Following a large natural disaster, like Hurricane Laura, speed is of the absolute essence to restore basic services and prevent additional damage to structures and facilities.  These storms can damage roofs, tear open exterior walls, push debris (such as tree limbs) into buildings, create flooding or storm surge, disrupt local utilities, and/or destroy external structures.  In wind and water events, the structural integrity of buildings is often comprised, opening the opportunity for additional water to cause further damage.  The longer that the structure remains open to the elements, the worse the damage becomes.

As the armies of emergency workers, insurance adjusters, reclamation

firms, and utility crews flood into a disaster zone restoring power is a pressing requirement to enable many other operations (after preservation of life and prevention of theft / looting).  Linemen and utility companies focus on safely returning the electrical grid by clearing debris, repairing lines, and clearing dangerous situations.  During the grid outage, diesel generators are used to provide temporary power for a variety of tasks. Generator Source’s premier team has supplied diesel generators to such organizations in trying times of strife.  

Standby Natural Gas, Diesel, & Portable Generators

In the prepared locations and organizations, permanently installed diesel and natural gas generators can be immediately put to work upon reoccupation.  When paired with an automatic transfer switch (ATS), backup generators can sense the grid outage and automatically begin powering the facility.  Widespread flooding may hamper automatic operation of generators, especially if the generator and distribution equipment is not properly elevated.   Locations with sufficient generator capacity can quickly return their focus to core operational tasks.  

When permanent backup generators do not exist or are not sufficient, organizations bring in temporary rental generators to power a variety of tasks, including:

• Temporary housing / command centers – when emergency workers and restoration teams arrive in a disaster area, they need a place to work from.  Portable generators can be hooked up to undamaged buildings, such as hotels, to provide shelter, a place to coordinate from, and protection from the elements.  More mobile teams may work out of RVs (recreational vehicles) powered by smaller portable generators or using a single trailer mounted generator to power multiple RVs.  Government agencies, such as FEMA or the National Guard may set up tents or trailers requiring power.  Larger power module generators (gensets in ISO containers) may be brought in to power hotels or casinos.  Smaller RV-based command centers may utilize hand portable generators, like the Champion 9 kW or Briggs & Stratton 4.5 kW, to power air conditioning and lighting.  
• Emergency water (including toilets / showers) – as soon as people return to the disaster area, water for drinking, cleaning, bathing, and bathrooms is an immediate need.  Portable generators can power the pumps, lighting, and purification systems needed to care for people before the utility water system is fully operational.  Emergency crews bring in water reclamation equipment, such as the Water Fleet Water Rig, to provide potable water while boil notices exist for utility water.  
• Drying units – Recovery firms use desiccant machines and air movers (large industrial fan systems) to remove moisture from flooded or damaged buildings.  This drying process is conducted in conjugation with contractors temporarily (e.g., covering damaged roof with tarps) or permanently repairing the structure to prevent additional rain from coming in.   
• Supplemental HVAC – When permanent heating and air conditioning equipment is damaged or unavailable, recovery teams may bring in containerized HVAC units to heat or cool buildings during the recovery effort.  These power hungry HVAC units require substantial portable or diesel generators to power them.  
• Mobile lighting – The nights after a disaster can be very dark as street lights and other ambient lights remain off.  Mobile lighting units increase safety at key road intersections and in areas where emergency crews are staying.  This temporary lighting can also help reduce theft in damaged commercial buildings.  
• Communications nodes – Generators are used to power both existing cellular phone towers as well as mobile telecom equipment that is brought into the area.  These units allow recovery workers to more easily communicate within teams and with outside assets.  

Getting a portable generator on-site is the first part of restoring power but a few other key items to consider include:

• Moving generator to use location – Once the generator has arrived in the general facility a large pickup truck or forklift may be needed to move the unit to it’s operational location.  Portable generators on trailers make this task easier but generators larger than 100 kW may require a heavy duty vehicle.  
• Distribution from generator to end user – After getting the generator to it’s operating location, distribution cables will need to be run from the generator to the area where power will be used.  This might be large cables running to a manual transfer switch or smaller cables running local distribution boxes (lovingly called spider boxes) for end users.  This task is generally accomplished by an electrician, with special care to ensure the natural gas, diesel, or portable generator isn’t back feeding to the local utility.
• Fuel for generator – Rental generators are generally shipped with minimal fuel so the end customer will need to establish a solution for diesel.  As the generator runs, it will be important to fill the diesel tank regularly.  Fuel consumption varies by engine size and electrical load on the generator.  Fuel companies, such as Sun Coast, often set up emergency fuel distribution networks to enable the use of diesel generators after a disaster.  Portable natural gas generators, such as the Mesa 350 kW, can be connected to the utility natural gas connection and run like any other portable generator.  
• Generator maintenance – Like any engine, running the generator’s engine will eventually require maintenance.  For short-term use (<1 week), the rental company will generally take care of this maintenance.  In longer, constant use scenarios, field technicians may need to perform oil changes at the job site to keep the generator operational.  

