Impact of Plateau Environment on Diesel Generator Sets

China has a vast territory, and there are many high - altitude areas in the central and western regions, including Tibet, Qinghai, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other places. In the remote areas of these provinces and autonomous regions, it is often difficult for the power supply to reach the load center. Therefore, diesel generator sets need to be purchased as the common power source.

In the plateau area, due to the high altitude, the oxygen in the air is relatively thin. People living on the plain usually have altitude sickness when they go there, which is generally manifested as mild headache, insomnia, mild chest tightness, excessive excitement, etc. The working principle of a diesel generator set is to obtain energy through the combustion of diesel. So, will the plateau environment have an impact on the use of diesel generator sets?

Due to the low air pressure and thin air in the plateau area, the oxygen content in the diesel generator set is low, and the ambient temperature of the diesel generator set is low. The diesel generator set has poor combustion due to insufficient intake air, so the diesel generator cannot output the originally specified rated power.

Different models of diesel generator sets have different working capabilities on the plateau. When a generator set is used on the plateau, for every 1000 - meter increase in altitude, the power of a non - turbocharged engine decreases by about 6 - 10%, and that of a turbocharged engine decreases by about 2 - 5%. Therefore, when a diesel generator set is used on the plateau for a long time, the fuel supply should be appropriately reduced according to the local altitude.

Considering the tendency of ignition delay under plateau conditions, for the operating economy of the diesel engine, it is generally recommended that the fuel supply advance angle of a naturally aspirated diesel engine should be appropriately advanced.

Experiments in recent years have proved that for diesel engines used in plateau areas, the method of exhaust gas turbocharging can be used for power compensation on the plateau. Through exhaust gas turbocharging, not only the lack of power on the plateau can be compensated, but also the smoke color can be improved, the power performance can be restored, and the fuel consumption rate can be reduced.

As the altitude increases, the ambient temperature is also lower than that in the plain area. Generally, for every 1000 - meter increase in altitude, the ambient temperature drops by about 0.6 degrees Celsius. In addition, due to the thin air on the plateau, according to Dingbo Power, a generator manufacturer, the starting performance of the diesel engine is worse than that in the plain area. Users should adopt corresponding auxiliary starting methods for low - temperature starting during use.

As the altitude increases, the boiling point of water decreases. At the same time, the air pressure and mass of the cooling air decrease, and the heat dissipation per kilowatt per unit time increases. Therefore, the heat - dissipation conditions of the cooling system are worse than those in the plain. Generally, the open - type cooling cycle is not suitable for high - altitude areas. A pressurized closed - type cooling system can be used to increase the boiling point of the coolant when used on the plateau.

Considering the tendency of ignition delay under plateau conditions, in order to improve the operating economy of the diesel generator, it is generally recommended that the fuel supply advance angle of a non - turbocharged diesel engine should be appropriately advanced.

Considering the above factors, when purchasing a diesel generator set, the user should inform the manufacturer of the operating environment of the unit and select a diesel generator set that can withstand harsh climate conditions and is suitable for the plateau. The diesel generator sets of Guangxi Dingbo Power can withstand the environmental tests on the plateau.

Dingbo Power was founded in 1974 and is one of the earliest manufacturers of generators and diesel generator sets in China. If you want get more information, please feel free to send email to [email protected] we will pay highly attention on your question.