Diesel gen-sets help shoulder load in Chicago - generator sets from Aggreko

Aggreko supplies 60 MW of power to ComEd; GreenPower gen-sets utilize Cummins diesels, Newage alternators

The summer of 1998 brought with it an acute power shortage that adversely affected the upper Midwest. As a result, Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), the major utility based in Chicago, contracted with several companies to supply diesel generator sets to supplement the power grid. One of those companies was Aggreko, New Iberia, La., which provided 20 MW of temporary diesel driven power generation.

The project was deemed such a success by ComEd that in the spring of 1999, Aggreko was again called on to augment the utility power, this time supplying 60 MW for distributed generation.

"We were extremely pleased at the return business," commented Mark Stavrakis, Aggreko project manager. "Aggreko pioneered the seasonal peak shaving application in the utility market by using temporary diesel generators. Our teamwork efforts were most instrumental in our success last year here in Chicago, and with the scale of the project increasing considerably this year, it has played an even more vital role."

Two Chicago area substations were supplied with two dozen 1250 kW generators totaling 30 MW each. "Because our equipment is designed to be easily installed and operated together, each site was installed and running in less than two weeks," noted Stavrakis.

A group of seven Aggreko employees, including technicians and market specialists were brought in from as far as Corpus Christi, Texas, for the nearly month-long installation process. The sites are manned by Aggreko technicians throughout the duration of the project with crew change-outs taking place every 30 days. "The units are maintained and operated by Aggreko personnel starting each unit individually and manually paralleling to the grid," said Stavrakis. "In other applications, these generators could be controlled and operated from a central control room or remotely."

Aggreko is using its standard GreenPower generator sets, which are powered by Cummins KTA50G3 diesel engines driving Newage 1875 kVA synchronous alternators producing 480 V, three-phase a.c. power. Each generator utilizes a VAR/power factor controller to maintain the proper power factor.

In operation, each generator first synchronizes with the grid and is base loaded to 1000 kW. The generators are typically being used six to eight hours a day as needed, based on area grid demands.

Automated diesel condition monitoring for generator sets

The Canadian Department of National Defense (DND) operates 36 Short Range Radar sites in Canada's far north. Each unmanned site is powered by three Lister-Petter HL-6 diesel engines coupled to Kato Engineering 30 kW brushless generators. Many of these engines have accumulated in excess of 30,000 hours of operation. DND required some means to remotely diagnose/assess the health of these engines in order to determine which gen-set should operate. In addition, there is a need to determine potential maintenance requirements and associated timing of maintenance site visits.

The power contribution of each cylinder of a diesel engine can be used to assess engine condition and assist in locating faults (i.e., fuel rack adjustment, injector fouling, valve seating, ring breakage, etc). In larger diesel engines, cylinder condition is usually assessed by measuring cylinder pressure during operation using permanently installed cylinder pressure access ports. Smaller high-speed diesel engines, such as the Lister-Petter HL-6, are not normally equipped with combustion pressure access ports and the cost of modifying cylinder heads made this approach unattractive to DND.

Advanced Engine Technology Ltd. (AET), has developed an engine condition monitoring system for this application under contract with the North Warning System Office of DND. AET is a research, development and manufacturing company with diesel engine/fuels laboratory facilities located in Nepean, a neighboring city to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

The AET Engine Condition Monitor (ECM) can detect any combination of cylinder faults in six-cylinder high-speed diesel generator sets under continually varying loads. The power balance of each cylinder can be predicted to within [+ or -]2 percent RMS and cylinder pressure measurements are not required. Operation of the ECM is fully automated, and engine data can be downloaded from the remote radar sites to a centrally located monitoring station.

Generator Sets are based on 23 L, 6-cylinder diesel engine

Available in 50 and 60 Hz frequencies, Series DQC consists of 600, 750, and 800 kW generator sets intended for standby and prime power use in wide range of applications. Units include PowerCommand[R] digital control system for total system integration, including automatic remote starting/stopping, precise frequency and voltage regulation, alarms and status message display, alternator protection, output metering, and auto-shutdown-at-fault detection.

MINNEAPOLIS - Cummins Power Generation has introduced a series of 600 kW, 750 kW, and 800 kW generator sets based on a new 23-liter inline 6-cylinder diesel engine that offers low emissions and fast transient response to load changes. The generator sets are available in 50 Hz and 60 Hz frequencies. They are intended for standby and prime power use in a wide range of applications, and are backed by Cummins' global service support.

"The DQC series of generator sets offer low emissions, and 60Hz models are certified to the current U.S. EPA Nonroad Source Emission standards," says Mark Westphal, Product Director, Cummins Power Generation. "In addition, the generator sets are listed to UL2200, which helps expedite the commissioning and inspection process during installation."

The DQC series features PowerCommand[R] digital control system for total system integration, including automatic remote starting/stopping, precise frequency and voltage regulation, alarm and status message display, alternator protection, output metering, and auto-shutdown-at-fault detection. The generator sets are also NFPA 110 compliant for all standby applications.

The DQCA generator set is standby rated at 600 kW (60 Hz) and 545 kW (50 Hz); and prime rated at 545 kW (60 Hz) and 500 kW (50 Hz). The DQCB generator set is standby rated at 750 kW (60 HZ) and 640 kW (50 Hz); and prime rated at 680 kW (60 Hz) and 584 kW (50 Hz). The DQCC is standby rated at 800 kW (60 Hz) and 656 kW (50 Hz); and prime rated at 725 kW (60 Hz) and 656 kW (50 Hz).