\Y_ VIEW ALL MACALLISTERSITES Q sons | Ke comer | @ toca | ow (917) 5452181 POWER SYSTEMS POWER EQUIPMENT PARTS & SERVICE SOLUTIONS agour GENERATOR SET FOUNDATIONS Home > Soluons > EninenngTelbox > Gonror Sat Fauna CONSIDERATIONS FOR GENERATOR SET FOUNDATIONS QUESTIONS? Foundations supporting generator sets must meet otto, alignment and wbraton parameters for v suocessful operation. Speccaons that consider he following teria wil help assure trouble-free some instalation and operation Foundations must be able fo withstand the installations weight and prevent deflection, Te determine vn wt tho prssure exerted by a generator st use te folowing equation: ewan here P= pressure in PSI Pa) W= generator set wet weight ns (kg) A= Area in 9. in (2) ofthe ral, pads o vibration mounts. This pressure must be less than the lae-cayng capably of he so foundaton pad. General load bearing capabilities af underfoot ae listed in Table TABLE 1 BEARING LOAD CAPACITIES suewr Safe Bearing Load MATERIAL, Pst KPA © YOURNEAREST LOCATION Rock, hardpan 70 492 ard clay, gravel and coarse sand 86 286 Nive 1818 Mayflower Ra Loose meclum sand, and medium clay 28 198 Niles, Ml 49120 Lote fine sand 1 os 269-340-5370 Phono Soft lay 0-4 o-964 tons “The foundation shoulé woigh a east as much asthe generator sts wet weight, Use this equation to caeulate the necessary foundation dopth Wer W= Total wot weight of gon so (bor ka) = Density of conerote (150.bfou. Sor 2,400 kin)1B = Foundation wid (tor m) |L= Foundation tant (or m) “This equation assumes a concrete mixture ratio af 1:23 (coment'sand-aggrogat) wih maximum 4 inch (101.5rm) slump and 28-day compressive strength of 3,000 psi (20.67MPa} fn vibration olators are used, the floor must suppor 125 percent ofthe generator set weight If generators sets are paralleled, possible outot-phase paralleling could cause torque reactons. Here, foundations must be designed to withstand twice the generator set wet weight Ouiside base cimensions should extend yond the unit a minimum of fot (304 8mm) onal sis. Foundation footings rust extend below the fost in. “Tho foundation shoulé bo rsinfrced with No 8 gauge steel wiro fai of No. 6 reinforcing bars on 12: inch (204.8) carters horizontally. Bars shouldbe imbedded inthe concrete atleast 3 inches (76.2) trom foundation surface. MAINTAINING ALIGNMENT Modern mut-cylider medum-speed generators sets do nat requte massive conrete foundations to Iainiain enginelgenerator alignment. In most appicatons, a single-bearing generator set can be installed and operated on tho base it was shipped on, Two-bearing generators, generators even trom ether end of one engine, tandem generators oF generators with tandem engines require much heavier boxed base that resists bending forces exerted by the generator sets. Tho base also must prevent resonant vibration curing operon FLEXIBLE CONNECTIONS ‘Any supply line or hove connected tothe generator set-Incuding exhaust counting and exhaust pipe hangers, jacket water connections, heat ecovery systems and fe! ines-must be ted wih a exe section hat can withstand vibrations ncured bythe operating goneraor sat. These flexible connections shouldbe install as cose tothe generate set as possible and be designed to prevent fine leaks or breaks, SERVICE CONSIDERATIONS Convenience and sericeabity can be desged inte a generator set foundation. Consider spectving conduit fr elctrc starting systems, generator leads and fel ard water connectons. GENERATOR SET VIBRATION ISOLATION No isolation fs quod to protect a ganeratr set rom setinced vivatins. Caerllar gon sets are designed to aero all norma vibrations crated intraly as wall ax most extemal shook lode, “This isnot tru ofthe gon sat environment. lle gan sets, auiary equipment such as relays and swiches, and biking stuclurs can be adversely affected by vibration fom an operating gen sot ‘VIBRATION TYPES There ate wo ypes of generator St vbatlon: torsional an ear. Torsional bration reuts fom combustion forces imposed on the engine rarkshaf thats transmitted to he toa