Containerized range

Containerized Diesel Generators

A containerized diesel generator puts the engine, alternator, control panel, fuel tank and cabling inside a steel box that is designed to be lifted, shipped and locked. The electrical data is the same as an open set of the same rating; what the container adds is weather protection, security, a walk-in maintenance space and a transport unit that anyone in the world can handle with standard equipment.

Two very different things are sold under this name, so the first question on any enquiry is which one you are buying.

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Definition

An ISO container or an enclosure that looks like one

A true containerized set uses a certified ISO freight container as its enclosure. It has ISO 1161 corner fittings, a CSC safety approval plate, and the container can be lifted, stacked and shipped as freight in its own right. The other product on the market is a purpose-built acoustic enclosure dimensioned to sit on a 20 ft footprint. It may be a better acoustic package, but it is not a certified container and cannot be stacked or shipped as one.

ISO 668 external and internal dimensions for the two sizes normally used for generator sets.
Item 20 ft (1CC) 40 ft high cube (1AAA)
External length x width x height 6 058 x 2 438 x 2 591 mm 12 192 x 2 438 x 2 896 mm
Internal length x width x height About 5 898 x 2 352 x 2 393 mm About 12 032 x 2 352 x 2 698 mm
Door opening About 2 340 x 2 280 mm About 2 340 x 2 585 mm
Tare weight 2.2-2.4 t 3.8-4.2 t
Maximum gross weight 30 480 kg 30 480 kg, some units rated 32 500 kg
Typical generator rating inside Up to about 800-1000 kVA for a single set Two sets up to 1000 kVA each, or one set with bulk fuel and switchgear

A 20 ft box becomes tight quickly: the engine, radiator, exhaust, tank and switchgear all compete for the same 5.9 m of interior length. Above roughly 1000 kVA a single set normally moves to a 40 ft unit, or to a purpose-built enclosure outside the ISO dimensional envelope.

Contents

What is normally inside the box

A container package is specified like a small plant room. Each item below either protects the set, keeps it running, or lets someone work on it without opening the box to the weather.

Typical contents of a 20 ft containerized set. The split between the machine room and the control room changes with the supplier.
Item Typical execution Why it is there
Generator set Engine, alternator and base frame on anti-vibration mounts, bolted to the container floor The floor must be reinforced locally; a standard container floor is not designed for this point load
Fuel system Base tank plus an internal day tank, or a bunded internal tank with level gauge and low-level alarm Bulk fuel inside the box increases autonomy but counts against the gross weight limit
Exhaust Residential grade silencer inside, discharging through a wall or roof penetration with a rain cap Routing and support matter: the exhaust expands when hot and must not load the container skin
Cooling Motorised louvres or fixed grilles in the walls, sized for radiator airflow plus ventilation Air in and air out must be separate paths, or the box recirculates its own heat
Control room Partition wall with a door, control panel, battery charger, sockets and lighting Allows safe work at the panel without standing next to a running engine
Cable entry Gland plate with removable sections, earthing stud, cable tray to the breaker Lets the incoming and outgoing cables be sealed after installation
Fire and gas Heat or smoke detection with automatic shutdown, clean agent or aerosol suppression, fuel shut-off valve An unattended box with a fuel tank inside is the case the detection covers
Ambient control Insulation and, on hot sites, forced ventilation or a small air conditioner in the control room Electronics and batteries fail long before the engine does
Lighting and power 24 V DC or 230 V AC lighting, external socket, emergency light on the door Servicing a dark box at night is a routine requirement, not an exception

