Diesel generator set installation

INTRODUCTION
Genset Installation requires proper engineering to ensure
optimum / satisfactory performance
Improved reliability and durability
Easy serviceability
High uptime of DG set
Improved aesthetic of DG set
Better working condition
Fig-1(Image-0501)
Fig-2(Image-0502)
Fig-3(Image-0503)
Fig-4(Image-0504)

1. LOCATION AND ROOM LAYOUT

1.1 D.G. room should be located considering wind direction and there should be
no obstruction to natural wind flow.
1.2 Position the generator set so that the prevailing wind do not enter into the
radiator / exhaust outlet. If this is not possible, install a wind barrier. Distance of
the wind barrier from the room should be at least three times radiator core height.
1.3 Genset should be located away from polluted atmosphere like acidic fumes,
cement dust, stone dust cotton fibres, furnace chemicals etc. wherever possible.
1.4 In case location is dusty or polluted, Heavy duty air cleaner is must for
such installations. Heat exchanger cooled system is recommended for such
installations as radiator gets clogged in dusty atmosphere.
1.5 For humid / coastal atmospheric applications, anti condensation heaters are
mandatory for alternator.
1.6 Genset should be nearer to the load centre.
1.7 Typical 2-meters free space around genset is recommended for proper heat
dissipation and ease of service. However, to avoid hot air recirculation radiator
cooled engines should have minimum possible space in the front. Minimum 1.5
meter free space is a must for 100 KVA and bigger gensets, for smaller gensets it
should be 1 meter.
Room layout is important for
- Serviceability
- Ventilation
- Ease in operation
- Genset room aesthetics

1.8 In case of multiple sets provide minimum 2 meters clearance between

gensets.
1.9 While making room layout provision should be made for:
- Cables
- Fuel lines
- Breather vent
- Coolant / lub oil drain
- Raw water lines
- Oil / spares storage
1.10 Future expansion plans should be considered while deciding room size.
Fig-5(Image-0505)
Fig-6( Image-0506)
2. ROOM VENTILATION
2.1 Ventilation of the generator room is necessary to remove heat and fumes
dissipated by the engine, alternator and its accessories and to provide clean and
fresh combustion air. Ventilation requirement is mandatory for all engines.
Improper ventilation can lead to :
- Poor fuel efficiency
- Poor performance of genset
- Failures of rubber components
- High exhaust temperature and related failures
- Unbearable working conditions due to higher room
temperatures
- High temperature rise in generator windings and
possible failures / insulation properties deterioration
2.2 Cross ventilation and free flow of cool, clean and fresh air is must for
satisfactory operation of DG set. Air should flow from alternator end to engine
2.3 For radiator cooled engines opening in front of radiator should be 1.5 times
radiator core and at back 2.25 to 3 times radiator core. Ducting in front of radiator
is recommended, however it is not mandatory. If exact opening in front of the
radiator is not possible then ducting should be done to take out hot air. If opening
in the back side of genset is not possible then opening on both sides of genset at
the rear of the alternator may be acceptable. In this case total openings in two
side walls should be at least 3 times radiator core
2.4 Additional ventilation arrangement may be required for radiator cooled
engines installed in acoustic rooms/enclosures.
2.5 Maximum allowed temperature rise above ambient in genset room /
enclosure is:
Max. Ambient 40oC Allowable temp rise of100C
Above40oC Allowable temp rise of 5oC
Please note that appropriate deration may be applicable considering altitude and
temperature for a particular engine/ alternator model.
For higher ambient temperature, it is suggested to use an additional air handling
system with cooler to reduce genset room temperature and ventilation air
requirement.
2.6 Field Check for Proper Ventilation
2.6.1. Run the engine on full load / typical load for about 1 hour so that
temperature in the genset room gets stabilised.
2.6.2. Measure the ambient air temperature (ambient temperature should be
measured outside the genset room in shade).
2.6.3. Measure the temperature inside the genset room. Genset room
temperature should be measured near air cleaner inlet of engine.
2.6.4. Calculate temperature difference between genset room temperature and
ambient i.e. delta T. Sometimes to ensure proper ventilation, it may be necessary
to measure actual airflow by anemometer.
Foundation:E
Unloading:

