In high-rise buildings,
diesel generator sets primarily serve as emergency or backup power sources, responsible for supplying firefighting equipment (such as fire pumps, smoke exhaust fans, emergency lighting, evacuation lights, fire elevators, and fire control rooms), as well as providing power in the event of a municipal power grid failure. They also power critical loads (such as security systems, communications systems, key data centers, and some passenger elevators).
The following are key principles:
1. Reliability (Primary Principle):
Quick Start and Load: They must be able to automatically start and reach rated voltage and frequency within a specified time after a utility power failure (typically ≤ 15 seconds for firefighting equipment, or even less), and possess strong load-carrying capacity.
High Start-Up Success Rate: The starting system (batteries, starter motor, etc.) must be highly reliable to ensure startup under all conditions.
Redundancy and Backup: For super-high-rise buildings or particularly important buildings, an N+1 redundant configuration (multiple units operating in parallel or with a backup unit) may be required.
High-Quality Equipment: Select generator sets from well-known brands with mature technology and stable performance. Comprehensive Monitoring and Protection: Equipped with an automatic control system that enables automatic start/stop, automatic transfer switching (ATS), operating parameter monitoring (oil pressure, water temperature, voltage, frequency, speed, etc.), fault alarms, and protective shutdown functions.
Fuel Assurance: Fuel storage capacity should meet regulatory requirements for full-load operating time (typically fire load requirements) of ≥3 hours. Critical loads may require longer periods.
2. Safety (Core Principle):
Fire and Explosion Prevention:
Engine Room Fire Separation: The machine room should be isolated and separated from other areas by fire walls, fire-resistant floors, and fire doors. The fire resistance limit should not be less than the specified value (e.g., 2 or 3 hours).
Fuel System Safety:
Fuel Tank Location and Capacity: Fuel tanks for daily use are generally located in the machine room. Their capacity must comply with regulatory limits (e.g., no more than 1 cubic meter). Leakage prevention measures (such as installing oil pans and cofferdams) and ventilation ducts must be provided to ensure access to a safe area. Large oil storage tanks are typically located in separate rooms or outdoor underground tanks to meet fire protection distance requirements. Fuel tanks must not be located near or in crowded areas. Pipes and Valves: Fuel pipelines should be seamless steel pipes, with welded or flanged connections. Emergency shut-off valves should be installed between units (accessible outside the machine room).
Smoke Exhaust System Safety: Exhaust pipes must be wrapped with non-combustible insulation to prevent burns and fire. Any penetrations through walls or floors should be sealed with fire-resistant sealing materials. Smoke exhaust outlets should be located away from fresh air vents, doors, windows, and areas of human activity, and higher than adjacent buildings.
Electrical Safety: The unit casing must be reliably grounded. All electrical equipment in the machine room must be explosion-proof or rated for high-temperature environments. Lighting, switches, and sockets must meet explosion-proof requirements.
Ventilation and Heat Dissipation: Ensure an adequate supply of fresh air (to meet combustion and heat dissipation requirements) to prevent overheating in the machine room, which could cause malfunctions or fire. Hot air ducts must be insulated.
Prevention of Mechanical Damage and Noise and Vibration:
Protective Devices: Rotating parts (flywheels, pulleys) must require protective covers.
Vibration and Noise Reduction:
Foundation: The unit is installed on a high-grade concrete foundation. High-efficiency springs or rubber shock absorbers are installed between the foundation and the building structure to prevent vibration transmission. Flexible Pipe Connections: Flexible connections (corrugated pipes, rubber hoses) must be used at the connections between smoke exhaust ducts, air intake and exhaust ducts, and oil pipes and the units.
Computer Room Soundproofing: Walls, ceilings, and doors should be constructed of sound-absorbing materials and soundproofing structures. Silencers should be installed between the air intake and exhaust vents.
Emergency Lighting and Evacuation: Independent emergency lighting and evacuation signs should be installed in the computer room.
