment made by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda through the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, which at Genesal Energy we have incorporated into our Plan of Social Responsibility.

The project involves the design of three customized generator sets: two of 1000/1100 kVA to power the plant’s facilities, and one of 100/110 kVA to be used at site during the construction process. Once the plant is finished, this smaller unit will become back up power for the facilities too.
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¿Why is this a special solution?

In facilities of this kind, there are essential loads that must be powered permanently for the correct operation of the plant, as for instance, water treatment systems or lubrication pumps that need to run continuously so that a safe shutdown can be guaranteed in the event of an emergency situation, (e.g., a power outage). This is precisely the role played by one of the supplied generators.

The client required the generator sets to be fully managed, controlled and monitored from the generator’s own control panel. The control philosophy is that the diesel generator is connected to a main board and this in turn to the feeding busbars of the installation’s essential loads. In this case, at Genesal Energy we designed a generator set system to work either in parallel or alternatively, depending on the client’s loads needs (it is the case of the emergency genset).

In these gensets, it is possible to indicate a preferential start of Generator 1 or Generator 2, depending on which one is required to start fist. We also manufactured a fuel system consisting of four tanks: two daily tanks of 1000 L and two nurse tanks of 10 000 L in order to ensure long periods without refuelling the generator.

Difficult location

The difficult conditions of the location where the hydroelectric power plant is built forced our engineers to take additional steps to avoid any risk and guarantee the gensets’ operation at any time and in any situation. Thus, a fuel transfer system has been designed allowing the fuel to be pumped or transferred in such a way that, if any part of the system is out of service, the other can be used without problem, ensuring the control unit’s continuous power supply.

Our participation in the construction of this plant reinforces Genesal Energy’s presence in Africa and specifically Cameroon, a key state in our international expansion strategy due to its great energy opportunities. In this sense, our company has already participated in several projects related to the modernization of its infrastructure aimed at improving the living conditions of Cameroonians.

One of the latest projects carried out in this African country has been the design and installation of the electricity supply to a water treatment plant, which is a fundamental installation to bring drinking water to populations of the country that still don’t have a proper supply.

Features

  • Two units of 1000-1100kVAs, open type
  • One unit of 100-110kVAs, soundproof type, off-road trailer
  • Custom fuel transfer system, both automatic and manual, for 4 fuel tanks, 2 of 1000L and two of 10 000L capacity.

“Turnkey” power to reinforce the security of a data center in Tenerife

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Extremely reliable and with no room for error.

That’s how generators must be in Data Processing Centers (DPC) or Data Centers, facilities dedicated to housing complex, high capacity computer systems, where a power failure or interruption in mains supply can turn into a catastrophe and generate enormous losses.

Emergency generator sets have an essential mission in these facilities: they are the best security guarantee, the necessary prevention system to avoid endangering all the information contained inside the Data Centers. At Genesal Energy we’ve been supplying this kind of generator sets for many years, units which have to be completely special (for example, it’s important to carefully select the engine and alternator to achieve optimal performance without oversizing them excessively). For this reason, because they have very particular characteristics, at Genesal Energy we design them made-to-measure, according to the client’s requirements and always after analyzing the characteristics of the space in which they must operate.

We’re experts in supplying turnkey and bespoke solutions: we take care of the entire process, from start to finish: from the design and manufacture to the transport, installation along with the processing of all necessary permits, setup of auxiliary elements (fuel, chimneys, etc.), commissioning and maintenance. We offer all services in one.

One of our latest projects of this kind has taken us to the Canary Islands, specifically to Tenerife, where we installed two generator sets for a DPC in Majuelos. They are two 500 kVA soundproof generator sets with a redundant parallel synchronization system.

The Data Center needed to grow, and in this expansion stage it incorporated new 5G communication systems into its installations. These systems require a greater consumption, and as such, there was a need to increase emergency power supply so that, if ever a voltage failure were to occur, the center could continue operating as normal. Our engineers’ solution consisted in two 500 kVA generator sets in parallel with a double-walled 2,000 L fuel tank.