Protection

Ratings and certificates to ask for

The documents and ratings that decide whether the package is fit for a remote or unattended site.
Item What to specify Why it matters
Enclosure ingress protection IP54 or better for the machine room, IP55 for the control room Driven rain and blowing sand find any unprotected louvre or gland
Alternator protection IP23 minimum, IP44 with filters for dusty sites Dust in the windings shortens insulation life
Container certification CSC safety approval plate, ISO 1161 corner fittings, test records under ACEP Without a plate it is not a freight container, whatever the brochure says
Corrosion protection Corten or equivalent shell, epoxy internal lining, C4 or C5-M paint system for coastal sites Coastal and offshore locations corrode mild steel in a few years
Fire detection Heat and smoke detection, automatic engine shutdown, fuel shut-off An unattended set must fail safe without a person present
Earthing Earthing stud bonded to the frame, neutral arrangement stated (solid or switched) The neutral decision affects protection settings and UPS compatibility
Ambient rating Declared for 50 °C or 55 °C where required, with ventilation sized for it A container in full sun is 10-15 °C hotter inside than the outside air
Lifting and tie-down Verified lift plan, ISO corner castings used for lifting, internal fixings rated for transport Sets have been damaged in transit by being lifted on a skid that was never designed for it

Choosing

Container, canopy or open skid

The three outdoor forms side by side, for the same duty rating.
Question Containerized Acoustic canopy Open skid
Where does it stand? Remote sites, rooftops, ports, yards with no building available Prepared yard or roof beside an occupied building Inside a plant room that already exists
Noise at 7 m 68-78 dB(A) typically; lower with a lined and baffled build 62-76 dB(A) 78-96 dB(A)
Weather and dust Best of the three: sealed box, filtered ventilation, IP54 or better Good, but louvres are exposed directly to wind-driven rain Depends entirely on the building
Security Lockable, walk-in, control panel behind a partition Lockable doors, but no space to work inside Needs a locked room
Transport Fits standard flat racks and container ships; needs a crane or reach stacker Needs a low-bed trailer and a crane Needs a flat-bed trailer and a crane
Footprint Largest: a 20 ft box plus door swing at both ends Moderate Smallest machine, largest room
Service access Walk-in, all weather, but space inside is tight Through side doors; some tasks need canopy panels removed Best access of the three
Typical use Telecom, mining and oil and gas sites, rental fleets, data centre yards Hotels, hospitals, offices, urban sites Factories, basements, containerised plant rooms

The deciding question is usually transport, not acoustics. If the set has to travel by sea, be stacked in a yard, or be moved between sites with standard lifting equipment, the ISO container format pays for itself. If it will stand in one prepared yard for its whole life, a canopy is cheaper and easier to service.

Questions

Questions we are asked about containerized sets

What is the largest generator that fits in a 20 ft container?

Practically, one set up to about 800-1000 kVA, and often less once a bulk tank, switchgear and a control room are included, because the gross weight limit of 30 480 kg applies to the whole finished unit. Above that rating the package moves to a 40 ft high cube, or the tank and switchgear are placed outside the box.

Is a containerized generator quieter than a canopy set?

Not automatically. A plain steel container is a poor acoustic enclosure: it is stiff, it resonates, and its walls have almost no absorption. A container becomes quiet when the inside is lined with mineral wool, the air path is baffled, and a residential-grade silencer is fitted. Expect 68-78 dB(A) at 7 m from a lined container, and 80-88 dB(A) from an unlined one.

Can the container be built with a fuel tank inside?

Yes, and it is common, but two limits apply. The first is gross weight: a 20 ft unit with a 2 000 L tank is close to the practical limit before the container itself is considered. The second is fire protection, which becomes mandatory in most specifications once a significant volume of fuel is enclosed. Bunding, level alarms and a fuel shut-off valve are normally part of that package.

Do I need a crane on site to install it?

Yes for anything above a small unit. A 20 ft containerized set typically weighs 6-12 t finished, and the ISO corner castings are the lifting points — a spreader beam is the correct method. The set is then landed on a level, drained concrete plinth or hardstanding and secured against wind and, in seismic areas, against lateral movement.

How is the set earthed and connected on site?

The container frame is bonded to an earthing stud, and the site connects this to the installation earth. Whether the generator neutral is solidly connected or switched is a system decision that must be made before the set is built, because it changes the protection settings, the residual current arrangement and the behaviour of any UPS downstream.

Related

Other form factors and ranges

Planning a container package?

Send the rating, the fuel autonomy, the ambient temperature and how the unit will be transported. Those four answers fix most of the enclosure.

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