Provision for genset lifting is provided on base-rails. Unload the genset from base
rail by lifting with proper genset lifting tackle or nylon sling / steel rope of suitable
capacity and crane so as to ensure no damage to oil sump, air cleaner, radiator
pipes etc. Do not lift the genset from engine and alternator hooks.These are
designed for lifting individual items only. Keep the genset covered with
polyethylene or tarpaulin during installation to ensure that water does not enter
Inside. Spreader bar / spacer plate of suitable size may be required to avoid
damages to genset components.
Fig-7( Image-0507)

Foundation:
Fig-8(0508)

3 FOUNDATIONS
3.1 Do not install genset on loose sand or clay.
3.2 Foundation should be designed considering safe bearing capacity of soil.
Vibration isolators (AVMs) reduce generator set vibration and noise transmission
to the surrounding structure. Steel spring vibration isolators are normally provided
on engine generator sets rated from 1500kW upwards. They are recommended,
however they are not mandatory.
3.3 If foundation is with anchor bolts, higher depths of foundation are required as
compared to mounting on AVMs. Please refer attached table for depths of PCC
(Plain Cement Concrete) for typical soil condition, however structural engineer
should be consulted to verify the data depending upon soil condition. If RCC
(Reinforced Cement Concrete) is used the depth of foundation can be reduced
as per recommendation of structural / civil engineer. Pockets (150
mm x 150 mm) are required if foundation bolts are to be used. For AVMs plain
foundation is adequate. Static and dynamic load data for foundation design can
be furnished on request by the D.G.Vendor;
Typical Depth Foundation
200KVA 200-550kVA 550-750 750-1250 1250-2000
250mm 350mm 450mm 550mm 650mm
Fig-9(Image-0509)
4.
5. XHAUST SYSTEM

4.1 Exhaust system should create minimum back pressure.

Higher back pressure leads to :
- Lower fuel economy
- High exhaust temperatures and related failures
- Poor performance of the engine
- Less durability of the engine
4.2 Exhaust piping inside the genset room should be lagged along with aluminum
sheet cladding to avoid heat input to the room. Typical thickness of lagging is 50
mm.
4.3 Exhaust flexible shall have its free length when it is installed. Recommended
piping arrangement with support locations
Fig10(Image-0510)
Fig-11(Image-0511)
5. FUEL SYSTEM

Fuel system:
Fig-12Image-0512)
Typically fuel tank should be placed on the level as that of engine i.e. Floor
mounted. Locate fuel tank such that fuel outlet point (at bottom of fuel tank) is
maximum 1.8 m (6 feet) below the fuel pump inlet or for top mounted fuel tank,
top side of fuel tank is max 1.5 m (5 feet) above fuel return line. In case of Top
Mounted tanks non return valves are must in fuel supply and return
lines of specified value.
For AMF critical start engines, minimum 0.45 m (18”) of gravity fuel feed needs to
be provided to fuel pump at inlet connection.
Size to suit atleast one shift operation or maximum 990 ltrs. (Material MS for fuel
tank and piping).
Drain fittings to bleed water condensate at lowest point of tank.
Fill neck to be provided to allow min. 5% expansion space.
Breather is mandatory.
Use pipe sealant Loctite Type 577 for all connections, for sealing. No teflon tape
to be used.
Suction and return line to be separated by at least 300 mm.
Galvanizing not recommended, inside fuel tank.
Hand hole, Wire mesh filter screen at filling point.
Fuel suction pipe should be 50 mm (2") inside the bottom of the fuel tank .
Cooling System
Systems are designed for ambient temperature of 50OC.
Water used in cooling system should have properties
as mentioned in Table .

Fig-13(Image-0513)

If properties are outside the limits then it can result in

– Scale formation
– Overheating
– Corrosion
Water softening / demineralizing plants should be used, if raw water quality is not
acceptable.
Coolant as recommended by the D.G.Vendor for the specific genset should be
added.
Raw water piping should be connected to engine HE by flexible connection /
hose in order to isolate engine vibrations and to avoid undue stress on H.E. and
piping.