Once the manufacturing process had come to a close, at Genesal Energy, as is usual in these cases, we took care of the logistics and, before carrying out the transport, we managed all required arrangements with the administration entities involved. Due to the location of the Data Center and the characteristics and size of the generator sets as well as their location on the roof of the building, it was also necessary to cut off public access, and so we achieved the necessary permits.

Our engineers’ solution

  • Both gensets operate in parallel with eachother through the efficient management of the system and will start up via a free contact provided by the client when a mains failure occurs. Both units will synchronize and take the load.
  • If the total load is under 70% the power rating of one of the gensets, one of them will disconnect so that only one powers the loads.
  • If the total load is above 70%, the disconnected genset will start up, commencing synchronization with the operating genset.

Thus, the startup of both gensets will alternate depending on operating hours according to a configurable parameter in the control panel so that, if there is a difference in operating hours between both gensets, the one with least hours will remain operating in the case that the load doesn’t surpass 70%.

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Features

  • Two symmetrical generator sets to visualize the control panel of both at once.
  • A 2,000 L fuel tank which supplies both gensets.
  • Two generator sets with synchronization panel.
  • C5 paint treatment.

Emergency power for Togo’s first thermal power plant

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Togo’s first gas power plant will feature emergency power by Genesal Energy, who will participate in the project through a generator set prepared to face any setback and guarantee the facility’s correct operation.

In this type of combined cycle power plants, there are essential loads which must be powered permanently, such as the treatment plant systems or specific lubrication unit pumps designed to remain operative in any circumstance.

Therefore, in the event of an emergency situation like a power outage, it will always be possible to bring the whole system to a safe shutdown. This is precisely the function of the generator set supplied by our company for the thermal power plant, with a production capacity of 65MW and which has lead to an energy revolution for the Togolese citizens.

Control panel

For the combined cycle power plant in Togo, and according to the client’s needs, a generator set capable of being entirely controlled and monitored from its control panel was designed. The electrical schemes consisted in a diesel generator set connected via a protection breaker mounted on its container to a supply panel in the client’s facilities, and through this panel, all essential systems would be powered. As far as control equipment goes, apart from the PLC in charge of managing the genset’s operation, a protection relay was installed as well as a synchronizer for parallel to mains operation.

It is an entirely special solution, from start to finish. Thus, the container in which the genset is installed features bespoke elements, from the air conditioning system, to the fire detection system, motorized louvers, fans… all elements have been designed to adjust to the area’s needs, without of course forgetting those of the client.

The control and automatization of the genset for its integration within the rest of the plant’s control systems was designed made-to-measure in such a manner that a central PLC could completely control the emergency system.

International expansion

The arrival of gas to Togo is a major milestone for the African country, where up until this point power generation was based on less efficient and more pollutant systems. On the other hand, Genesal Energy’s participation in this project consolidates our presence in the African continent as well as our great focus on sustainability.

Guaranteeing power supply in any part of the world is our raison d’être and Africa is a strategic point in our international expansion plans. Our presence in the continent is evergrowing thanks to projects which are completely customized and above all, prepared to operate in the most extreme and strenuous conditions. The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry or Cameroon are just some of the countries for which we’ve supplied emergency power.

Features

  • Genset with EI-120 fire resistance.
  • Genset container divided in three separate chambers: genset room, control room and fuel tank room.
  • Fire detection and extinction system via nebulized water in the genset and fuel tank rooms.
  • Cooling system for genset room temperature control.
  • Air conditioning system in control room.
  • C5 surface treatment, according to ISO 12944-2:2018 norm.
  • Bespoke control system based on PLC.
  • AGM type batteries.
  • Engine liquid collection tray.
  • Automatic breaker with power output busbar adapted to client’s installations.
  • Engine cooling liquid recirculation and heating system to provide adequate startup temperature for the genset.
  • 2000L double-walled fuel tank.
  • Fuel tank leakage detection system.

Emergency power for an office complex in France

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A 440 kVA generator set designed by our engineering team will guarantee the energy supply in a large office complex in France in the event of a mains failure.