ratating mass. Excopt in unusualinstalatons, proper matching of engine and generator seta the factory completly Avoid this typ of vibrato. LUnear vration has many causes and can usually be linked to shaking and noisy machinery Its exact nature ison dificult te define without struments, eecause total vibration measured is approximatly a sum of vibration sources Engines produce vibrations due to combustion forces, torque reaction, structural mas and siftness combinations and manufacturing tolraneas on rotating components, Thase frees crest a range of Undesirable conditions, aging from unwante noise thigh steaslvale and ultimate fire of engine or generator components. Virating stresses reach destructive lvels a engine speeds where resonance occurs, Resonance oecure when system natural Foquencies coined wih engine‘exctaions, The lola engine-generatr system must be analyzed fr eal neat and torsional Vibration. (See char 1) a : i vane Pa Acceptable mts i = il & 5 ; sa a — There wil always be some ration in rotating machinery tke an operating gen set, 80 iis good practice to spect islaton ofthe uni The unt should not est rectly on rack, sol, stel or conc “Those materials can transmit vibrations long distances Resonance of certain genset requencies with the natural frequencies of uleing srctural members can cause damage to some types of constuction. ‘Vibration measured is approximately a sum ofall vibration sources, Testing can determin sources Separating tho gon set rom the surouncings can be done wih a bk isolator such a an inet block “The bulk islatoris the more expensive and elaborate ofthe two aystems const ofa massive ock on which the gen sels mount. The block is suounded by cork or Roerglass, separating i rom the eurounding stuctre, Rube pads are sometimes used to dampen high equences which cause nose, but the mast often used device isthe sprng-ype isolator. It fers about 95 percent solaton of al vibration an eliminates the need for anne block. ‘Spring isolators ate placed undor he gon set als but are not boted tthe floor Uns the unis paralleled wth other gonerator ses oi In an eartnquake-prone area. Spring isolators are most offectve when located di . cy under he engine and generator mounting fe ‘Caro must be takan to make sure the spring can accommodate tho gon sos weight Ifthe sping compressed completly, ll bration wil be drt ransmited to the stuctre i ress on,CONSIDER IDLE UNITS Unis that re not operating an be damaged by vibrations setup by nearby operating uns. Because ‘he ale units have no ol prassure to keep intamal components brated, the vibration can cause severe damage. Here, sping isolators can minimize vibration eects Fuel ines, exhaust pping and electrical connections al ransit vibrations. tis a waste of efor to prove mounting protection unless these connectons are specified to have virator-miting connections. Each connection must be islated wth exile connections to provide maximum vibration reaction, Resonance of pipe systems can also be reduced by hanging supports at unequal distances, (Soe Feure 2). Toatenuate ou-trequency vibrations, specyspxing-lype olla pipe hangers. Hihrequency \ibratlons can be minimized with ubber or cork cushioned hangers. FIGURE 2 ATBFC 7D. ate, ‘Specty hangers tobe istaled al uneven intervals fo minimize pipe vibration problems. Its possibi to test complete systems fo ensure vations are nol excussve. a stuctre is sensitive to vation fom gen set operation, such test should be considered belore the units eommissiones Your CAT desler can advise you how such tests can be card out \ibraton problems can cause considerable damage, and its best solved when the specication is writen, The adaiton of sping glatrs ofan inet block as well a exible connections an piping ana ‘lectetnes can prevent many afeutes later on NEAREST LOCATION, ‘8 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS FOLLOW MACALLISTER MACHINERY Nites 1818 Mayflower Ra f Facebook Nites, 49120 Twit in Unkeain _instagram Youtube [MORE MACALLISTER SITES. Macao com Macabsatyerovaccom