Portable generators are designed for maximum portability and applicability to a variety of situations.  This type of equipment is sometimes called “rental grade” because they are commonly found in generator rental fleets.  Unlike emergency backup generators, portable generators are expected to be run on a regular basis for prime power applications. 

Portable generators come in many sizes and configurations

• Hand portable – the smallest of portable generators, from 1 kW up to 14 kW.  Not the focus of this article but available from Generators Spot
• Trailer mounted with integrated enclosure – the most common type of portable generator.  These generators range from 20 kW up to 800 kW and can generally be pulled with a large pickup or work truck. Trailer mounted generators will feature a base tank that provide 8-24 hour run time.
• Power module (on trailer) – built into ISO shipping containers on a trailer chassis, power modules provide large amounts of power in a portable package.  They range from 400 kW up to 2 MW.  Due to size and weight restrictions, power modules may have limited run times from onboard diesel tanks.
• Vehicle mounted – in some cases, generators are mounted directly on a prime mover.  While smaller units, such as a Kubota 14-kW are common, military applications may range up to 300 kW onboard.  Generators are generally mounted directly to the vehicle when mobile power is needed but a trailer is impractical. 

Features commonly associate with portable generators

• Mobility – Portable generators are mounted on trailers (or directly on a vehicle) to enable them to be moved between locations.  When paired with an appropriate truck to pull the generator, portable equipment can be delivered to austere locations with relative ease.  Heavier generators require large trucks, also influencing the hitch type. 
• Multi-voltage – Voltage selector switches enable portable generators to provide the required type of power in different situations (e.g., 240V 3PH or 120 1PH).   When sizing a generator, it’s important to note that voltage and number of phases can impact maximum output by 5-10%.
• Integrated fuel tank – A mobile generator needs mobile fuel.  Integrated fuel tanks generally provide enough fuel to run the generator for 8-24 hours at 75% load.  Fuel level limits are important to obey during movement, to avoid sloshing or overweighting the trailer.
• Weather proof – The mobile generator’s enclosure protects the engine and alternator from damage.  Some portable generators are equipped with cold weather protection packages to make them capable of operations in extreme climates.  Control panels typically have a weather housing to protect the sensitive electronics from moisture. 
• Standalone operation – Mobile generators do not require shore power (grid power) for sustained operation, allowing them to be used where grid power does not yet exist. 
• Parallel capability – Some portable generators are configured to work in parallel with other generators to produce a greater amount of electricity.  This configuration allows the generators to work in concert with each other as well as carry much of the load if one generator is off line for maintenance. 
• Remote state – Most portable generators are equipped with remote start connections, allowing them to be started by wire.  This setup allows operators to start the generator by switch or using an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS).  Remote start and an ATS allows a portable generator to function similar to an emergency standby generator – a useful feature when a user needs to establish a backup capability in a hurry.

