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#210563 07/10/13 02:59 AM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7
T
New Member
Hello My Friends
What is the largest propane generator available? This is my demand Volts 120/208
Amps 1000
Ph 3
Pf .80?

Kw =(208x1000x1.73x.80)/1000

Equal 288Kw my question now is do I rate the gen set at full load or at 80%? I am not too sure but there should be some room for additional load is needed. Please help

Thanks

TRUEPOWER

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,381
Likes: 7
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The best source of finding a gen that is propane powered is any one of the gen mfg.

Pick one, Google & look around


John
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 984
Likes: 1
G
Member
Contact Caterpillar.
They have units up to 6.7MW; I'm sure that they can reconfigure one of their gaseous fueled units to run on propane instead of natural gas or one of the new biofuels.
Your biggest problem will likely be keeping enough propane on hand to keep the unit running...these things are very thirsty.
Be sure to size it so that it can handle starting currents of your larger motors and elevators.
Remember that if this is going to be your sole power source for more than the duration of a minor outage you will need to use the rating for 'prime power' instead of 'standby' or 'emergency'.


Ghost307
Joined: Apr 2002
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I mentioned this to a Cat Tech at a jobsite today, and more or less he said what you brought out....'how big a propane tank do you have'?? He also got a chuckle out of it.

That site has 8-2MW/13.2KV, Cat diesel, 3800 gal belly tank at each unit.

It would be interesting to find out the GPHr (Propane) to run a 300/375KW.



John
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 984
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I don't know how much Propane it would use, but Cat's 375KW natural gas genset drinks 5141 standard cubic feet per hour or just under 1.5 cubic feet per second.
So if you wanted to run for an extended period that's almost 125,000 scf per day.
Someone's going to need a very big storage tank.


Ghost307
Joined: Apr 2002
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Based on Scott35s 'shout' running the unit on propane provides 100% of the gens capacity, vs 80% on natural gas.



John
Joined: Apr 2002
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OK, the capacity of propane side.
Using 36.4 CF to 1 gal of liquid propane (from Google)
And using ghost307s 5141 SCF of natural gas (gas is gas??)

A 1000 gal propane storage tank (hopefully allowed by local laws)
36,400 CF of propane gas
7 hours of runtime +/-

The above is based on the sources mentioned.



John
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
Originally Posted by HotLine1
OK, the capacity of propane side.
Using 36.4 CF to 1 gal of liquid propane (from Google)
And using ghost307s 5141 SCF of natural gas (gas is gas??)

A 1000 gal propane storage tank (hopefully allowed by local laws)
36,400 CF of propane gas
7 hours of runtime +/-

The above is based on the sources mentioned.


I think the caloric value of natural gas and propane is roughly the same, so your assumptions should be more or less correct.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,381
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Thanks Tex!!

Any info or comments on this from the OP??

Last edited by HotLine1; 07/19/13 09:25 AM.

John
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 265
W
Member
All the math looks good, only problen is these engines burn vapor, not liquid, as the level in the tank goes down the surface area of the pool gets smaller and cannot vaporize enough gas fast enough to feed the unit under load. Likely as not you will need 2 1000 gallon tanks to keep up. Also if this is a Life Safety situation you do not have a prayer of getting a gas generator started and up to power in 3 seconds. Look into dual fuel units, they burn a combination of diesel and propane, they start quick on diesel and use propane to help lower the diesel consumption.


Jimmy

Life is tough, Life is tougher when you are stupid
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