The generator yard holds the fuel that keeps the campus alive, and almost everything around the tanks is fabricated steel. Buy it tested, because containment with a pinhole is not containment.
Sourcing fuel system steel for a data center project? Call 601.892.5017 or email collin.t@fabtekindustries.com — send the drawings and the spec and we quote to print.
- Package the yard as one scope: day-tank skids, saddles, fill stations, supports and welded fuel spools.
- Require leak tests on containment and pressure tests on fuel spools, recorded per item.
- Qualify on code pipe welding plus structural and enclosure fabrication; the yard needs all three.
- Detail skids to the tank manufacturer's certified drawings and the generator's day-tank location.
What you are buying
A data center generator yard runs on bulk diesel storage, transfer pumps, fuel piping and day tanks at each generator. The tanks are the tank manufacturer's. The skids and integral containment pans the day tanks sit on, the saddles and cradles under bulk tanks, the fill-station and transfer-pump enclosures, the pipe racks and supports, the welded single- or double-wall fuel spools, and the containment curbs and dike crossings are fabrication. The fuel-system engineer designs it; the fabricator builds and tests it.
Where it sits in the project
Developers and electrical contractors buy the yard package with the generators; generator packagers buy skids, saddles and spools to complete their scope. The steel is needed when the generators set, and the fuel piping is commissioned with them, so the package releases from the approved generator and tank submittals.
What to put in the RFQ
| Fuel-system drawings | Yard layout, P&ID, piping isometrics, tank and generator submittals |
|---|---|
| Skids and containment | Day-tank skid dimensions, containment capacity per the spill requirement, lifting and anchoring |
| Piping | Single- or double-wall, carbon steel schedule, B31.1 or B31.3, end types, test pressure |
| Enclosures | Fill-station and pump enclosures: rating, access, metering and filtration mounting |
| Supports | Yard pipe racks, trapezes, anchors; galvanized |
| Testing | Leak test on containment, hydrostatic or pneumatic test on spools; records per item |
| Finish | Fuel-resistant powder coat system; galvanized supports; color |
How to qualify a fabricator
- ASME Section IX pipe welding. Fuel spools are code piping; ask for the qualifications.
- Leak-tested containment. Every pan and curb tested before finish, with a record.
- Enclosure fabrication. Fill stations and pump enclosures should come from the same shop as the skids.
- Generator coordination. Skids detailed to the generator's day-tank and enclosure drawings.
Lead time, sequencing and delivery
Release from the approved tank and generator submittals. Supports and racks release first; skids, saddles and spools follow and ship together with the generator enclosures where the same fabricator builds them. Test records ship on each item.
Common mistakes
- Untested containment. A pan that leaks is found at the first spill.
- Skids detailed to nominal tank sizes. Wait for the certified drawings.
- Fuel piping from a non-code shop. Fuel is process piping; treat it that way.
- Standard powder coat on fuel-wetted steel. Specify a fuel-resistant system.
How FabTek supplies it
FabTek fabricates fuel system steel at four plants in Hazlehurst, Mississippi: day-tank skids and containment leak-tested before finish, saddles and supports galvanized through partners, fill-station enclosures from the enclosure line, and welded fuel spools with Section IX welders, shipped with the generator enclosures built on the same floor.
Frequently asked questions
What is a day-tank skid?
A welded structural skid with an integral containment pan that a generator's day tank sits on, with lifting and anchoring provisions and connections for supply and return fuel piping.
Does fuel piping need to be welded to a code?
Yes. Fuel piping is commonly specified to ASME B31.1 or B31.3 with Section IX welders and a pressure test; the project specification governs.
Does the fabricator supply the fuel tanks?
No. Tanks come from the tank manufacturer. The fabricator builds the skids, saddles, containment, enclosures and piping around them.
Who fabricates fuel system steel for data center generator yards?
FabTek Industries fabricates day-tank skids, containment, saddles, fill stations and fuel spools at its Mississippi plants for developers, electrical contractors and generator packagers.
