High-tech equipment storage

This project started out with two 10′ HC shipping containers which were equipped slightly differently to serve as equipment containers for a customer.

Let’s start with the similarities.

We installed fire-resistant EI90 insulation to the double doors, walls and ceilings, and a 50mm thick XPS insulation underneath the container floors. We also added an air heat pump to each container so that it would be easy for the customer to regulate the temperature inside the containers. Then we covered the outdoor units with custom shelters and added plastic pipes to direct the condensate water systematically down towards the ground, thus preventing the water from dripping freely down on the outside wall of the container.

The customer also wanted the containers to have continuous ventilation, which they now do thanks to a few added features. On opposite walls of the container, we installed two new supply air valves which adapt automatically to temperature differences. Exhaust air from inside the container was organized by adding an effective 100A duct fan and hooking it up with a stepless thyristor speed controller.

Guaranteeing the efficiency and accuracy of exhaust ventilation was particularly important in this project, as separate carbon dioxide sensors were also installed in these equipment containers. The duct fans were connected to the sensors so that the fans will operate at a higher capacity if the CO2 level inside the container rises above a specific threshold. Furthermore, the duct fans will continue to automatically remove air until the CO2 level has stabilized to the default level.

Inside the equipment containers, we also added LED lights and three double sockets to accommodate the customer’s equipment. The container has a 16A power supply and both the kill switch and the manual controller of the duct fan are fitted inside a protective case on the outside wall of the container.

On top of these changes, we also cut a 500mm x 500mm opening and D25 holes so that any necessary cords could be fed through them easily.

The biggest difference between the finished 10′ equipment storage containers lies within the floors, so let’s dive into them next.

In the first container, the standard plywood floor was covered with 3mm thick aluminum tear plate. After the new layer of aluminum, the container floor is able to handle much larger point loads and have a better weight distribution.

The load-bearing abilities of the floor in the second container needed to be improved even more, so here the standard plywood floor was removed entirely. Taking away the plywood revealed the cross members of the container, to which we welded extra support beams in a 90-degree angle, making the shipping container floor structure even sturdier. Over the strengthened cross members we installed a 3mm thick galvanized steel plate, and the new floor was finished off with the same kind of aluminum tear plate as was used in the first container space. To this latter container floor, we also installed two floor drains that direct water outside through plastic pipes attached to the bottom side rail of the container.

Several small modifications in one single project add up quickly, making a big impact for the end-user. We make big as well as small shipping container modifications on our depots, all the way from planning to execution, transportation and installation on-site. Let us know about your container needs via the form below and we’ll make you a non-binding offer!