Protection against prolonged power cuts
Generators
For the protection of installations against prolonged power cuts or for the supply of remote sites, not connected to the public network
Generating sets can ensure the supply of electrical installations in case of absence of the network, for a few minutes to several hours, or even continuously.
Depending on the need of the installation, two main types of solutions can be considered:
- Emergency power generators: They ensure the power supply of the installation in case of a cut of the public network. They start automatically after 5 to 10 seconds of the occurrence of the outage and ensure the power supply for a few hours, until the situation is restored by the energy distributor. This solution is systematically used in hospitals, banks, data centers, telecom, broadcasting or television operators, as well as all sites whose mission requires service continuity. It is also used in industrial sites and buildings suffering from recurrent power cuts from the public grid.
- Continuous Power Generators: In this type of application, the generator is used as the main power source in place of the public grid. Given the high operating cost of this solution (the cost per kWh is 2.5 to 3 times higher than the cost per kWh of the electricity distributor), it is generally reserved for remote sites, not served by the national electricity grid, or when the power available from the public grid is temporarily insufficient to cover the site’s power needs. The generator set used in this type of application is the same as for emergency applications, however, it is oversized in power (+10% in general), in order to withstand the heating due to a continuous operation.
There are other types of generator sets, such as safety power sets, etc. But these are in fact special configurations, derived from the two types previously detailed.
The choice and sizing of the Generator Set depends on several parameters, which can have a direct impact on its proper functioning, including
- The type of application: stand-alone or networked operation, operation for a few hours or continuously, etc.
- The power of the equipment to be supplied during the start-up phase, and the power to be supplied at steady state
- Start-up currents and other power demand peaks of the receivers
- The presence of regenerative loads (compensation batteries, motors in braking phases, etc.)
- The level of harmonic pollution. This is a crucial parameter that is becoming more and more important with the development of power electronics equipment. The iron losses created by this type of equipment require a significant oversizing of the generators.
- Climatic conditions: altitude, ambient temperature, ventilation
- The location of the installation and the environmental requirements: noise pollution, vibrations, etc.
Our offer
ELEXPERT has developed a great expertise in the installation of generators for the most demanding applications.
Our approach is generally as follows:
1- First, a visit of your site to take into account your exact needs, allowing us to offer the adequate system, dimensioned according to the power of the equipment to be protected and with the choice of the necessary options, according to your budget. Elexpert can propose all the necessary configurations: Groups alone or in parallel with other groups, operation on its own or synchronized with the network, etc.
2- Then comes the design phase. We help you choose the right backup power system that best suits your needs. Contrary to popular belief, there are several diesel generators to choose from. Apart from their power, they can be built in different ways. First, the choice of the brand of diesel engine and generator (Elexpert offers all the major international brands). It can be a bare or a hooded and soundproofed unit. Perhaps you would prefer it to be installed outside in a container or perhaps you would prefer the generator to be mounted inside your building. You can select the size of the fuel tank, color, etc. Whether it’s a 10-hour capacity or a 100-hour capacity of diesel fuel, we can meet the needs of your application. Elexpert also offers several power control systems, of different brands, with or without communication, depending on your choice.
3- Installation: Elexpert takes care of all aspects related to the installation, from the construction of the room where the generator will be installed, according to the most demanding standards and taking into account environmental constraints such as noise level, vibrations, etc., until the commissioning.
4- Once installed, Elexpert will monitor and maintain the system to keep it at peak performance. We offer monitoring and power monitoring solutions, allowing you to control your generator remotely or to supervise its operation and alarms. This is an undeniable added value that provides peace of mind given the importance of the backup unit in certain applications.