Fire Protection Facilities: The computer room should be equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system suitable for extinguishing oil fires (such as a gas fire extinguishing system or an ultra-fine dry powder fire extinguishing system), as well as portable fire extinguishers.
3. Compliance (Mandatory Principle):
Compliance with national and local standards: This is the fundamental basis for design and construction. Core standards include:
GB 50016, "Code for Fire Protection Design of Buildings," details the location of the computer room, fire compartmentation, the placement of oil tanks, and requirements for fire protection facilities. GB 51348, the "Electrical Design Standard for Civil Buildings," provides detailed regulations on load classification, emergency power supply configuration requirements, unit capacity calculation, and power supply and distribution system design.
GB 50052, the "Design Code for Power Supply and Distribution Systems," is a national standard that specifies the design principles, requirements, and methods for power supply and distribution systems, aiming to ensure safe, reliable, and economical power supply. This standard applies to the planning, design, and construction of power systems, covering the selection and layout of electrical equipment, as well as system operation and maintenance.
GB 50084, the "Design Code for Automatic Sprinkler Fire Extinguishing Systems," and GB 50370, the "Design Code for Gas Fire Extinguishing Systems" (fire protection requirements).
GB 50057, the "Design Code for Lightning Protection of Buildings," is a national standard for lightning protection design of buildings. This standard aims to guide building designers in designing lightning protection systems to ensure the safety of buildings and the people and property within them, and to prevent damage caused by lightning. The standard covers specific requirements and technical details for the layout of lightning protection facilities, material selection, and grounding design, ensuring effective lightning protection.
4. Functionality (Principle of Applicability):
Load Calculation Accuracy: The capacity and characteristics (such as impedance, inductance, and capacitance) of all fire protection and critical loads must be accurately calculated. Simultaneity and required coefficients, as well as the starting mode (whether high-power motors are started), must also be considered. This forms the basis for selection.
Capacity Matching: The generator set's rated power (kW/kVA) should be able to meet the total power requirements of all guaranteed loads during steady-state operation, with a margin (typically 10-20%). In particular, the voltage drop and frequency fluctuation caused by the instantaneous high current (multiples of the starting current) during motor startup should be considered to ensure the generator can withstand and meet equipment startup requirements. Soft start, variable frequency start, or unit-by-unit start strategies should be implemented as necessary.
Voltage Level and Wiring Method: The output voltage (typically 400/230V) should be compatible with the building's low-voltage distribution system. The distribution system design (such as the location and rating of ATSE switches) should ensure reliable switching and isolation. Equipment Room Location Selection:
Preferably, choose a location near a substation or load center to shorten power line lengths, thereby reducing losses and voltage drops. (In some cases, this may require location on the first floor or in a basement, as required by regulations.)
Consider equipment transportation access (lifting access).
Ensure convenient air intake and exhaust (clear paths for fresh air inlet and hot air outlet) and smoke exhaust (smoke duct routing).
Away from quiet areas and rooms housing precision equipment.
5. Maintainability and Operability:
Equipment Layout: Provide adequate operating, maintenance, and repair space around the units (usually on both sides of the units, ≥ 1.5 meters from the front of the units, ≥ 2 meters, with hanging space).
Accessibility and Entrances: Maintain clear access, with door openings sized to meet the requirements for maximum equipment access.
Lifting Equipment: Large equipment rooms should consider installing maintenance equipment (beam hooks or manual hoists).
Easy Operation: Control panels, switches, and valves should be conveniently located for easy operation and observation.
Installing a diesel generator set in a high-rise building is a systematic project involving multiple disciplines, including architecture, structure, HVAC, water supply and drainage, electrical engineering, fire protection, and environmental protection. The design must prioritize reliability, strictly adhering to safety regulations and national standards to ensure safety at critical moments. At the same time, through rational selection, layout, noise and vibration reduction, and emission control, the requirements of functionality, environmental protection, and maintainability must be met while also considering cost-effectiveness. Oversight in any step can lead to serious consequences, necessitating rigorous design, construction, and acceptance management by professional engineers.
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