Raw water inlet temperature should be 32O C with typical temperature rise of 7-
11O C. Cooling tower should be selected based on this temperature difference
and wet bulb temperature of site. Typical recommendations are given in Table.
Fig-14(Image-0514)
Typically MS pipes should be used for raw water. If GI pipes are used, those
must be threaded at flanges. The welding will destroy galvanising properties.
Fig-15(Image-0515)

t is mandatory to install raw water temperature and pressure gauges at inlet and
out let connections to H.E.
Water pressure at the inlet of heat exchanger should be around 3.5 kg/cm 2.
Strainer, non-return valve should be used in cooling tower circuit as shown. It is
mandatory to use pressure and temperature gauge in both supply and return
lines.
Raw water piping should be connected to engine HE by flexible connection /
hose in order to isolate engine vibrations and to avoid undue stress on H.E. and
piping.
Radiator fan flow should be free from any obstruction.
Fig-16(Image-0516)
Fig-17(Image-0517)
Battery and electrical system:
Batteries supplied with genset are generally dry and uncharged. First charging of
uncharged batteries is very important and should be done from authorised
battery
charging center. It takes about 72-80 hours.
Batteries should be placed on stands and relatively at cool place.
Battery capacity and size of cables is dependent on D.G. Specifications.
Genset / Engine Controls
The generator set is controlled locally by a dedicated Generator Control Panel.
This incorporates the control systems, metering, alarm indications and customer
Connections. Two types of control system are currently available; conventional
and Power Command control.
Make sure that the polarity of the battery connections are correct before applying
power to the all Electronic Controls.
Do not test wire leads to see if they are ‘live’ by flashing them on either engine
body or the ECP mounting stand.
Disconnect all connections to the control system on engine / genset before doing
any welding work on set.
Make sure the battery area is well ventilated before servicing the battery. Arcing
can cause explosion due to hydrogen gas given off by batteries.
Always refer to the wiring diagram and product manual supplied with the engine /
genset for details..

Cabling:
Use the sizes as recommended.
Use proper glands and clamps to avoid strain in bus bars and bolts.
Use separate structure for support purpose.
Make use of cable ladders/trays.
Maintain gap wit exhaust pipes and cable ladders.
Acoustic enclosure:
For these sets maintain sufficient distance, keeping in view for the necessity to
remove the parts of enclosures for some critical maintenance.

Earthing
The generating set and all associated equipment, control and switch gear panels
must be earthed before the set is put into operation.
4 numbers earth pits are required as per Indian Electricity rules or local electricity
board.
- 2 earthing pits for genset / control panel body
- 2 earthing pits for neutral

Copper or GI strips of suitable size may be used for earthing. Please note that for
normal soil, earth resistance should not exceed one ohm.
Earthing should be checked with multimeter (one probe at genset / Alternator /
baserail and another at earth strip. The resistance should be less than
1 ohm.
For gensets with AVM’s between engine / alternator and base rail. The earthing
MUST be done at the engine /alternator and NOT at baserail.

Genset should be earthed at two distinct points through a conductor heavy

enough to carry the short circuit current without burning out.

Commissioning check list for Diesel generators:

D.G.Set Rating:
1. Have all layout and system drawing been submitted to client.
If yes, attach one set to the checklist.
2. Location:Ground level / Basement / Roof top
( Acoustic enclosure genset should be located considering wind flow direction).
There should be no obstruction to natural wind flow.
3. Room Lay out: Length: Breadth Height .
For multiple sets ensure minimum distance between DG Sets as per guidelines.

4. Ventilation: recommended openings for radiator cooled engines.

Actual size at front & rear. .
Provision for forced ventilation in Heat exchanger cooled engines.
5. Foundadation:
Size: Length . Breadth . Height
.
D.G.Set placement provides area for service personnel to move around the D.G.Set .

6. Air System:
Heavy duty air cleaners for dusty environment.
Fresh air ducting for fibrous conditions to prevent early choking of air cleaners.
Suitable orientation of radiator cooled sets to avoid entry of fibrous dust in D.G.Room.
7. Exhaust System:
Is back pressure being kept within specs: If not check correct sizing of Exhaust piping
Pipe Size .
Silencer should preferably be located outside D.G.Room.
Insulation and lagging of exhaust pipes should be given inside D.G.Room.
Provide routing with min. No. of bends.
Proper support is given to avoid load on bellows or turbo.
Exhaust outlet should be oriented to the direction of wind flow.
8. Cooling System:
No immediate obstruction in front of the radiator.
Location of cooling tower to ensure shortest possible routing with minimum no of bends.
Size of raw water piping to ensure flow as per recommendations .
Raw water quality as per recommendations.
HE Raw water plumbing as per recommendations for multiple set installations.
Ensure use of strainer / cleaners / valves / instrumentation in raw water piping.
9. Gravity feed of 300mm is available above fuel pump interline for critical start AMF
sets.
10. D.G. Control panel:
Location should not obstruct fresh air flow.
Should not obstruct movement.
Proper visibility
Cabling and jointing as per recommendations.

Installation of UPS:

Bypass arrangement should be connected to mains backed by D.G.

Normal rating 1- 250 KVA.
At the site the complete system should be checked for any transit damage.

In totally no mains power situation battery should supply full load for 10min.
Lead calcium batteries are used.

A mimic panel should be provided in main operator cabin or BMS, to acknowledge the
alarm for internal faults of the UPS.

The tests mentioned in the specifications should be repeated, as far as possible such as
i) Capacity to deliver full load after mains fail.
ii) Short circuit the output and test.
iii) Transform to bypass and test.
iv) Test with no internal blower or cooling arrangement
v) Steady state performance.
The test should ensure that the out put is not affected by variations in input voltage,
load, power factor, and frequency, temperature and relative humidity.
Vi) the dynamic performance should be tested under conditions of input being
tripped, isolation and insertion of parallel units, transferring to and from Bypass,
switching load, short circuiting the output terminals, and fuse or protection clearing.
Vii) To test for the ability of a failed rectifier invertor unit to isolate itself from the
system while UPS continues to supply the critical load., even under conditions of blower
failure , failure in common frequency and load division circuits.
Viii) Final acceptance is to run the system with a dummy load for an extended load.

Operation with redundancy in place:

Number of UPS can run and feed common loads. How ever the systems should be
from single supplier and specified specially for such kind of operation
Space requirements:
The space requirement of UPS is governed by the capacity of the UPS and the
duration of the battery back up duration, the larger is the battery, the greater is the
required space. Generally UPS up to 20kva rating and 10min back up have ups and
battery in the same cabinet and require only one cabinet or panel. For UPS above 20KVA
rating or above 10 min battery back up duration , the battery cabinet is separate and there
may be more than one battery cabinet or alternately the batteries may be installed on a
rack. Generally, a single battery is provided for UPS ,but some systems may have two
batteries for redundancy. For larger capacities ( above 25 KVA), the manufacturer should
be consulted for space requirements.
The cabinets for UPS and battery should have a front clearance of 1000mm.
The rear clearance should be 200mm. The side clearance depends on the
manufacturer’s design.
If sufficient clearance cannot be provided, it can be specified for only front
clearances.
Fig-18(Image-0518)
UPS:
Operation:

Normal mode:
During normal operation all the power supplied to load passes through the rectifier /
charger and inverter which together perform a double conversion (AC-DC-AC), hence
the name. The voltage is continuously regenerated and regulated.
Battery backup mode:
When the AC input voltage is outside the specified tolerances for the UPS or the utility
power fails, the inverter and the battery step in to ensure a continuous supply of power to
the load.
The UPS continues to operate on battery power until end of battery back up time or utility
power returns to normal, which provokes transfer of the load back to the AC input
(Normal mode).
Bypass mode:
Bypass ensures no break transfer through a static switch from the inverter to utility power
and back.
The load transfer takes place in the event of
UPS failure
Load current disturbances due to inrush or faults
End of battery backup time.
A manual by pass line is also available for maintenance purposes. through a manual
switch.
Installation of UPS:
Bypass arrangement should be connected to mains backed by D.G.
Normal rating 1- 250 KVA.
At the site the complete system should be checked for any transit damage.

