Energy security in emergencies at one of the UK’s main airports: designing a generator with acoustic insulation and fire protection

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Genesal Energy has designed a bespoke power solution for Manchester Airport, one of the busiest in the United Kingdom, with the aim of strengthening its backup system in the event of grid failures.

The project involved the design and manufacture of a fully customised 770 kVA generator set, integrated into a 20ft container and adapted to the client’s requirements in terms of dimensions, acoustic insulation and fire protection.

In critical infrastructures such as airports, where any interruption can cause significant operational issues, having a reliable auxiliary power system is essential. These units must guarantee uninterrupted operation of facilities, especially in strategic areas such as lighting, communications, security and signalling systems.

Adapted to a highly demanding environment

One of the main challenges of the project was fitting the generator into a reduced-size room without sacrificing the power needed to supply the airport’s critical loads. To achieve this, the genset was integrated into a compact 20ft DV container with a reinforced external design and two adjoining modules: one for sound attenuation and the other for fire protection, complying with EI60 classification.

In addition, motorised louvres were installed at the air inlet and outlet, together with fire dampers, automatic fuel shut-off valves and other measures to guarantee compliance with safety standards and airport regulations.

Grupo electrógeno móvil para eventos con diseño ligero.

Maximum autonomy and silent operation

The generator, powered by a Volvo engine with 700 kVA Prime output, is designed to operate continuously at full load for at least 6 hours, thanks to a 1,700-litre fuel tank. Acoustically, it was designed as an oversized MD 250 model (-40 dB), enabling it to operate below 75 dB(A) even under full load, minimising any noise interference within the airport environment.

In critical infrastructures such as airports, where any interruption can cause significant operational issues, having a reliable auxiliary power system is essential.

The solution also includes an oil heater with thermostat, a double breaker in the power panel for both the genset and the load bank, and exterior LED luminaires (IP69K), ready for extreme conditions.

This development is an example of how customised engineering allows the design of reliable, safe power systems adapted to environments with the highest technical and operational requirements, such as international airports.

Features

  • 770 kVA (Standby) / 700 kVA (Prime) generator set.
  • Installed at Manchester Airport (United Kingdom).
  • Integrated into a 20’’ DV container adapted to limited space.
  • EI60 fire protection: fire dampers and automatic valves.
  • Oversized sound attenuation module.
  • Noise level below 75 dB(A).
  • Large-capacity fuel tank (1,700 L).
  • Deep Sea DSE8610 control panel.
  • Motorised air inlet and outlet louvres.
  • Double breaker in power panel (genset + load bank).
  • LED exterior luminaires (IP69K).
  • Oil heater with thermostat.

Two generators to supply electricity to the main aerial infrastructure in Gran Canaria

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Airports are vital for island territories. To guarantee continuous power supply in these environments of high safety and precision is even more so.

Energy reliability is essential to maintain uninterrupted smooth operations.

Genesal Energy has designed two open airport generator sets adapted to the existing room in Enaire’s Pico de la Gorra radioelectric complex in Gran Canaria. In the event of a mains failure, these sets shield the correct functioning of the system.

Each unit is fitted with inlet and outlet silencers to minimise noise and redundant leak-detection in order to ensure maximum respect for the surrounding area.

Cutting-edge engineering applied by our experienced personnel who have implemented a design that guarantees the energy autonomy of the radio control centre.  A 1.000 litres main tank from which fuel is transferred to the 350 litres base-frame inserted one.

Our Engineering solution

Two open type generators were developed, each with a 350 litres base frame inserted fuel tank. In addition, they have an automatic fuel transfer system from a main tank. Air inlet and outlet silencers were fitted to the existing generator room, keep the noise level in a minimum.

Features

  • Calculations of necessary cross-sections for air inlet and outlet in the room. Made-to-measure hopper and bellows.
  • Oversized exhaust silencer.
  • Inlet and outlet silencers for -30 dB(A).
  • ComAp InteliLite control panel.
  • 350 litres base frame inserted fuel tank.
  • Tank with inspection cover and fuel sight glass.
  • 1.000 litre double-walled main tank.
  • Fuel transfer system with electric and manual pump from/to main tank.
  • Remote control panel to replicate the unit’s central control panel.

Generator set for a hangar at Barajas airport with a surface area equivalent to three football pitches.

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Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport leads the ranking of air traffic in Spain. It closed the 2023 financial year with a passenger volume of more than 60 million and more than 380,000 operations carried out.

The figures reflect the importance of this airfield which, due to its colossal dimensions, needs to have many hangars where aircraft can “rest”. Premises equipped to carry out repairs and maintenance operations inside.

They are normally designed to house more than one aircraft and emergency power is key to their operation. With a surface area of more than 22,400 square metres, the equivalent of almost three football pitches, one of these airport hangars needed a special generator. Genesal Energy has just supplied contingency power to prevent a significant loss of time and money with a special genset for airports.

