Data Centre Expansion Zone: Underground Fuel Storage and Cross-Zone Urea Tie-In
LOD 450 design for a data centre expansion zone: 5 × 100 m³ underground fuel tanks, 3 × 10 m³ indoor DEF tanks, a cross-zone urea tie-in serving 4 generators, and fabrication-ready valve box drawings.
- Underground fuel tanks
- 5 × 100 m³
- Indoor urea (DEF) tanks
- 3 × 10 m³
- Generators served via tie-in
- 4
Extending fuel infrastructure next to a live, previously designed system is a different task from starting on an empty site. The new zone has to respect interfaces that were fixed earlier, connect to them without disrupting operation, and still stand on its own as a complete engineering package.
TEBIN designed the fuel and urea systems for an adjacent-zone expansion of a data centre in Germany, delivered at the German HOAI work stage LPH 5 (execution design) and developed to Level of Development (LOD) 450. The expansion connects to the zone TEBIN had designed previously — the multi-level fuel and urea project, presented separately in this portfolio — where connection points for this future phase had already been reserved. Andrii Sheronov led the project as Project Manager.
How was the underground fuel storage engineered?
The fuel storage solution comprises 5 × 100 m³ underground tanks. TEBIN covered the full below-grade placement, access provisions, and interconnection design, developed from concept through to LOD 450 detailed design with all supporting infrastructure and secondary containment provisions.
Underground storage removes the tanks from the surface layout but adds its own engineering questions: excavation interfaces, access for inspection and maintenance, containment, and the coordination of buried pipework with everything else below grade.
Where does the urea system live?
The complete urea system was designed around 3 × 10 m³ diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tanks housed within a dedicated indoor space. The scope covered the tank arrangement, filling infrastructure, and full distribution routing, integrated within the overall multi-level site layout and coordinated against the fuel system.
How did the cross-zone tie-in work?
TEBIN engineered the interface connection from the previously designed neighbouring zone, extending the urea distribution line to serve 4 additional generator sets. The work included connection point design, routing coordination, and isolation provisions, ensuring seamless cross-zone system continuity.
This is where forward-looking design pays off. Because the earlier zone had been delivered with reserved connection points, interface documentation, and spatial allowances, the tie-in could be engineered as a planned connection rather than an intrusive retrofit into a live system.
What did the multi-level generator arrangement require?
As in the neighbouring zone, the generator sets are vertically stacked on multiple levels. Fuel and urea distribution was coordinated across that arrangement, ensuring correct routing, pressure management, and access provisions throughout the riser and distribution network.
From detailed design to the fabrication shop
TEBIN engaged in the detailed engineering development of the valve boxes and filling cabinets, producing fabrication-ready construction drawings with all component interfaces, dimensions, and assembly details required for direct use in parts manufacturing and shop fabrication.
This level of development shortens the distance between design and fabrication: the shop works from the design documentation itself, without an intermediate re-drawing step, and the installed components match the coordinated model.
Project outcome
The complete detailed design was delivered across all system nodes to LOD 450, with the full drawing and scheme package — piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), general arrangements, isometrics, support drawings, and equipment schedules — through to As-Built. TEBIN managed the project from initial concept onward, coordinating with the civil, architectural, electrical, controls, and vendor disciplines. The expansion zone now works as one continuous system with its neighbour: five underground tanks, an indoor urea plant, and a tie-in that behaves as if both zones had been designed in a single package — because, in engineering terms, they were.
Project FAQ
What made this project different from a standalone fuel system design?
The new zone had to connect to a previously designed neighbouring zone. The urea distribution line was extended across the zone boundary to serve 4 additional generator sets, which required interface connection design, routing coordination, and isolation provisions to keep both systems operable as one continuous installation.
Why were the fuel tanks placed underground?
The fuel storage solution comprised 5 × 100 m³ underground tanks. Below-grade placement changes the engineering scope: the design covered tank placement, access provisions, interconnection, secondary containment, and all supporting infrastructure, developed from concept through to LOD 450 detailed design.
What does fabrication-ready detailed design mean here?
Valve boxes and filling cabinets were developed into fabrication-ready construction drawings with all component interfaces, dimensions, and assembly details, suitable for direct use in parts manufacturing and shop fabrication rather than requiring further design interpretation.
