HyDUS Mobile Containerised Laboratory

Concepts

• abingdon
• modular and portable buildings
• laboratory building
• mobile containerised laboratory
• hydus mobile containerised laboratory
• (mobile containerised laboratory
• laboratory
• containerised
• mobile
• hydus

Location

Oxfordshire: Culham Science Centre

Description

The HyDUS project is creating a world first demonstrator for a reversible hydrogen storage system and the MCL (Mobile Containerised Laboratory) will act to house this demonstrator. Procurement of this equipment is essential since it allows better control and isolation of the demonstrator system to the surrounding environment. Isolation is a requirement here due to the nature of the experimental campaign which includes production of DU storage bed systems containing pyrophoric powders during conditioning, handling of mildly radioactive DU (includes risk of contamination) and work with explosive/flammable gases such as hydrogen (operating at low pressure ranges). The MCL, as delivered will: • Function as the surrounding environment • Contain the safety systems for the process hazards • Be delivered with the experimental process infrastructure in place • Be delivered with a DU powder sump system per bed as per suppliers design

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 44211100 - Modular and portable buildings
• 45214610 - Laboratory building construction work

Legal Justification

UKAEA requires a hydrogen compliant containerised laboratory that would also be certified for holding depleted uranium getter/storage beds. Following a prior information notice (PIN) UKAEA identified that there was only one company that could meet the unusual combination of technical capability. From our market engagement, there were no other suppliers that can provide containerised laboratory solutions which include accommodation of DU and DU getter beds combined with hydrogen circulation and storage. Available off the shelf containerised laboratories do not provide compliance with both the safety features required for hydrogen storage, as well as, the safety features required for housing depleted uranium metal in a powdered and therefore, pyrophoric form (flammable). This is a unique combination of risks and therefore, highly specialised. As such, COTS solutions are not suitable, because they are not safety compliant. For a supplier, other than the chosen supplier, to modify a COTS containerised solution it would add complexity, time and cost and it is considered highly unlikely that they would have the technical capability or interest in providing a solution that is safety compliant to our specifications. It is considered that it is much better to go directly to the only specialised manufacturer that has a track record of delivering the capability that our project requires.

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. **