Western Branch Diesel – which in July merged with Curtis Engine & Equipment Company, Inc. to become Curtis Power Solutions -- recently delivered three MTU 10V1600 DS450 standardized backup generator sets to provide emergency backup power to the North Carolina Aquarium on the Outer Banks on Roanoke Island. The newly installed 450kW generators have replaced the site’s existing generator unit. Curtis Power Solutions is a distributor partner and service provider for MTU-brand generators from Rolls-Royce.
Challenge
The North Carolina Aquarium has a long history of promoting appreciation, education and conservation about aquatic life to its visitors. The facility needed a safe and reliable backup power system to keep the vital systems of the aquarium up and running during any power interruptions, protecting the lives of the animals who reside there while also providing emergency lighting for the building.
Solution
The new MTU generators have been installed on the exterior of the aquarium facing the picturesque Albemarle Sound and are paralleled through MCG 3000 controllers in an N+1 configuration.
The new units are paired with a delayed transition transfer switch with load shedding capability and feature an open transition automatic transfer switch that offers life safety continuous start wire monitoring. The generators are fueled by custom UL-2085 250-gallon day tanks that will be fed by an existing 10,000-gallon supply tank.
Western Branch Diesel oversaw the installation of the MTU units in collaboration with channel partners SSME (Spring Stoops McCullen Engineering) of Durham, NC, a consulting engineering firm, and electrical contractor Nationwide Electric.
Bottom Line
“The reliability and efficiency of MTU generator systems allow our customers peace of mind on several fronts, providing efficient power and doing it smartly, with industry-leading average load factor, cutting-edge emissions control, outstanding fuel economy and optimized maintenance intervals,” said Kevin McKinney, Senior Manager Sales, MTU America.
Added Wesley Wolfe, Project Manager, Power Generation Sales, Curtis Power Solutions – South Region, “The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is dedicated to the conservation of animals within their care and the local ecosystem. It has been a privilege partnering together to ensure their mission critical and life safety power generation needs are met.”