Generator Heating System
Built by HotStart
The Problems:
1) Emergency Diesel Generators are required to maintain temperatures of approximately 90deg or higher in order to start within their specified parameters. This translates into operating times as high as 90% throughout the year.
2) The standard method of heating these generators is through electric resistive heating (Block Heaters), which often uses convection flow to push the coolant through the engine. Convection heating requires higher temperatures through the block heater which creates unnecessary wear and tear on the connections and hoses in the system.
3) Block heaters deteriorate over time, losing power and often fail within 3-5 years.
4) Thermostats in these systems have a wide temperature range and are not adjustable, increasing the hours necessary for maintaining proper temperature. The energy used by these block heaters can be significant, with annual usage ranging from 20MWH to 70MWH for medium to large gensets.
The Product:
1 - Energy Savings: HotStart energy efficient heat pumps provide savings of 65-85% over traditional block heaters for emergency generators.
2 - Maintenance Savings: The life span of a heat pump is 15-20yrs, significantly extending the life of the system and reducing the cost of replacing block heaters.
3 - Redundancy: These Heat Pumps provide redundancy to the generator heating system, as they are installed in series with the existing block heaters. They provide the primary heating source, with the block heater providing a backup option should the heat pump ever fail..
4 - Additional Sustainability: Heat pumps provide cooling during operation as the by-product of heating the engine. This cooling load can be ducted into adjacent spaces to supplement other cooling needs and provide additional energy savings for the customer.
The Competitive Advantage:
The HotStart Energy Efficient Heat Pump is the only product on the market that provides a redundant heating source for emergency generators. Additionally, it improves system operation and has more than double the energy savings of any competing product.