Use cases for portable generators

• Construction – Construction sites use portable generators to power tools and lighting prior to grid power connection.  They prioritize durability and ability to move easily around the construction site.  Some larger sites may crane generators to upper floors to support work activities. 
• Agriculture – Farmers and ranchers will often use portable generators to power irrigation pumps, feed tanks, and ventilation systems.  They will often tow the generators over rough terrain to use locations, requiring a stout frame and enclosure. 
• Oil and gas – Drill sites use generators to power petroleum extraction equipment (e.g., drills, pumps) as well as to support their workforce.  Workers require lighting, water, and heating/cooling in austere environments which are generally away from grid power.  Portable generators make these locations livable for long periods of time.  Advanced portable natural gas generators are capable of using well head (flare) gas to power local requirements. 
• Emergency backup – Portable generators can be towed to outage areas to backup critical sites or functions.  During a natural disaster or sustained grid outage, organizations without permanent backup generators can rent or buy a portable generator to maintain essential capabilities.  Portable generators can also support temporary camps of relief workers.
• Defense – Military-grade portable generators power temporary or mobile command and control centers.  These generators power lighting, communication systems, and air conditioning unit for tent-based headquarters units. 
• Backup generator maintenance – Maintenance teams regularly use portable generators as a temporary backup while maintaining critical permanent generators.  This practice is common at facilities with a regulatory requirement for 100% capacity, such as large hospitals. 
• Events – Temporary events such as concerts or festivals use portable generators to power sound systems, food production equipment, refrigerators, and lighting.  Sound dampening for these portable generators is critical to maintaining high attendee experience.  Generators are often the first part of setting up the venue, powering the equipment required to assemble sound stages or other infrastructure. 
• Movie production – Remote film sets require large amounts of power for cameras, production equipment, lighting, and actor/actress housing.  Similar to events, portable generators for the motion picture industry require significant sound dampening, called “studio quiet,” to prevent their sound from ending up in the final production. 

A diesel generator is the cornerstone of the emergency power system infrastructure, however there are several additional components that are required in a used diesel generator that ensures the genset will be safe and reliable in operation.

A natural gas or diesel used generator also contains the following elements:

• Exhaust system
• Fuel tank
• Radiator

What Is an Emergency Used Diesel Generator?

 
Our used diesel gensets provide reliable electricity in the event of a power outage. Our products are essential to the livelihood of every economic organization and for those reasons, we take our work very seriously. Once the electricity is flowing, the generator typically uses diesel as the fuel output. This fuel combustion drives the generator’s engine whale the circular motion of the shaft drives the generator. Other fuel types work on used generators such as natural gas.
 
It’s common for industrial diesel or natural gas generators have a higher kilowatt-per-hour cost than the local power grid, entailing an emergency generator’s use is mainly for blackouts and off-grind locations Properly sizing your generator is important when it comes to balancing the cost of your investment. Our helpful sales term can help size our used industrial generators to your specific needs. Ideas to consider when it comes to sizing your industrial generator:
 

• An undersized generator will commonly run at the output limit, when trips the circuit breaker turning the generator off. This phenomenon should be avoided by properly sizing your industrial generator.
• Oversized generators are inefficient in relation to your initial investment. Work with our sales team to better understand your sizing requirements.

Peak shaving: Buildings that calculate the power bill based on both capacity and demand, an industrial generator can be used for peak shaving. This means the used generator will come online during periods of high-energy-demand helping to minimize the energy provided by the utility company, helping to lower your power bill.

There is a term in this industry called “genset” which stands for “generating set.” This definition describes any industrial generator that is package with ancillary devices such as sound attenuation systems, controls, a base, canopy, and electrical protections. Gensets are available at Generators Spot in a wide variety of capacities ranging from 2.5kW to 3 mega-watt.

Types of Fuel Tanks

In general fuel tanks provide a compartment for on-side fuel reserves for the industrial generator. Fuel tanks

 ensure the generator will run when it’s power output is needed.

• Main tank provides fuel reserves that is utilized for the generator.
• A day tank is adjacent to the industrial generator and provides immediate fuel supply. Sizing for day tanks typically range for 24 hours.

Engine Exhaust System

Engine combustion gases are very hazardous in confined, small spaces. The main function of the exhaust system is to release these dangerous gases into the outdoors. Ideally, an effective exhaust system has the capacity to minimize noise, vibration, and back-pressure.

• Louse noises may cause discomfort and difficulty concentration on work.
• Vibration may lead to premature component failures.
• Any exhaust restrictions may cause excessive fuel waste and/or generator overheating.

The used industrial generator muffler is a soundproofing device that helps reduce operational noise.

Controlling Industrial Generator Temperature With A Radiator

Radiators have applications in both cooling and heating, and can simultaneously perform both functions when the used diesel generator is in operation.

• Cooling: Heat will be released by the radiator from the combustion process, helping to keep the used industrial generator’s temperature within standard levels.
• Heating: Thermal energy can be recovered throughout the generators operation.

 
Emergency industrial generators from Generators Spot are a critical investment for every business operation in the world. When your power is down, you can’t conduct business. Make the smart investment today and contact our sales team to assist with proper sizing. Thanks for reading!