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Old Posted Dec 18, 2014, 4:43 PM
GWHH GWHH is offline
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Using CNG To Power Emergency Generators In The North East

Using CNG (compressed natural gas) To Power Emergency Generators In The North East

I live in the North East. And with the price of natural gas going down and going to stay down for a long time. Its makes sense to have emergency generators run off of CNG instead of diesel now a days.

Does any one know a good company that makes a good CNG compressor that I can install at homes and business for the above purpose? Or have any other input on this matter.
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Old Posted Jan 4, 2015, 5:39 AM
MalcolmTucker MalcolmTucker is offline
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Do you think you will have interuption of natural gas service simultaneous to interuption of electricity? Why the need to store onsite?
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Old Posted Jan 7, 2015, 7:44 PM
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240glt 240glt is offline
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I have no idea about that jurisdiction, but as per NFPA in Canada you are no longer allowed to use a natural gas generator to power life safety equipment.

The reasoning being that if the fire department needs to cut the fuel supply to the complex, you'll lose your emergency power.

Also, there are now minimum fuel storage requirements for emergency power systems. Storing natural gas is prohibitive.

I've just converted two of my old natural gas emergency generators to diesel.

It may make sense to use a natural gas generator for co-gen. In fact if you are able to recover the heat in the summer by using it to run an absorption chiller in the summer and heat a building in the winter, at current costs it is an attractive option, if you have the capital to do it. But you can't run life safety equipment off that generator.
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Old Posted Jan 9, 2015, 8:27 PM
GWHH GWHH is offline
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Cost is MUCH cheaper than diesel (and getting cheaper everyday). Even after taking off the state road tax on it.

Natural Gas does not go bad (diesel takes at least 10 years to go bad if properly stored), tanks can be replaced much more easy than diesel tanks, if they are outside. Much Less possible of a spill and continents of the soil with natural gas.

And yes I am preparing for an interruption of ALL services when I put in emergency equipment at a building!




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Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker View Post
Do you think you will have interuption of natural gas service simultaneous to interuption of electricity? Why the need to store onsite?
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Old Posted Jan 9, 2015, 9:30 PM
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240glt 240glt is offline
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^ just make sure you are complying with local fire and building codes

I polish my diesel tanks once per year. That involves filtering and treating the fuel. Untreated diesel can have microbial growth that rots tanks and reduces the efficacy of the fuel. I'm currently holding about 5000 litres of fuel for four diesel generators and two diesel fire pumps.

Natural gas storage is possible if you have the real estate to do it, but you'll have a hard time getting permission to put a natural gas vessel inside or in top of a building

Not sure if cost is all that big a factor. You'll only run your generator during power outages, at intervals as directed by code, and for your annual load bank tests. As noted, we have six inline 6 turbocharged diesel engines, and I only have to top up the tanks once per year, if that

Contamination is a concern but in our jurisdiction we require spill containment and leak alarms. My latest generators have belly style day tanks with all that built in. Not sure if you need a day tank in your jurisdiction, but in ours you do, and code will never allow a natural gas day tank within an enclosed space. At least not without an evacuation system and probably some other infrastructure, if at all

Just be careful. And get an engineer.
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Old Posted Feb 21, 2015, 7:09 PM
GWHH GWHH is offline
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Thinks for all the info guys!

Anyone know what CNG compression station work best for this type of operation?
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