The Biozentrum moves to a 73-metre research tower

In 2019, the Biozentrum in Basel will have a new home: a tower made of chromium steel and glass with urban charisma. It will accommodate 600 researchers and 800 students. The building costs 328 million CHF and has 19 storeys, 16 of which are above ground and three below. It features modern infrastructure and provides many places of encounter for scientific exchange. The underground rooms are highly complex and were difficult to plan. Among other things, they will house a number of sensitive scientific facilities such as the Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics (C-CINA) and the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy facility.

In addition to the Biozentrum, the new building will house the University of Basel data centre. The researchers will have ten floors available.

System responsibility

In the first phase, Net Powersafe AG was commissioned to supply two emergency power systems with 1250 kVA each with Dead Bus synchronization , 1000 kVA n+1 dynamic UPS systems , and 75 type-tested low voltage panels up to 3200 A.

The “vertical” topology of the supply infrastructure led to rigorous requirements on the research tower’s electrical supply. During the project’s realisation, we tested the sustainability of the operational processes and our engineering team was challenged commissioned to provide additional services such as emergency power systems with system responsibility in special containers, circuit breaker optimisation for periodic maintenance, and continuous leakage current measurement.

Net Powersafe scope of supply:

-Factory acceptance testing of the overall delivery incl. 35 °C heat run test

-2 x emergency power systems 1250 kVA with system responsibility in special containers

-Overall fuel supply with 1 main tank and 2 day tanks incl. a redundant pump station (difference in height: 70 m)

-Exhaust system with particle filter and sound absorber

-Dynamic UPS systems 1000 kVA n+1

-Main distribution with 75 type-tested low voltage panels up to 3200 A

-Technical control system of the emergency power system with 6 5 remote 15” touch panel PC monitors

-Redundant fibreglass network topology

-Circuit breaker optimisation for periodic maintenance

-Continuous leakage current measurement

Net Powersafe’s turnkey solution encompassed the supply, installation, and initial operation of the overall project involving diesel-supported dynamic UPS systems. Since the end of 2018, the systems have a maintenance agreement with 24/7 support.