Background
A large government fueling facility supporting national defense operations required the design and construction of a reliable fuel storage and distribution system. Projects of this scale demand more than selecting individual components. The full fuel system must be designed to operate reliably as one, while meeting performance requirements, regulatory standards, and long-term service needs.
A design firm with experience in large-scale and mission-critical infrastructure owned the responsibility to define the system architecture and develop the project specifications.
Challenge
The challenge for the engineering firm was to take a systems approach, rather than identifying pieces that could work together. Their responsibility was to design a complete fuel system that could be confidently specified, installed and supported over the long term. This required a clear understanding of the complete system functionality and operation.
Designing a complete fuel system often requires coordinating input from multiple manufacturers, each focused on individual components. Without a clear view of how these elements perform together, validating system level performance can take additional time and effort.
This added complexity can introduce uncertainty during design and construction, slowing down the process to move forward with full confidence in the system. The team needed a partner who could provide timely and sound guidance to validate decisions.
Implementation
Franklin Electric was engaged early in the process, hosting a technical lunch-and-learn to support the engineering firm in evaluating system design considerations. This session focused on how fuel storage, piping, pumping, and monitoring systems work together, along with real world application insights to help guide early design decisions.
As the project progressed, Franklin Electric worked directly with the engineering firm to review the system design, identifying opportunities to simplify the approach and improve overall system performance. This included direct involvement in developing and reviewing specification language, along with providing design resources including pre-configured Revit® 3D models to accelerate system design.
Franklin Electric Value-Added Services:
With direct access to experienced Franklin Electric technical resources, the engineering team was able to address questions quickly and validate decisions with practical, real-world insight. Franklin Electric coordinated a working session with the engineering firm and the chosen equipment distribution/installation partner to align design intent with installation support and long-term serviceability.
This continuous engagement helped bridge the gap between design and execution, reinforcing confidence and enabling the team to move forward with a clearly defined and supportable system.
Franklin Electric’s Critical Power Solutions Provide:
System Confidence
The engineering firm developed a design they trusted, applying approaches used in similar applications around the world with input from Franklin Electric. This provided added confidence that the system would perform reliably as a complete, integrated solution.
Design Efficiency
The design came together more efficiently by utilizing available resources from Franklin Electric, including Revit® files for 3D modeling, direct feedback to reduce rework, and templated specification language.
Proven Longevity
The engineering firm had confidence they were specifying a system that could be sourced, installed, and serviced over time. That confidence was reinforced by an established installer base and a proven, long-standing presence in the industry.
Scalable Design
The selected products allowed the system to be scaled up or down without compromising performance. This provided the engineering firm a flexible design approach that could be applied across different sites while maintaining consistent results.
Conclusion
Designing a complete fuel oil system at this scale requires confidence that each component can be seamlessly integrated into a system solution that performs over time. By working alongside the engineering firm from the start, Franklin Electric helped simplify the design process by providing expertise and proven methods, allowing them to make better informed decisions.
The result was a more efficient process and a system they could confidently stand behind, both in how it was designed and how it would perform in the field.
