Title: Reading and Audio-Visual Assignments
Course: WGF 107 DEVELOPMENT > Section: Content

Title | Various Fuel Types (including Advantages/Disadvantages) for Emergency Power
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Content
In the early days of commercial and industrial backup power, fuel choice was not an issue in the selection of a backup generator system because the preferred fuel was consistently diesel. Such is not the case today. Engineers and end users have several fuel options from which to choose, and each offers unique benefits in different applications.

Backup power generators are driven by internal combustion engines, which are in turn powered by fossil fuels. Diesel fuel has been used in backup power systems for decades. Gaseous fuels, such as natural gas or liquid propane, are gaining acceptance. Combining these fuels in unique ways provides additional fuel options. For example, dual-fuel generators run on either natural gas or LP vapor fuel, depending on which fuel is available at the time. Bi-fuel generators run on diesel fuel and natural gas simultaneously and leverage the benefits of each.

Gasoline is noticeably absent from this list because it is generally a poor fuel choice for backup power systems. Not only is it extremely volatile compared to diesel or gaseous fuel, making it problematic to store in quantity, but compared to diesel fuel it has a significantly lower thermal density. Additionally, gasoline cannot be easily used in combination with a gaseous fuel. As such, commercial and industrial backup power systems are rarely—if ever—fueled by gasoline.

Conclusion

The days of all backup power systems being fueled exclusively by diesel fuel are gone. While diesel remains a popular fuel supply, engineers and end users have several additional fuel options from which to choose: natural gas, LP fuel (liquid and vapor), dual fuel (either natural gas or LP vapor), and bi-fuel (natural gas and diesel running simultaneously). Each offers unique benefits. Consulting engineers should take the time to learn how each of these fuel sources can be applied so they can make the best recommendations to their customers. As always, be sure to consult your local AHJ to understand its policies on the use of a particular fuel in a given application. Knowing your options will make those conversations more fruitful
Links/Uploads
Classifying generator power sources – Consulting Specifying Engineer magazine http://www.csemag.com/single-article/classifying-generator-power-sources/2e47f196b559d8fed7243956fac2436b.html

Understanding backup power system fuel choices – Consulting Specifying Engineer magazine http://www.csemag.com/single-article/understanding-backup-power-system-fuel-choices/560013ff3bc0c93f37e05c42517a3c17.html

Fuel Cell – Wikipedia            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell

Glossary of Fuel Cell Terms – Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_fuel_cell_terms

See also[edit]

 | Electronics portal
 | Energy portal
 | Sustainable development portal

- Alkaline Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
- Bio-nano generator
- Cryptophane
- Energy development
- Fuel Cell Development Information Center
- Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative (in Europe)
- Glossary of fuel cell terms
- Grid energy storage
- Hydrogen reformer
- Hydrogen storage
- Hydrogen technologies
- Microgeneration
- Water splitting
- PEM electrolysis

Modes of power generation[edit]

DER systems may include the following devices/technologies:

- Combined heat power (CHP)
- Fuel cells
- Micro combined heat and power (MicroCHP)
- Microturbines
- Photovoltaic Systems
- Reciprocating engines
- Small Wind power systems
- Stirling engines
- Trigeneration

See also[edit]

- Stationary fuel cell applications
- Switched-mode power supply (SMPS)
- Vehicle-to-grid (V2G)

Notes[edit]

1.    Jump up ^ Fuel cell in the data center Munich

2.    Jump up ^ India orders 10.000 fuel cell emergency power systems

3.    Jump up ^ Fuel Cells in Backup Power Applications

4.    Jump up ^ DOE Fuel Cells for Backup Power

5.    Jump up ^ "Lead-acid car batteries also used in homebrew emergency power systems".

6.    Jump up ^ "Advantages of deep-cycle batteries over generators".

7.    Jump up ^ Simplified Active Safety Systems [for the ABWR]
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