At a Glance
Standby generators, or “gensets”, are used to power buildings in the event of an electric grid outage. As they are often needed to turn on within a matter of seconds, gensets utilize heaters to keep their engine blocks warm and at the ready. The conventional style of engine block heaters, called thermosiphon heaters, are simple and rely on natural convection alone to circulate coolant throughout the engine. While effective, the convection process requires a significant temperature gradient in the coolant loop in order to function properly. A newer type of block heating, called forced circulation, utilizes a pump to circulate coolant, rather than relying on convection alone. These heaters do not need to maintain such a large temperature gradient in the coolant loop, which can lead to lower average loop temperatures – and as a result, potential energy savings and less coolant system wear and tear.
Workbook
Latest Version
Past Versions
version | date | document |
---|---|---|
1.0 |
Jun 23, 2020
|
Approved at the June RTF Meeting. Currently undergoing QC.
|
Decisions
Expand All DecisionsLatest decision
Decision details
Approved New Measure
Decision DetailsAdopt the new Planning UES measure Forced Circulation Engine Block Heaters for Non-Residential Standby Generators as Presented. Use restaurant heating load shape, set the measure category to Planning, set the measure status to Active, and set the sunset date to June 30, 2023.
Allocate Resources to New Measure Development
Decision DetailsAllocate resources to:
- Small Commercial DHPs
- Generator Engine Block Heaters
- ENERGY STAR Air Purifiers
- Non-Residential LED Wallpacks
- Residential High Efficiency Central AC
- Advanced Kitchen Ventilation Controls
- Retrofit or Upgrade Doors on Existing Display Cases
- Air Curtains for Walk-Ins
- Floating Controls for Multiplex Refrigeration System
- Display Case Upgrade and Replacement
Do not allocate resource to:
- Workstation Power Management Devices
- Anti-Fouling Refrigerant Additives
- ENERGY STAR Dehumidifiers