Cummins Power Generation has launched its most powerful generator sets to date - but the QSK95 Series fit in a smaller space than other products.

The high-horsepower QSK95 diesel units offer up to 3.5 MW 60 Hz and 3.75 MVA 50 Hz, and have the highest kilowatt per square foot ratio in their class, says Cummins, resulting in a smaller footprint and a 20 percent improvement in power density. They are based around the QSK95 diesel engine, which was announced in 2011 and has been in trials since then, and come pre-approved by the Uptime Institute for inclusion in Tier III certified sites.

Burning less fuel
The new products also offer better economy — apparently saving more than $400,000 over the course of 8,000 hours of operation, said Tony Satterthwaite, president of Cummins Power Generation: “The QSK95 Series produces up to 3.5 megawatts of power, occupying less floor space than lower-rated generator sets. They are designed to lower the total cost of ownership by reducing installation expenses, fuel costs and maintenance requirements — all while maintaining Cummins’ high standards of reliability.”

The claimed fuel and operational economies come from an innovative fuel injection system, fewer maintenance requirements, longer service intervals and 25,000 hours to major overhaul.

The generator sets are intended for a variety of uses including mining and oil and gas, but they are particularly good for power protection at data centers and similar sites, because of their high reliability and ability to power up quickly. The generator sets accept 100 percent of rated load in a single step, and are ready to accept facility load in less than 10 seconds.

Multiple options are available for specific power generation applications, including: continuous, prime power, mission critical and standby. Cummins also offers a data center continuous (DCC) rating specifically tailored for data center requirements. DCC places no limitation on the number of generator set operating hours and pre-approves the QSK95 Series for the Uptime Institute’s Tier III and Tier IV data center site certifications.

• The small size may also be important in sites where space is at a premium.