Important considerations for power systems in manufacturing facilities

Power insights

• Designing electrical systems for industrial facilities requires careful consideration of fire pump size, arc flash ratings and early planning to ensure safety and cost accuracy.
• Industrial power distribution systems must be scalable, redundant and integrate with automation systems.

• Jarron Gass, PE, CFPS, Fire Protection Discipline Leader, CDM Smith, Pittsburgh
• Justin Milne, PE, PMP, Senior Engineer, Jensen Hughes, Allen, Texas
• Jonathan Sajdak, PE, Associate Principal / Fire Protection engineering director, Page, Houston
• Michael Whalen, PE, LEED AP BD&C, Project Manager, HDR Engineering, New York

Are there any issues unique to designing electrical/power systems for industrial facilities? Please describe, particularly for large-scale industrial or manufacturing plants.

Justin Milne: In industrial facilities, the fire pump’s size can significantly affect the electrical power system design. A critical consideration is allocating enough space for the fire pump room and placing it close to the electrical room. An often overlooked aspect is that the amperage rating for the electrical power supplying the fire pump is much higher than typical building equipment, due to the locked rotor current requirements for emergency duty equipment. Consequently, the arc flash rating on the electrical equipment serving the fire pump can be quite severe, necessitating greater safety precautions. Therefore, it is essential to size a fire pump early in the design phase to accurately account for project costs. The project team should fully understand their design options.

Michael Whalen: Owners have a desire for their facilities to be as sustainable and energy-efficient as possible, but manufacturing processes use an immense amount of power. For new facilities, coordination and upgrades may be required from the utility provider to bring new transmission or distribution power to the area. Within the facility, designing the power distribution system to be scalable to a variety of manufacturing processes is complex. Engineers need to analyze load and power requirements in order to integrate with automation systems and be as redundant as possible, all while maintaining the safety of for personnel and equipment.

What types of unusual standby, emergency or backup power systems have you specified for industrial and manufacturing facilities? Describe the project.

Michael Whalen: Uptime is the most important aspect of running an efficient, safe and profitable facility. Large manufacturing facilities may require significant megawatts of backup power. Redundant feeders from the utility should always be considered. Standby diesel and gas generators have a proven track record. However, more modern facilities are requiring uninterrupted operations, so battery energy storage systems are being installed. These types of backup systems for industrial facilities are complex to engineer as they operate in different environmental conditions and generally power larger motor loads, as opposed to backup power systems in an office building or data center.

Finding protection that can accommodate for the unique nature of chemical fires from lithium-ion batteries is a current hot topic among fire protection engineers. Courtesy: Jensen Hughes

What are some key differences in electrical, lighting and power systems you might incorporate in this kind of facility, compared to other projects?

Michael Whalen: The biggest difference, and a significant challenge for designers, is the environmental conditions in which these systems are operating. Many times, high temperatures, humidity, corrosive atmospheres and vibration are all present within these facilities. Additionally, redundancy of systems is almost always required to keep workers safe and the facility productive. General layouts and rules of thumb do not apply in these situations, as power and lighting always need to be customized to the space, function of the area and safety of the production line.

When designing lighting systems for these types of structures, what design factors are being requested? Are there any particular technical advantages that are or need to be considered?

Michael Whalen: The quality and housing of the fixture are important considerations when designing lighting for these types of manufacturing facilities. The fixtures need to be treated to withstand elements like high temperatures, humidity, corrosion, oil, steam and dust. In addition, control systems are being requested to reduce electricity costs. The control systems are typically either wireless or wired and include dimming capabilities as well as the ability to be adaptive based on occupancy and available daylight.

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