Background
Our client is a leading provider of portable tanks and dispensing equipment for the safe storage and handling of fuels, lubricants, and other fluids.
The Challenge
Our client was required to supply 100 x standby fuel tanks in 3 different sizes to a temporary power generation customer to support the 2018 Winter Olympics held in PyeongChang, South Korea.
The ambient conditions were predicted to be as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius, so a fuel heating solution was needed that would ensure the diesel fuel would not cloud or gel at such low temperatures, as their Clients customer could not afford to have any interruption to the fuel generator fuel supply.
That immediately presented two key challenges – compatibility and time pressure, because the fuel heating solution had to be:
- compatible with their Clients approved fuel tank design
- but also procured within a very short lead time – 13 weeks – because this fuel heating solution had to be designed and delivered quickly to ensure it would be fitted and on site in PyeongChang before the opening ceremony.
The Solution
Our Client had reviewed numerous options including trace heating and insulating jackets for the fuel tanks.
It was determined that an immersion heater would be the most efficient and cost-effective option and a more than a dozen different suppliers were contacted to propose a solution.
Only Preheat Engineering Ltd were able to propose a solution and then commit to deliver in time.
Preheat’s Peregrine flange-mounted, immersion fuel tank pre-heaters (http://preheat.co.uk/products/tank-heaters-fuel-oil/model-975-top-entry-tank-heater-flanged/ ) in sizes suitable for 3000L, 5000L and 10,000L tanks, were selected because they were already designed to meet our Client’s specifications and available ‘off-the-shelf.’
The Result
Preheat worked overtime to deliver the 100 fuel tank pre-heater units by the required deadline, to ensure they were fitted and the standby fuel tanks despatched and working on site in PyeongChang in advance of the opening ceremony.
“We consulted with more than a dozen different suppliers, but only Preheat had a solution ready to go. Everyone else had to undertake customisation to meet the specification. Simon’s commitment to deliver on time then made the decision for us and was very professional throughout. Preheat delivered when we needed them to.”
Contract Coordinator