This project consolidates Genesal Energy’s commitment to internationalization as a key factor in its growth.

In this case, the project consisted of designing and manufacturing a generator set capable of supplying continuous energy in the event of any incident or anomalous situation, such as a blackout or any other mains failure.

In this kind of facilities – office buildings – it is necessary to carry out a detailed study of the genset’s location to offer the most suitable technical solution aiming to face an emergency situation safely. High reliability and a low noise level were key aspects during the manufacturing process, as the generator set had to work in a place where people’s movement is constant – it is an office area.

Genesal’s adaptive capacity materialised in a soundproof 440 kVA generator set mounted in a 4,500 mm canopy, including an integrated fuel tank adapted to the capacity required by the client. Both genset’s installation and operational framework were carried out by our engineers in order to avoid complications.

Expansion plan

The emergency power supply for this office complex is part of our expansion policy in the French market, having detected its specific needs and provided a solution accordingly.

In this sense, one of the latest projects related to France led us to Ghana, where we supplied one of the main French engineering and construction companies with two symmetrical generating sets, prepared to work in parallel, in order to reinforce the safety of a large bitumen – an essential material for the production of asphalt agglomerate – manufacturing plant.

As in the case of the factory in Ghana, we complied with the French and UE regulations, as EU member countries have always been very present in the internationalization plans of our company.

Our international vocation is reflected in the presence of our products in more than 30 countries – 70% of our production is destined to exports. In this strategy, France plays an important role, and so does our unconditional commitment to the United Nation’s Agenda 2,030 and the use of renewable energies.

Features

  • 4,500 mm soundproof canopy including a fuel tank adapted to the fuel transfer system of the client.

 

We’re growing in the French market: emergency power for a Gallic electrical substation in Ghana

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At Genesal Energy we’ve just supplied emergency power to an electrical substation in Ghana, an ambicious project by one of the main engineering and construction firms in France.

We’ve provided two symmetrical generator sets which will power a new bitumen plant in this African country if, for whatever reason, the mains power fails.

Our participation in this project is part of our policy of expansion in the Gallic market, detecting its specific needs in order to fully comply with the clients’ requests as well as the regulations established by French, and of course European, legislation.

In the case of Ghana, the project consisted in manufacturing bespoke generator sets for a great bitumen manufacturing plant (bitumen is an essential material in the creation of asphalt agglomerate which is used in the construction of roads, insulation and many other applications).

All bitumen plants make use of complex heating systems during the production of the material and a loss of power can generate important issues and even bring the activity to a halt, as the absence of electricity would cause the solidification of materials and, in consequence, considerable losses.

In extreme cases, an electrical failure can force the substitution of the plant’s piping. The generator sets are also used in these facilities as emergency power for the auxiliary services and lighting with the objective of maximizing safety throughout the property, becoming an essential part of these types of facilities

Technical design

For the Ghana power plant, our engineering team provided a bespoke solution for the client which, from a technical point of view, consisted in the following:
A chassis was designed to support the engine-alternator assembly, comprised of a Perkins 4008-30 TAG3 engine and Mecc Alte ECO43 2L4A alternator, capable of producing 1,250 kVA. Soundproofed in a HC 20 foot container with an air inlet silencer integrated in the container and air outlet silencer attached externally to the container.

In parallel

The generator sets were built to be placed in parallel, with an external 5,000 L fuel tank located between both gensets from which they receive their fuel, respecting security measures. In addition, the access to the control panels can be done from the outside, as they face eachother (the gensets are symmetrical), simplifying the access to the data provided by the control panels of both generator sets.

The operation of these units is prepared so that both can synchronize and supply the sum of the power of both gensets to the loads. They’ve been designed to be flexible when supplying power to the loads, so that the client can start up both generator sets simultaneously from the plant’s control system for the startup of big engines and, afterwards, disable this function so that only one genset remains operative.

This way, the client can arrange for just one genset to operate, for both to operate in parallel, or for both gensets to decide according to the load they’re supporting if one of them can shut down, saving fuel.

Features

  • 5,000 L external fuel tank
  • Air inlet and outlet silencers