Project
The brief
Netwise needed two new bunded fuel tanks for their London East data centre in East London: tanks that could keep the site's backup generators fed and also dispense diesel to vehicles in the yard. Their existing tank was surplus to requirements, and the new tanks had to be in place by the end of August 2026.
For a data centre, fuel quality matters as much as fuel quantity. Diesel that sits in a tank for long periods can pick up water and contamination, and dirty fuel reaching a standby generator can damage it at exactly the moment the site loses mains power. Netwise wanted fuel recirculation units built in so the stored diesel is cleaned continuously.
We designed and built two 14,000 litre bunded tanks for white diesel, each 4,000mm long, 2,000mm wide and 2,000mm high, fabricated from 3mm Grade 43A steel and finished in anthracite grey. Each tank has a 1,000mm deep cabinet behind an electric roller shutter, a 600mm manway, and generator connections for five 2" feed lines and five 2" return lines.
Inside the cabinet, a 70LPM Piusi Panther pump with a K33 flow meter, a 15m 1" hose and an A60 automatic shut-off nozzle handle dispensing. Alongside it, a 230v fuel recirculation unit turns over up to 3,000 litres a day through a fuel conditioner, a 30 micron water filter and a 5 micron particle filter. A Piusi OCIO level gauge shows the contents at a glance, and a CTS bund alarm warns if anything ever reaches the bund.
Summary
The result
The tanks were built in six weeks and delivered by Hiab, which positioned them on their concrete pad on site ahead of the end of August deadline. Both now feed the data centre's generators and fill vehicles in the yard.
Netwise say the tanks have made day-to-day fuel planning easier, and the recirculation units give them peace of mind that the generators always have a clean fuel supply. They are now looking at a tank for another of their sites.
“Really happy with the quality and final product, sales process was quick and easy.”
Matthew Butt, Netwise
