Modern technology could help reduce the risks associated with carbon monoxide emissions from industrial generators, according to new research from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
And the answer seems to lie in adapting the emission controls which small motorbikes use. The agency reports that this could make generators up to 12 times safer for consumers, the agency claims. Many of the problems that occur with portable generators crop up because the equipment is being used unsafely, either inside or outdoors where the exhaust can infiltrate indoors.
Because consumers regularly ignore safety advice to keep a generator outside, the CPSC has worked to eradicate or at least lessen any potential dangers at source. So now a prototype generator has been developed by the organisation which uses a closed-loop electronic fuel injection along with a small catalyst. Researchers worked to a worst-case scenario in which someone was operating a generator in an enclosed space, and found that they managed to reduce emissions to such an extent that the amount of time someone experiencing poisoning had to escape increased from eight to nearly 100 minutes.
However, while the CPSC used an enclosed space, it stressed that a portable generator should not be used in this way. It also stressed the importance of using carbon monoxide alarms. The organisation is now calling on all makers of generators to adopt strict carbon emission rules for engines used in generators, in a bid to boost safety. This has worked previously in a different setting. Some eight years ago, producers of small marine generator engines voluntarily adopted a strict carbon emissions standard to tackle the potential danger of acute poisoning that was causing problems for boaters who were exposed to exhaust fumes from engines.
How Choosing Industrial Diesel Generators Can Help
Industrial diesel generators detonate fuel using temperature and pressure, rather than using an artificial spark. Combustion tends to be a lot more complete than with a gasoline counterpart, so that while there will be some carbon monoxide present, the amounts will be kept to a minimum, and will not be fatal for someone who is otherwise healthy.
There are Other Benefits Too, Including:
• Diesel industrial generators score high when it comes to both energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Equally, diesel has a higher energy density. What this means is that you get more energy from this fuel than you would for the equivalent volume of gas.
• And while earlier models may have required a significant amount of maintenance, and been quite noisy, the latest machines are much improved on both counts.
• These generators are sturdy and extremely reliable.
• As diesel is a less flammable source of fuel than many other types, it’s also scores highly in terms of safety. At the same time, because there are no spark plugs, the risk of a freak fire is also eliminated.
Of course, you will need to decide what purpose your generator will serve, and what your budget is to make your final decision. But, with the advent of biodiesel in particular, the popularity of diesel generators could well increase.
