Telecommunications Data Centre – UPS Expansion
A telecommunications provider engaged Ryan Wilks to undertake major electrical infrastructure works as part of a Data Centre expansion project.
The project included the decommissioning of electrical infrastructure to enable expansion and replacement of existing site electrical infrastructure, improve chilled water and cooling capacity, and building amendments to create a new UPS/battery room. This initiative was crucial for enhancing the capacity of the site, increasing operational redundancy ensuring an ongoing uninterrupted power supply to the site, and allowing for future equipment installation
Included within the facilities expansion and upgrade requirements Ryan Wilks constructed a new 2-hour fire-rated battery/UPS room, complete with a fire-rated ceiling, ducted exhaust fan, air conditioning, and both improved fire detection and protection measures.
An external low-level plant slab was constructed adjacent to the existing plant areas to allow new air-handling units to be installed and additional chilled water infrastructure. New PAC units were installed as part of the expansion project to provide additional cooling for the new 480kW of batteries located within the new UPS room.
With the addition of new communications racks, associated electrical infrastructure, electrical bus duct, and installation of new in-row coolers to facilitate the additional site cooling loads, upgrades were undertaken to the existing mechanical infrastructure including an increased capacity chilled water buffer tank and new chiller.
Electrical upgrades included an additional 480kW of batteries, new UPS units and Static Switches, a new UPS input and output switchboard, and augmentation of the existing site electrical infrastructure to create an upgraded 2N supply arrangement.
These works were all undertaken in a controlled and detailed manner to ensure minimal impact on the building’s occupants and in accordance with the stringent site management protocols required at the facility. Site operational functionality was maintained throughout the construction works with no impact on the facility or stakeholders.
The project required strict adherence to the telecommunications provider’s stringent access requirements with all contractors and personnel involved being required to comply with the facilities access and WHS protocols. All works were completed within the required project time frame and to the satisfaction of the client with no impact or interruption to ongoing facility operations.