Electrical Control and Monitoring Containers for the Energy Industry Case Study

The new units were to match the specification of the old units as closely as possible. The first container would be used as an electrical control room and the other a store. Our client sent a specification which provided us with some of the elements that we were to incorporate into the build. Our team of engineers also worked with the client to outsource some of the required equipment such as shelving, electrical components, cabinets and fire safety equipment that we would later install.

The units that were used for the modification were two 20ft new (once shipped) containers. Internally the containers were very similar being that they were both fitted with a steel frame and lined with 85mm of non-combustible spray foam insulation applied to the container walls, ceiling and cargo doors. The spray foam was then overlaid using 12mm multipro which gave the unit a clean white finish. We positioned 3mm steel chequer plate flooring over the original marine ply wood by stitch welding and sealing the joints. Both units were fitted with a full fire alarm system with fire extinguishers and recessed fire exit personnel doors were installed for a quick easy exit. A larger air conditioning unit (30,000BTU) was fitted into the control unit as this was required due to the amount of heat that would be produced by the computer and monitoring equipment, the store was fitted with a smaller unit (15,000BTU). All electrics were surface mounted in low smoke trunking. Both containers were fitted with metal clad 13amp twin sockets, double network switches with excess cable for customer to install network switches, variations of 5ft double strip lights and 4ft single strip lights with switches, emergency Lights with relevant protection and 3ph 5pin external sockets within recessed boxes approx. 300mm x 200mm. All electrics were NICEIC certified. The store was fitted with large lockable cabinets, two timber desks, heavy duty steel shelving with additional lips for shipping and a ceiling beam which held a safe working load of 1000KG. The control unit had the additions of a secure UPVC double glazed window with tilt and turn mechanism, wall mounting struts for the customer to fit their nineteen monitors, Roxtec cable glands, 19′ full height racks for electrical control equipment and draws within lockable steel pedestals.

To finish the units, both were externally prepared and masked then repainted white RAL9001 and the original shipping decals were removed post paintwork to reveal the numbers. Upon completion, they were sent for testing and provided with a LOLER1998 test certificate to circa 10tonnes SWL.