Swing Set Solution

Swing Set Solution

A new Data Centre has recently opened in the Atlantic Enterprise Campus in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. The Data Centre is a 4500m2 world-class facility providing highly efficient and exceptionally secure data storage. It is the first commercial carrier-neutral data centre and the first Tier III data centre to be built in Northern Ireland. AJ Power were specified from the beginning of the project to provide standby power requirements. the detailed specification called for a N+1 generator setup with a ‘swing’ generator used as backup to all other generator on site.

The generator specification called for 2 x 1250kVA Data Centre Continuous (DCC) rated set in low noise containers (70dBA@1m) with an automatic water mist fire suppression system, mounted on 18,000L (72hr) ‘belly@ fuel tanks.

AJ Power provided a complete solution for the control philosophy on the site comprising of Generator Control System (GCS) made up a network for ComAp InteliGen, InteliMains controller and an IV17T2 HMI connected via Redundant CAN network and Ethernet.

The key Generating Control System Features are:

Automatic Mains Failure (AMF) functionality with a manual to return to mains. InteliMains provide AM sensing and controls the generators’ request to start.

Building UPS covers transfers between Mains and Generator supplies/ Neutral Earthing Contractor (NEC) controlled to supply a neutral reference on the switchboard for the UPS.

In the event of a mains failure, the system detects this and signals fore the backup generators to supply data hall load. Due to Critical load of the data centre the generators will supply the data hall load until a ‘Manual Return to Mains’ command is issued by Facility Management.

In the event of backup generator failure to start. the swing generator assesses the situation and backs up the generator load with the highest priority. This process occurs every time the status of a generator change ( online or offline for backup) to ensure they the highest priority load is always met. This occurs until the mains supply is healthy and the manual return to main is issued.

All Control communications operate over a redundant CAN network with an Ethernet connection also available. Both options allow for minimum downtime.

The system HMI Overview includes easily understood screens of each generator, a Complete System overview and an overview of alarms for each genset. manual Return to Mains signal is possible via touchscreen HMI and also by a physical key switch. All the above are displayed on easy to navigate screens.

The Generator priority selection feature is also available - this selects which data hall load to back up if multiple backup generator failure occurs. i.e. the most critical data hall to be powered. this feature is fully configurable meaning that the BMS can configure the priority sequence of generators to backup.

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