Tailor-made: generator set for a hangar

“The client required the customised manufacture of hoppers and bellows for the generator’s cooling air outlet, as well as a gas duct with 90° bends to adapt to the layout of the hangar’s generator room“, explain the engineering staff which developed this project. 

Our engineering team’s solution consisted of a highly customised generator set, which was manufactured according to the customer’s requests, seeking the best options for a special site with such particular dimensions.

Technical Data

  • Power panel integrated in the alternator, allowing the intake of two cables per phase.
  • Calculation of the necessary cross-sections for the inlet and outlet of gases in the room, tailor-made hopper and bellows.
  • Oversized exhaust silencer model.
  • Multicolour control panel.
  • Heating system.
  • Integrated 350 L tank.

Two emergency gensets to guarantee reliability of an air traffic control tower in Cuba

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At Genesal Energy, we’ve supplied two 20kVA prime power gensets for a mobile air traffic control tower in Cuba.

They’re prepared to power the installation in the case of a public mains failure, protecting it at all times, as they have the capacity to power all of the tower’s systems as well as the vehicle’s electrohydraulic mechanisms.

The solution adds a special functionality: to change between one and the other automatically or to choose which of the both carries out the function of master and slave.

Both units were manufactured after studying the requirements of the client, who needed two compact gensets which would be easily integrated into the truck with the electrical panel and control panel separated and at a distance between one another.

Our group of engineers found a special solution and designed two two-phase gensets at a voltage of 220-110 V to adapt to the voltage of the Cuban grid. They’re very versatile units, with four different modes of operation which can be selected through the control panel. They’re located under the platform of a truck and have a remote control system located on the vehicle’s trailer.

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Why is it a special solution?

The main feature of these gensets is, above all, their redundant design, that is, the power supplied is done so by one of the gensets whenever there is a mains failure, meaning a second backup genset is left if the genset selected as the master were to fail or if the second genset itself were to be stopped due to maintenance.

Each genset has a remote control system through which the double switchover between both is managed as well as the switchover between each genset and the grid. Said system is installed inside the truck, communicating with both.

The solution adds a special functionality whose objective is to manage the redundancy of the gensets so that it’s possible to switch between one and the other automatically or choose which of the both carries out the function of master and slave manually through a selector in the control panel.

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Ultracompact

The gensets, on the other hand, are designed mechanically in an ultracompact format so that they occupy the least possible space, as they are installed under the platform of the truck’s semi-trailer where the control tower is located. Furthermore, the canopy that ensures the soundproofing of the gensets is completely removable in order to improve the accessibility of the genset for maintenance works due to the limited space available.

On the other hand, the engines used in these gensets are Deutz engines, cooled by oil, as they have to endure working temperatures of up to 30% higher than a standard engine cooled by antifreeze, thus maximizing the reliability of the system, especially considering the fact the gensets will be operating in especially harsh conditions. Reliability is a must in this type of units.

Power generator for an airport mobile tower – Kenya

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Genesal Energy has supplied 2 gensets of 20 kVA prime power to supply electricity to a mobile control tower.

Mounted on a semi-trailer truck with an elevation system of up to 9.5 M above ground level, allowing the controller to have clear visibility. The control tower also comes fully fitted with telecoms systems and can function as a fully operational control tower.

The gensets designed in our manufacturing plan will be used to supply power to this somewhat unusual type of control tower, guaranteeing it has power in the event of a mains grid failure. The gensets have also been prepared and set up to control other aspects of the mobile control tower such as the hydraulic mechanisms of the vehicle that supports the tower.

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The principle characteristics of the project design called for redundant diesel generators, both for emergency power; the energy supplied comes from one of the two gensets, with the second genset remaining as back up. Should there be a further power cut associated to the 1st genset, the second genset will then start-up, this also applies if the 1st genset is undergoing maintenance.

Features

  • Redundant sets.
  • Ultra-compact design.
  • Units easily integrated into the client’s existing infrastructure.
  • The soundproof canopy is fully removable to allow mechanical access for maintenance tasks, given the limited space available.

Supply and installation of an adapted genset for the airport of La Coruna in Northwest Spain

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The genset, designed and manufactured by Genesal energy for Coruna Airport belongs to the range of adapted products; generator sets which are intricately designed according to the client’s unique needs.

Prior to installation, a team of Genesal experts assessed the location where the genset would be installed in order to gather all the required data and information, this was then passed on to the engineering team to elaborate accurate plans adapted to the product and its eventual location.

In the case of Coruna Airport, our expert technical personnel had to take into account the unusual characteristics and conditions encountered in the area. For example, district cooling was applied by connecting the genset to a dry cooler on the roofing of the machine room.

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Features

  • The generator set is open, with a remote cooling system, installed on the roof of the engine room. The exhaust gas silencer is made of stainless steel, suitable for outdoor installation.
  • It is equipped with Ni-Cd batteries.
  • It includes a fuel cooling system.