“Where should I start when selecting a gas generator set?” “What is the use of gas information and environmental conditions in selecting a unit?” First of all, you need to understand the following three types of information when configuring a gas unit, and each type has several factors that need to be considered.

· Gas information is used to determine the type and power range of the Cat unit; · Environmental conditions mainly refer to geographical factors, which will affect the output power of the unit and the selection of additional configurations; · Project application requirements are mainly aimed at different configurations of auxiliary equipment caused by differences in project application areas and application scenarios.

1. Gas types

Gas types include the following categories:

2. Engine application

Caterpillar classifies gas engines according to different gas types:

1. Gas pressure

Gas pressure size and fluctuation range: Cat gas engine gas pressure 20-200mbar. Different engine mixers are configured for different gas pressures. Fluctuation range: ≤±10%. If the gas fluctuation range is greater than this requirement, please install a pressure regulating valve in front of the engine gas intake valve group (Gas train), or add a gas storage tank in the project design to stabilize the pressure fluctuation.

2. Gas volume and composition

The composition of the gas determines the methane value and low calorific value of the gas, and the methane value and low calorific value of the gas will determine the application of the engine. For biogas generator sets, all biogas needs to be used as much as possible. At this time, the selection of our unit power mainly depends on the flow rate and composition of the biogas. We will match the best model and quantity according to the overall energy utilization of the customer’s factory.

3. Concentration of harmful substances

If the gas contains harmful substances and its concentration exceeds a certain range, it must be treated before it can be used as engine fuel. Harmful substances such as hydrogen sulfide, halides, ammonia, etc. Caterpillar specifically lists the allowable values ​​for various hazardous substances:

Environmental conditions mainly refer to geographical factors, which will affect the output power of the unit and the selection of additional configurations. Environmental factors include the following categories:

1. Altitude

As the altitude increases, the air will become thinner and thinner, and the air density will become smaller and smaller. The mass of O2 contained in the same volume of air will also become smaller and smaller, until it cannot meet the needs of the rated load of the engine. At this time, the engine will run at a reduced load. At the same time, for high-voltage generator sets, the electrical clearance of the generator should be checked to see if it meets the requirements of the specifications.

2. Maximum temperature

Temperature is also an important factor in engine load reduction. The air density will decrease as the temperature rises. When it reaches a certain temperature, the engine will also reduce its load due to insufficient O2. On the other hand, if the ambient temperature is too high, the heat dissipation capacity of the engine cooling system will decrease and it will not meet the heat dissipation requirements supported by the rated load of the engine, and it will run at a reduced load.

3. Minimum temperature

The ambient temperature of the engine is not the lower the better. If the temperature is too low, the engine is not easy to start, and it also affects the control of the mixer. If the lowest ambient temperature is lower than the ambient temperature required by the engine, it is necessary to design a circulating air channel to use the heat of the machine room air to heat the air entering the engine to meet the temperature requirements of the engine operation.

4. Humidity

High-temperature air contains more moisture. The turbocharged engine intercooler will accumulate a lot of water in the intercooler during the air cooling process. The moisture in the air is usually corrosive, so a stainless steel intercooler should be selected to enhance its corrosion resistance and extend its service life.

5. Dust

If the environmental conditions are dusty, a heavy-duty air filter should be selected to enhance the filtering capacity of the engine air filter. In a dusty environment, the generator also needs to be equipped with an air filter to prevent dust from entering the power generation and affecting the insulation performance of the generator.

6. Marine corrosion

If the project site is installed near the sea, due to the different levels of salt in the marine air, the salt will react chemically with copper for a long time and cause corrosion. According to the content of salt components in the ocean, the generator set needs to be treated with anti-corrosion, especially the copper-containing generator and radiator.