In totally no mains power situation battery should supply full load for a specified
duration.
Different types of batteries are used.
A mimic panel should be provided in main operator cabin or BMS, to acknowledge the
alarm for internal faults of the UPS.
The tests mentioned in the specifications should be repeated, as far as possible such as
i) capacity to deliver full load after mains fail.
ii) Short circuit the output and test.
iii) Transform to bypass and test.
iv) Test with no internal blower or cooling arrangement
v) Steady state performance.
The test should ensure that the out put is not affected by variations in input voltage,
load, power factor, and frequency, temperature and relative humidity.
Vi) the dynamic performance should be tested under conditions of input being tripped,
isolation and insertion of parallel units, transferring to and from Bypass, switching load,
short circuiting the output terminals, and fuse or protection clearing.
Vii) to test for the ability of a failed rectifier invertor unit to isolate itself from the system
while UPS continues to supply the critical load., even under conditions of blower failure ,
failure in common frequency and load division circuits.
Viii) Final acceptance is to run the system with a dummy load for an extended period.

The need for high availability has caused a shift towards use of configurations offering
redundancy at a number of levels in the installation.
Operation with redundancy in place:
Number of UPS can run and feed common loads. In addition to providing redundancy,
parallel connection also increases power rating.
The by pass system can be common to the group of ups or each ups can have its own
automatic by pass. In the latter case the common bypass is contained in a static switch
cubicle.
If N number of units are required to supply the load N + n(n=1or2 etc) UPS units share
the load. If one UPS shuts down, the remaining units (at least equal in number) continue
to share the load.
The picture below shows all parallel units under operation
Fig-19(Image-0519)

The picture below shows one of the units under shutdown.

Fig-20(Image-0520)

To comply with the standards on harmonic disturbances for UPS, IEC 61000 - 2 - 3 - 5
and EN - 61000 - 2 - 3 -4 - 5, filters are kept in the input circuit. In case of parallel UPS
units, it is possible to install one on each UPS unit or one filter common for all UPS.
The filter also takes the power factor to nearly 0.92.
Battery backup:

The types of batteries most frequently used are:

Sealed lead acid
Vented lead acid
Nickel cadmium.

Standard back up times provided are 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes.

Choice depends on stability and reliability of mains system, availability of backup for
longer durations like generator, and type of application. In case of computer systems
battery back up time must be sufficient to cover file saving and system shutdown
procedures required to ensure a controlled shut down of the computer system.
In case of industrial application the calculation should take into account the economic
cost incurred by an interruption in the process and the time taken to restart.
Sealed lead batteries can be installed in all types of rooms (like not specifically intended
for batteries).
Voltage distortion is contained to remain limited to 3% in case of transformer input and
5% in case of supply coming from generator
Space requirements and installation considerations:
The space requirement of UPS is governed by the capacity of the UPS and the duration of
the battery back up duration, the larger is the battery, the greater is the required space.
Generally UPS up to 20kva rating and 10min back up have ups and battery in the same
cabinet and require only one cabinet or panel. For UPS above 20KVA rating or above 10
min battery back up duration, the battery cabinet is separate and there may be more than
one battery cabinet or alternately the batteries may be installed on a rack. Generally, a
single battery is provided for UPS, but some systems may have two batteries for
redundancy. For larger capacities (above 25 KVA), the manufacturer should be consulted
for space requirements.
The cabinets for UPS and battery should have a front clearance of 1000mm.
The rear clearance should be 200mm. The side clearance depends on the manufacturer’s
design.
If sufficient clearance cannot be provided, it can be specified for only front clearances.
Normally the UPS are designed to operate within a given temperature (0 - 400C ), and the
range is quite sufficient for most operating conditions, without any modifications to the
room.
However natural convection, or forced exchange by a ventilation system is recommended
keeping in view of factors like:
a) heat emitted by the components of UPS
b) Temperature conditioning for battery( if battery bank is kept in the same room as UPS)
c) if computer equipment is also placed alongside in the same room, better to have air
condition the room.
Earthing arrangements:
.The body or the panel work (metallic) is earthed with the common earth. But this earth
should be dedicated to the common earth, and should be as near to server room as
possible, to ensure that there is least difference between earth potential and neutral
potential.
Isolation transformers are inserted before the input to computer room to obtain a reliable
neutral reference potential and ensuring galvanic isolation in all UPS operating modes.