Here's How You Can Reduce Air Pollution from Diesel Generators

We all want to live in comfort, don't we? Well, this was the prime motivation for the invention of backup generators. Simply said, these are machinery designed to burn fossil fuel to generate electric energy. For regions that frequently have power outages or don't have access to the power grid, these devices are extremely useful.

Diesel Generator: The Game Changer

The most popular backup generators available are diesel ones. There are reasons why people prefer diesel generators over other types of generators.

• They need diesel to generate electricity. By the way, diesel is less flammable than gas and has a high energy density to volume ratio.
• And, they tend to burn less than half the amount of fuel when compared to their natural gas counterparts. So, low fuel cost.
• They are efficient and reliable.

Nevertheless, anything that uses fossil fuel to work emits hazardous pollutants into the atmosphere. Diesel generators are no exception. When a diesel generator operates, it emits fumes that contain carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons, among other harmful substances. Below is a detailed conversation about those pollutants.

Types of Emissions from a Diesel Generator

When a diesel engine is running, it emits carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. Just so you know, every time a diesel generator burns a liter of diesel fuel, it produces around 2.6 kg of carbon dioxide. That’s huge… Isn’t it??? The discussion below will give you an overview of each of the pollutants mentioned above.

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

As we've already discussed, the main component of emissions from diesel generators is CO2. An interesting thing about this gas is, it is tipping the greenhouse effect out of balance. Tons of CO2 are released into the atmosphere each year by fossil fuel-powered thermal power plants, automobiles and businesses. And, yes… diesel generators also emit a huge amount of CO2. The unchecked release of such a toxic gas could result in a major extinction event.

• Nitrogen Oxide (NOx)

Nitrogen oxide is yet another major pollutant released by a diesel generator. It is a toxic substance. If you get exposed to this gas, you may suffer from serious health problems ranging from breathing airway inflammation to chronic respiratory diseases. Excess release of this substance can also contribute to acid rain and other environmental challenges.

• Particulate matter

Diesel generators are known to emit a huge amount of particulate matter. In case you didn't know, there are three main categories of particulate matter from diesel generators namely soot, soluble organic fraction, and inorganic fraction. These minute particles, when inhaled by a person, can induce respiratory and cardiovascular disorders.

So, these are the top three pollutants a diesel generator emits. Let's now talk about some preventative actions that can be taken to lessen the emission of these hazardous compounds from a diesel generator.

Tips To Reduce Diesel Generator Emissions

You cannot entirely stop a diesel generator from spewing dangerous substances, no matter what you do. What you can do is use technology to lower the level of emissions.

#1- Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)

The most effective technique to lower particulate matter emission in a diesel generator is to use a DPF. The filter essentially works by trapping soot particles (almost all types) from reaching the environment. You may cut the emission of particulate matter from a diesel generator by up to 95% with the aid of this filter.

#2- Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC)

A diesel oxidation catalyst or DOC is another crucial emission control device. It can cut the emission of carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). We are providing a few equations for readers' use in understanding how this component functions. Please take a look;

Oxidation of carbon monoxide: 2CO + O2 = 2 CO2

Oxidation of hydrocarbons: HC + O2 = CO2 + H2O

Oxidation of NOx: 2NO + O2 = 2NO2

Oxidation of SOx: 2SO2 + O2 = 2SO3, SO3 + H2O = H2SO4

Together with the aforementioned equipment, selective catalytic reduction (SCR), exhaust gas diluters and three-way catalytic converters can also be used to lower a diesel generator's emissions.

In Closing Remarks…

Having a diesel generator on standby can be useful in case of an outage. Yet, using diesel generators has certain serious disadvantages. For instance, the fume produced when the generator burns gasoline contains a variety of toxic substances like CO, CO2, NOx, SOx, etc. Therefore, it's crucial to outfit your generator with the proper after-treatment components, such as a diesel particulate filter and a diesel oxidation catalyst.

Leddy Power is one of the leading electric power generation service provider located in Moorpark, CA. We are proud to provide our clients with comprehensive and reliable power solutions to cater to their needs.