UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES PLANNING
FACiliTIES STANDARD
NAME: Emergency Standby Generators
NUMBER: 18200
ORIGINAL DATE: 01-Sep-1998
REVISION DATE: 03-Jul-2007
PURPOSE:
1.
The general purpose of each Facilities Standard is to provide minimal criteria for construction
materials at University facilities regarding code compliance. warranty. approved products.
execution, and uniformity.
2.
To protect the health and safety of patients, visitors, students, faculty. and staff, in addition to
protecting non-project UAB property, all construction must be in accordance with NFPA 241
safeguarding construction, alteration, and demolition operations; International Building Code
regarding site work, demolition. and construction; NFPA 101 Ute Safety Code; NFPA 110
Power Systems - Emergencyand Standby; NFPA 99 - Health Care Facilities
3.
Construction safety is the responsibilityof the contractorin accordancewith the regulations and
codes of the agency havingjurisdiction. and accordingto the guidelines adapted by OSHA.
4.
The Emergency Standby Generator Facilities Standard establishes a series of guidelines for
specifying this particular item on any construction project at the University. This Facilities
Standard is not to be regarded as a specification.
GENERAL:
1.
The Engineer shall furnish a suitability study for matching the generator type to the application
(type and size of connected loads, availability,and suitabilityof fuel system).
2.
The Engineer shall check with the Authority having jurisdiction in the City of Birmingham
whether the Electrical Fire Pump shall be fed from emergency power because the utility
service is unreliable at the particular location before sizing the emergency generator.
3.
The Engineer shall furnish a sizing calculation to match the size of the generator set to the
variety of the connected electrical loads. Starting requirements of each motor must be
considered, and a proposed starting sequence and type of starting shall be specified.
4.
Natural gas, where available. is the UAB preferred supply for generators. Any alternate fuel
supply shall be first approved by UAB after the Engineerfurnishes the above justification study.
5.
Spark-ignited reciprocating generators shall be suitable for multi-fuel supply (propane gas and
natural gas). Diesel fuel systems shall be passive (not pressurized). UAB is in a fire district
which limitsthe amount of fuel that can be stored above ground (base tank) to 660 gallons.
DEVELOPEDBY AND INTENDED FOR UAB USE ONLY
NOT FOR OUTSIDE DISTRIBUTION
PAGE NO. 16200.1
NAME: Emergency Standby Generators
NUMBER: 16200
ORIGINAL DATE: 01-Sep-1998
REVISION DATE: 03-Jul-2007
6.
Diesel-fueledand spark-ignitedgenerator sets shall use PMG (permanent magnet generator)
when handling non-linear loads to provide a reliable excitationpower source and to enhance
motor starting and short-circuitperformance. An isochronous governor shall be used when
supplying sensitive loads, particular1yUPS (uninterrupted power supply) systems. To ensure
compatibility,bid documents for generators sets used mainly in UPS applications shall
reference both generator and UPS systems. The proper voltage regulator type shall be
specified for each application.
7.
The Engineer shall specify the minimumacceptable performance parameters of the selected
generator (voltage regulation from no load to full load, random voltage variation, frequency
regulation, random frequency variation, electromagnetic attenuation, total harmonic distortion,
telephone influencefactor, etc.). In general, the larger the set, the lowerthe variation.The State
requires a Level1 system with NFPA110 required alarms.
8.
For larger generators, primarilyfor hospital and medical buildings,the Engineer shall specify
"Standby Rated" generators withthe base bid. He shall ask for alternate prices for "Continuous
Duty"and for "PrimeDuty"rated generators.
Such generators shall be provided with a microprocessor-based monitoring, metering, and
control system, thus eliminatingthe discrete voltage regulator, governor, and protective relay
components. This type of system willeliminate separate parallelingcontrol devices, such as
synchronizers and load-sharing controls.The system shall utilizea true distributedlogicdesign.
That is, each major component shall include sufficient control and logic to operate
autonomously in the event of failure of the other system components. Criticaland LifeSafety
branch automatic transfer switches and equipment branch transfer switches that feed
medical refrigerators and freezers (compressors) shall be of the closed-transitiontype. All
automatic transfer switches shall have bypass isolation.
The minimum components of the engine generator set mounted control panel shall be as
follows:voltmeter, ammeter, frequency meter, running hours, all engine safety indicators,fault
alarm, and temperature.
A dry contact shall be providedfor remote monitoringof the generator, both for common trouble
and for generator running.Contacts shall be wiredto the nearest buildingsecurity backboard for
UABsecurity personnel signal conversion and for transmittingto the UABPolice Department
via telephone lines. Maintenance personnel routinely notify UAB Police before conducting
generator exercising.
9.
The Engineer shall specify equipment layout,fuel tanks, mountingpads, intake louvers, muffler
types, and connecting piping. Special attention shall be paid to diesel fuel piping. Pressurized
systems can be hazardous to piping.A passive system, where pumps are running only when
the generator is running, is desirable. Vibration and noise factors relative to the facility's
structural design shall be addressed carefully, specificallythose that may affect operational
group adjacencies. Spring isolators shall be provided, and isolated concrete pads shall be
considered for the generator set skid. Fuel, exhaust, and electricalconnections shall include a
flexiblelink.Exhaustcriticalsilencerand fieldpipingsupporton springsshallbe considered.
DEVELOPEDBY AND INTENDED FOR UAB USE ONLY
NOT FOR OUTSIDE DISTRIBUTION
PAGE NO. 16200.2
'
ORIGINAL DATE: 01-Sep-1998
REVISION DATE: 03-Jul-2007
NAME: Emergency Standby Generators
NUMBER: 16200
PRODUCTS:
1.
Generator approved manufacturers:
A.
Caterpillar
B.
Onan Cummins
C.
Kohler
2.
ATS (AutomaticTransfer Switches)approved manufacturers:
A.
Generator vendor
B.
Asco
C.
Zenith
D.
Russell Electric
EXECUTION:
1.
Generator and ATS manufacturer's productiontest results shall be furnished at rated load and
power factor. Site tests shall be performed and vibration, exhaust leaks, voltage, ampere,
frequency, and phase rotation shall be checked. Automaticshutdown and automatic start-up
shall be demonstrated by means of a simulated power outage to test remote-automaticstarting
transfer of the load. An external load bank shall be provided and connected to the system if
buildingload is unavailable to load the generator to its nameplate rating. Noise level shall be
checked for conformationto the generator specifications.
2.
Bondingjumpers and system grounding electrode conductor shall be provided,and lowvoltage
generator neutral shall be grounded per Code.
END OF STANDARD
Reviewed and
Prepared by.
RecommeIlded
by.
;;
Reviewed and
RecommeIlded
by.
DEVELOPED BY AND INTENDED FOR UAB USE ONLY
NOT FOR OUTSIDE DISTRIBUTION
PAGE NO. 16200.3