Rolls-Royce to supply 12 mtu Kinetic PowerPacks for a supercomputing facility to Saudi Arabian university

Rolls-Royce is to supply 12 mtu Kinetic PowerPacks to King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia this summer.

The systems, equipped with dynamically rotating kinetic energy accumulators, will be used to provide the university’s supercomputing facility and data centre with clean, conditioned, uninterruptible power supplies, acting as the energy backbone.

“We are delighted that such a renowned university as King Abdullah University for Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia has chosen us as a partner, placing their confidence in our solutions, our expertise and our many years of experience. The choice underlines our recently expanded expertise in the field of dynamic uninterruptible power supplies and is a major success,” explained Andreas Schell, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

“We’ve been in discussions with the customer since 2016. We were able to fulfil all of the customer’s wishes and requirements and thus put together a complete solution, that includes a substantial local content,” Bernard Hanssens, Managing Director of the subsidiary in Dubai added.

Each mtu Kinetic PowerPack type KP5 has a power output of 1.6 megawatts, operates in medium voltage at 13.8kV, 60Hz, and is powered by an mtu diesel engine type 16V 4000 G74S. These uninterruptible power supply systems are produced in Liège (Belgium), are then fitted into custom-made enclosures in the United Arab Emirates, and finally installed on site in Saudi Arabia. The systems are designed for humid ambient conditions and temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius.

The scope of supply also includes medium-voltage switchgear and transformers as well as two control stations. The Rolls-Royce Power Systems team in the Middle East is expected to commission the turnkey plant at the end of 2021 and will be on hand to provide operational support for a further year, and remain available for long term service support throughout the life time of the installation.

mtu Kinetic PowerPacks will be installed in two groups of six systems each, with one available as a back-up in each group. In the event of a power outage, the constantly rotating, heavy kinetic energy accumulator will drive the generator and bridge the few seconds until the diesel engine, which has started in the meantime, takes over.

Source: Global Energy World