Lastly, diesel generators are available in a range of sizes to meet facility power needs. During disasters, such as an earthquake, gas lines are immediately turned off to avoid the risk of fire and explosion in case of a rupture. Natural gas-powered generators generally are not acceptable as a source of power for generators due to fuel-source reliability. NFPA 70: National Electrical Code (NEC), Article 517.30, as well as the California Electrical Code require hospitals and critical care facilities to have standby power systems that start automatically and run at full capacity within 10 seconds of power failure. One of the most important and unique features of diesel-powered generators, as compared with other technologies, is quick response time and block-loading capability within seconds of normal source-power failure. Many international building codes and standards effectively require diesel generators for code compliance because of the need for rapid response time, load-carrying capacity, fuel supply and availability, and reliability. When compared with alternative fuels and technologies, diesel-powered generators provide a steady supply of high-quality power and superior performance for transient or fluctuating power demands due to the high-torque characteristics of diesel engines (see Figure 2). Emergency generators are necessary to provide the reliable power required to maintain operations during primary supply system failures.Äiesel-powered generators are considered among the most reliable approaches to providing backup power. The loss of business and the associated economic impact from power outages are significant. The loss of electrical power due to storms, natural disasters, or high-power-demand issues are increasingly common. Hospitals, airports, data centers, water and sewage facilities, fueling stations, communication, and transportation systems require alternate-power sources to limit the impact and ultimately save lives during times of crisis. When these situations occur, they call attention to the vulnerability of the nation's electrical grid and the importance of alternatives. Extreme weather-related disasters often disrupt power to hundreds or thousands of people and businesses, potentially for days. Interruptions of electrical power, even for a short duration, can introduce the potential for situations that could imperil public health and safety. This article examines standby systems in which generators serve as backup to the main utility source, such as those commonly installed in airports, data centers, hospitality complexes, water-treatment facilities, and in most life safety institutional applications. When the business needs outlined by the client require increased reliability, a paralleled diesel-generating system and electrical paralleling switchgear (PSG) typically are employed. For business critical loads, the owner or client must be consulted to identify the nonemergency loads that require backup power. Building codes will dictate the prescriptive requirements for these systems (see Table). When designing generator systems, electrical engineers must ensure that the generators and the building electrical systems can support the critical loads reliably and effectively. By Leslie Fernandez, PE, LEED AP, JBA Consulting Engineers, Las VegasÄ®xpertise in generator power design for emergency, legally required standby, and business critical loads is an essential skill for an electrical engineer to master.
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