Data centre: two standby power tanks from critical to approved in six days
Ahead of planned maintenance, analysis showed critically contaminated diesel in the data centre's two standby power tanks. After six days of filtration the cleanliness was ISO 15/13/10, well ahead of the 18/16/13 requirement.
ISO 4406 cleanliness code (requirement: 18/16/13)
IDE Group provides IT operations from a data centre where two standby generators must take over the supply when the power fails. Ahead of planned maintenance, during which the transformers were to be replaced and the site was to run for 12 hours on generator power, the diesel in the two tanks of 12,000 litres each was analysed.
The analysis showed cleanliness code ISO 23/23/22 against a requirement of 18/16/13 and a water content of 3,831 ppm. The manufacturer’s assessment was that the generators would hardly have lasted an hour in operation. The maintenance was postponed. The monthly test runs, which the site carried out with emissions regulations in mind, had not revealed the problem.
A mobile Delta Xero cartridge unit was connected to the tanks in a side loop. After six days, a new analysis from an independent laboratory (Polaris Laboratories) showed cleanliness code ISO 15/13/10. The number of particles above 4 µm had fallen from 59,969 to 184 per ml, and the water content from 3,831 ppm to 18 ppm.
The maintenance could then be carried out with the two standby generators supplying the site. IDE Group’s engineers have since revised the monthly test runs so that they can also reveal this type of risk.
The figures before and after
| Measurement | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 4406 cleanliness code (requirement: 18/16/13) | 23/23/22 | 15/13/10 |
| Particles above 4 µm per ml (requirement: max. 2,500) | 59,969 | 184 |
| Particles above 6 µm per ml (requirement: max. 640) | 49,597 | 72 |
| Particles above 10 µm per ml | 35,589 | 26 |
| Particles above 14 µm per ml (requirement: max. 80) | 24,768 | 10 |
| Particles above 21 µm per ml | 13,479 | 4 |
| Water content, Karl Fischer | 3,831 ppm | 18 ppm |
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