A Hi-Tech Installation at the new Certas Southampton Truck Stop

OTS were tasked to install two tanks, provided by another supplier, along with all the fuel dispensing and associated equipment to get the site up and running.

The two large fuel storage tanks had five compartments between them which would contain four products, diesel, gas oil, GTL, and adBlue.

Two remote islands were constructed, each with two 4300 host dispensers to deliver three products per Island, one island dispensing diesel, adBlue and gas oil, with the second island dispensing diesel, adBlue and GTL.

OTS were tasked with testing and installing the pumps onto the islands. This included the installation of approximately 150 metres of underground pipework and a bespoke manifold system to feed this pipe work constructed in Geberit Mapress, stainless-steel crimp pipe work system. This work was carried out on site by the manufacturers of that pipe system.

Various control functions and safety features are incorporated in this project. All controlled by Poseidon SCS, a joint venture between OTS and Certas.

This trademarked electronic system uses Programmable Logic Controllers and HMI (human machine interface) control to monitor and control the whole of the fuelling installation including diverse elements of the installation such as fuel line pressures, flow rates and levels within the tanks. It can switch on and off various pieces of equipment such as dispensing pumps or fuel card reading systems and can isolate pumps to stop them from operating, remotely in the event that there's not enough fuel in a tank to actually dispense to the islands. This is managed by internet connection and an app on mobile devices. Control of the systems is also by the use of the touchscreen.

During the installation phase of this project, when laying out the underground pipe work it was calculated by OTS that there wasn't enough supply to the islands to have all the nozzles working as they would wish. So OTS recommended the installation of extra fuel lines to ensure that there was enough flow rate to the islands to allow for the refuelling of up to eight HTV vehicles as specified.

When this project brief was given to OTS, the manifold system looked over-complicated and cumbersome. OTS therefore requested that a Mapress pipework system be used to complete this element of the project. This was agreed by Trident. As a result of this, the site installation is very efficient and does look very professional and compact.

When the site was completed it became one of Certas’ largest volume sites, serving the port of Southampton with all the fuelling needs for the port’s HGV traffic.