Cummins Singapore: higher efficiency in generator sets Cummins Singapore: higher efficiency in generator sets | HBM

GEN2i data acquisition system ensures higher efficiency in generator sets

As performance requirements for generators have become increasingly demanding, Cummins South East Asia Services in Singapore has turned to HBM’s GEN2i data acquisition system to provide the extensive analysis and isolation requirements needed.

Both American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and ISO 8528 requirements for alternating current generator sets for land and marine use demand that any frequency and voltage variations can be verified as staying within specified limits. The regulations focus on the limits maintained when generator sets are undergoing numerous load changes over a 40-minute period.

Demands on data acquisition equipment

The data acquisition equipment had to be capable of continuously recording three-phase voltages of 50/60 Hz and up to 480 Vrms plus five K-type thermocouples and other miscellaneous signals - each less than 10 volts. The equipment also needed to calculate a wide range of performance criteria, including the Vrms and frequency trend waveforms for all three phases, maximum and minimum voltage and frequency values, percent change in voltage and frequency and the voltage and frequency recovery time for every load change; these occur roughly every 40 seconds.

To meet these exacting demands HBM provided its GEN2i Genesis HighSpeed eight-channel, 200 kS/s data acquisition system. Additional equipment included three 25 MS/s high-voltage fiber-optic isolated digitizers, providing a virtually infinite isolation barrier, with an associated fiber-optic receiver card and high voltage probes.

Analysis and reporting of a generator’s performance is provided by HBM’s Perception software using the integrated formula database to generate the needed analysis algorithms. On-site training for Cummins’ staff was also provided by HBM.

Design and creation of custom reports within minutes

Standard functions within the Perception software enable both Vrms and frequency trends to be readily identified. A particular advantage of HBM’s DAQ equipment that made the complex analysis significantly easier and quicker was the ability to acquire a trigger signal for every load change while recording in dual mode.

This enabled 40 minutes of continuous multi-channel data from up to 50 load changes to be easily analyzed. Results can be rapidly produced, either as log files or as a 50-page report showing all waveforms for every load change.

By utilizing HBM’s GEN2i data acquisition equipment and Perception software, Cummins can now easily meet the demanding requirements of ABS and ISO 8528 while promoting better understanding of performance criteria for its generator sets to its global customer base.

About Cummins, Inc.

Cummins Inc., a global power leader, is a corporation of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems.

Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (USA), Cummins employs approximately 44,000 people worldwide and serves customers in approximately 190 countries and territories through a network of more than 600 company-owned and independent distributor locations and approximately 6,500 dealer locations.

Cummins earned $1.85 billion on sales of $18.0 billion in 2011. The Commercial Marine and Offshore Oil & Gas Center of Excellence Business, design and manufacturing center in Singapore, is responsible for delivering a new range of factory-customizable products for oil and gas and commercial marine customers. For more information, contact your local Cummins Distributor or email [email protected]

Customer Benefits with HBM

√ Safe and reliable data acquisition to meet ASB and ISO 8528 requirements

√ Easy design and creation of custom reports within minutes for more efficient testing

√ Better understanding of performance data

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