In modern industrial production, power equipment is indispensable, and diesel generator sets play a crucial role. With diverse types available, diesel generators are favored for their stable performance, low noise, low fuel consumption, long overhaul intervals, and low operational costs. Thus, they are widely used in industries, agriculture, hospitals, schools, fire protection, and other fields. Today, the editor from Dingbo Power will focus on sharing the advantages and disadvantages of air-cooled and water-cooled diesel generator sets.
1. Characteristics of Air-Cooled Generators
Air-cooled generators offer the advantages of reliable operation, simple operation, and convenient maintenance. From a manufacturing perspective, air-cooled units have better parameters and slightly higher efficiency at rated load. They eliminate auxiliary equipment such as stator water joints and water treatment systems required for water-cooled units, resulting in a simpler structure and easier manufacturing. Currently, large generators are no longer assembled in factory segments for on-site joint installation but are instead stacked and assembled on-site. Air-cooled units benefit from relatively simple installation processes and shorter installation cycles.
The main challenges of air cooling include uneven axial temperature distribution in stator bars, more severe mechanical stress caused by heat, and stator core thermal expansion leading to stator lamination warping—issues that are more pronounced than in water-cooled units.
2. Characteristics of Water-In-Cooled Diesel Generators
Stator windings using water-in cooling directly dissipate heat through water. Water has a volumetric heat capacity 3,500 times that of air and a thermal conductivity 23 times higher, making water cooling highly effective. Water-cooled units have shorter stator core lengths than air-cooled ones, effectively saving materials. They require less ventilation, reducing corresponding wind losses. Although their efficiency at rated load is lower than air-cooled units, they have lower no-load losses and higher efficiency when operating below rated capacity. The stator slots of water-cooled units are wide and shallow, increasing stator core rigidity and reducing stator vibration. However, the complex structure of stator bars complicates certain manufacturing and installation processes.
The primary concerns for water-cooled units are the reliability of stator water joints and water treatment systems. During sudden short circuits near the generator or asynchronous switching, the ends of stator bars endure significant electromagnetic forces, which coincide with the winding’s water path connections. Additionally, cooling water for generator stator windings must be deionized and purified, and the reliability of the cooling water system directly impacts the generator’s operational reliability.
Other advantages of water cooling include:
(1) Reduced rotor weight lowers the lifting capacity requirement for factory bridge cranes.
(2) Shorter stator core height reduces overall unit height, allowing for a lower factory building height.
(3) Decreased rotor weight reduces generator thrust load, facilitating thrust bearing operation.
Guangxi Dingbo Power Equipment Manufacturing Co.,Ltd is an early professional manufacturer of generators and diesel generator sets in China. The company has first-class national-level large-scale production and load testing equipment. Provide users with long-term diesel generator set sales, leasing, technical consultation, commissioning, maintenance, training services and generator set trusteeship business. If you would like to get more information welcome to contact us via [email protected].
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