Portable/Standby Generators

Portable and standby power generation continues to increase in demand as more systems require uninterrupted power supplies. With the US electrical grid aging and the number of severe storms increases, power failures can happen regularly, and standby power supplies fill the gap while the grid is being repaired.

In most cases, traditional generator sets are very inefficient. When driven by a fuel powered motor, most engines have an efficiency of 30% to 40% and the generators they power are 65%-75% efficient, resulting in an overall efficiency of 20%-30%. There are significant logistical issues with the transportation of generators and fuel due to their physical size and low system efficiency.

The next generation of generators show significant promise by increasing power output and fuel efficiency while reducing the overall size and weight. Orbital Traction is coupling a high-performance generator (HPG) to a diesel rotary engine (DRE) using an adjustable speed drive (ASD) resulting in a high efficiency dense generator (HEDG). The ASD acts as a continuously variable transmission for the engine and the generator, resulting in a constant output for the generator while operating the engine at its most fuel efficient speed.