Cummins Power Generation, one of four business units of Cummins Inc. has announced that the certified Grid Code Compliant generator sets have been delivered successfully to a customer in Germany. Grid codes have been introduced to help improve the stability of today’s power grids that have become reliant on numerous renewable energy sources.
The generator sets are the result of 18 months of design and development by the Cummins Power Generation plant in Manston, Kent, UK.
Compliance for power generation plants that connect to the grid is already a legal requirement in Germany, with many other countries soon to follow suit. Independent testing house DNV GL has validated the Cummins Power Generation 60-litre and 91-litre lean-burn gas generator set range as fully compliant with the grid code requirements of Germany, France and Italy.
Code compliance is the future
Transmission and distribution system operators in Europe are defining sets of rules that specify how grid-connected power sources must perform, including generator sets and their associated components. These rules, known as grid codes, require embedded generation schemes to stay connected to the grid during certain grid faults, unlike the traditional approach where generator sets could come off the grid at such times.
“We have proven ourselves to be market leaders in delivering state-of-the-art products that meet our customers’ and markets’ requirements,” comments Andrew Stone, Director of Global Project Companies. “With the growing demand to meet grid code requirements in Europe, the introduction of Cummins Grid Code Compliant products means power providers can continue to rely on one manufacturer for their generator set needs.”
Design and development
In order to define the requirements products needed to meet, Cummins Power Generation first studied variations in the grid code requirements across various network operators and countries. This allowed the design of generator set components that could meet the significant electrical and mechanical stresses encountered during grid faults. Computer-aided design tools were used to determine the stresses on the components and enabled designs to be optimised for the products’ expected lifetime.
After the design was finalised, the generator sets underwent testing in parallel with the live UK National Grid, using a grid fault simulation device to create a localised fault. These physical tests demonstrated the functionality and reliability of the generator sets and associated components. Real test results were then used to validate a mathematical model, which could predict the performance of any Cummins Power Generation lean-burn gas-powered generator set in the event of a low-voltage grid fault. Mathematical modelling enables quicker, more efficient development, lowering the company’s carbon footprint today and for the future.
For more information about Cummins Power Generation products, visit http://power.cummins.com
Tel: 01843 255000
