An analytical look at standby diesel engine/generator loading

Diesel engine/generators are complex systems which utilize different governors, voltage regulators, excitation systems, excitation support systems, and turbochargers. Even the engine and the generator have widely varying characteristics and ratings and are often matched differently for different applications. In sizing and specifying these units, the engineer should use “rules of thumb” cautiously. As many known factors as possible should be applied to the sizing and specifying process. In the future, the computer will probably be used routinely to predict diesel engine/generator response to dynamic loads.