Can I Convert My 750 KVA Diesel Generator To Natural Gas Generator?

In theory, absolutely yes! I had no idea can I convert my 750 KVA diesel generator to natural gas generator? I am aware that Catapult made some of its engines in diesel and natural gas versions. In the field, those might be convertible.

I need to familiarize myself with other manufacturers. Find out if your specific system was also made for a natural gas system, and then get in touch with the manufacturer. It might be less expensive to sell your unit and purchase a natural gas one if you had to replace the entire engine.

A model engine that had never been built as a natural gas engine would need to have the injection system replaced with an ignition system and a natural gas fuel system added. Additionally, you should lower the engine’s compression ratio.

Can I Convert My 750 KVA Diesel Generator To Natural Gas Generator?

Yes! Most diesel engines are adaptable to LPG, PNG, biogas, etc. The quality of the gas, the output of the original diesel engine, the necessary pollution levels, etc., impact the engine’s power level after conversion.

Convert My 750 KVA Diesel Generator To Natural Gas Generator

Several choices must be made if a backup generator for your business is on your radar. The fuel source is one of the first things to take into account. Is diesel better than gas for generators, for example?

The answer is that it is based on your company’s demands. You must consider your company’s needs, the location of your facility, and the availability of fuel kinds while making your decision. In this article, we’ll look at other elements to consider when choosing a generator and how fuel efficiency affects your generator’s cost of ownership performance.

How Efficient Are Diesel Generators?

The efficiency of diesel generators is well known, and it is easy to understand why: Diesel generators require less fuel to operate than natural gas generators because they employ compression to ignite the fuel. Diesel generators can produce electricity while using less fuel because they individually inject and compress fuel and air into the engine.

How Efficient Are Diesel Generators

A diesel generator typically operates at roughly 40% efficiency throughout its intended optimum working range, often up to 80% of the total load capacity. In other words, 40 units are supplied as output for every 100 units of energy received.

There are energy losses from heat and friction in every mechanical system. Efficiency can be described as particular fuel usage on a gallon-per-hour basis for a diesel generator. Typically, manufacturers provide this information in their marketing collateral. One factor to consider while choosing a generator is the SFC rating.

Are Natural Gas Generators Efficient?

In general, diesel fuel has a peak energy density of about three times more than natural gas, or 129 against 37 btu. As a result, diesel generators still outperform natural gas generators in terms of efficiency.

Are Natural Gas Generators Efficient

However, there are other factors to consider when choosing a generator besides fuel efficiency. Specific advantages of a natural gas generator, such as their propensity to be quieter and more environmentally friendly, maybe appealing depending on your application and power requirements.

Is A Propane Generator More Efficient Than A Gas Generator?

Because the octane ratings for those simpler molecules are greater, they can be compressed more before auto-igniting, allowing for higher compression and higher efficiencies, so if a generator is built to run on natural gas, gasoline, or propane, efficiency will be NG>LPG>gasoline.

The typical compression ratio for propane engines is roughly 8.34:1, compared to gasoline at 6.98:1. (For the same level of engine technology). Additionally, a natural gas generator’s compression ratio may be higher.

For its lower-octane fuel (gasoline), however, a multi-fuel generator will have a set compression ratio and will not benefit from using other, higher-octane fuels. However, per gallon?

As a result of gasoline’s higher energy density per gallon (114,000 BTU = 120 million Joules per gallon) compared to propane’s lower energy density of 91,500 BTU/gallon and E85 gasoline’s intermediate value, the gasoline generator will always produce more electrical energy per gallon of fuel.

What Kind Of Generator (KVA) Has Enough Power To Run A 30 HP Motor?

You require two more pieces of information: The motor nameplate’s code letter F, G, or H indicates the initial kVA factor. The effectiveness and PF, as well. With a motor efficiency of 0.91 and a power factor of 0.83 for the Baldor EPAct 97 30HP, the Full Load KVA is 29.63.

The starting KVA will be 177.8 kVA if the motor code letter at startup is 6 x FLA. Purchase a generator from your generator supplier with at least 180 SKVA (beginning kVA), and make sure the driving engine (perhaps a diesel) has enough power to draw that SKVA. It might reach 100kW (125kVA at 0.8PF), an average standby rating.

The above KVA values can be decreased using the VFD (variable frequency drive), RVSS (solid state reduced voltage starter), and capacitors, among other options. An active VAR compensator may be deployed on large systems. Forget concepts like part-winding, auto transformer, star-delta, etc., because they still result in a high inrush and little torque when used as a starting point.

How Can I Modify A Diesel Generator Into A Natural Gas Generator?

Retaining diesel as a pilot fuel is the simplest solution. The generator is running slightly below design speed with no electrical demand, the governor is unplugged, and the injector rack is fixed. NG is arranged to be fed into the governor-controlled intake.

Modifying the existing governor is one option, but a new electromechanical governor might be more straightforward and less expensive, depending on the generator and your level of expertise.

The engine still has the lean burn characteristic of diesel, and no carburetor is employed. Only until the injector supplies the pilot charge of diesel fuel does the lean NG/air mixture ignite, preventing detonation.

The NG mixture may pre-ignite or detonate when the diesel is injected if it approaches stoichiometry too closely (under heavy load). You’ll need to keep an eye out (listen) for detonation and restrict NG flow to prevent it. The rated output might only be attainable in part. Although BNSF tested this on a few train locomotives with promising results, the logistics of handling LNG fuel rendered it unprofitable.

A connection from the injector rack can also be added to add NG as the rack adds more diesel fuel. Compared to the pure pilot method above, this will use more diesel but provide greater power without detonation.

The generator windings will only be happy if the engine output is dramatically raised above the diesel rating. A different respondent covered the more involved conversion to spark ignition.

Conclusion

I hope you understand all about Can I Convert My 750 KVA Diesel Generator To Natural Gas Generator? The simplest would be to combine your diesel engine with natural gas to create a dual-fueled engine, which has been used for many years.

Diesel fuel is used to start and warm up the engine. You will need to modify the diesel governor such that when you switch to natural gas injection (into the intake ports), the governor must effectively go idle while still pumping diesel fuel into the engine, causing the ignition of diesel fuel by the spark plug.

The engine can still run on pure diesel if you run out of natural gas. The only issue is that this generator should be a few years old and free of smog-control equipment. If not, go forward with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any generator be converted to natural gas?

You might have wondered if you might adapt it to use your natural gas line from home with such an event in mind. Can your portable generator be made to work on natural gas? Yes, it is the answer.

How much does converting a diesel engine to natural gas cost to convert it?

The conversion price for engines without turbochargers ranges from $7,000 to $10,000 and includes the Omnitek Kit, Engine Modifications, and Labor. Tanks for fuel, parts for engine overhauls, and installation are additional. The cost of conversion for turbocharged engines ranges from $8,000 to $12,000.

Can you convert a diesel engine to a gas engine?

Omnitek transforms the diesel engine into a spark-ignition engine, enabling them to switch to natural gas, in contrast to other diesel conversion systems that “piggyback” on an already-existing diesel engine. The term “dedicated natural gas conversions” describes these systems.

How to convert a diesel generator engine to CNG?

The process of converting a diesel engine to a natural gas engine includes putting a throttle body on the diesel engine, putting a throttle body adaptor between a diesel engine’s throttle body and its intake manifold, and changing the diesel engine.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *