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This manual focuses on the system description of the DGB components. Additional engine
systems, components, and dynamics are addressed in Caterpillar’s Application and
Installation Guides. Engine-specific information and data are available from a variety of
sources. For more information, contact the Caterpillar dealer nearest you.
The information is this document is the property of Caterpillar Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Any copying,
distribution, transmission, or other use except that for which it is loaned is prohibited without written
permission.
CAT®, CATERPILLAR®, ADEM™A4, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow” and the POWER EDGE
trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be
used without permission.
©2012 Caterpillar®
All rights reserved
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. SAFETY ............................................................................................................................................... 1
2. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1
3. DGB SYSTEM DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................................... 3
3.1. Natural Gas Fuel System............................................................................................................... 4
3.2. Natural Gas Fuel Heater ................................................................................................................ 4
3.3. Gas Shutoff Valve ......................................................................................................................... 4
3.4. Natural Gas Pressure Regulator .................................................................................................... 5
3.5. Fuel Control Valve (FCV) ............................................................................................................ 7
3.6. Natural Gas Fuel Mixer................................................................................................................. 7
3.7. Natural Gas Fuel Filter.................................................................................................................. 7
3.8. DGB Control System .................................................................................................................... 8
3.9. Control Panel ................................................................................................................................ 8
3.10. EMCP 4.4 Panel ........................................................................................................................ 9
3.11. Integrated Sensor Module (ISM) ............................................................................................ 10
3.12. Engine Control Module (ECM) .............................................................................................. 10
3.13. Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) ........................................................................................... 11
4. FUELING PROCEDURE ................................................................................................................... 11
4.1. Natural Gas Composition ............................................................................................................ 11
4.2. Contaminants .............................................................................................................................. 12
4.3. Sulfur compounds ....................................................................................................................... 12
4.4. Inert Compounds ......................................................................................................................... 12
4.5. Methane Number and Detonation ............................................................................................... 13
4.6. DGB Natural Gas Fuel Requirements ......................................................................................... 14
4.7. Fuel Treatment Options .............................................................................................................. 14
4.8. Diesel Fuel System ..................................................................................................................... 14
4.9. Diesel Fuel Requirements ........................................................................................................... 15
5. MAINTENANCE INTERVAL SCHEDULE..................................................................................... 15
5.1. When Required ........................................................................................................................... 16
5.2. Daily............................................................................................................................................ 16
5.3. Every Week ................................................................................................................................. 17
©2012 Caterpillar®
All rights reserved
5.4. Initial 250 Service Hours ............................................................................................................ 17
5.5. Initial 1000 Service Hours .......................................................................................................... 17
5.6. Every 250 Service Hours ............................................................................................................ 17
5.7. Every 500 Service Hours ............................................................................................................ 17
5.8. Every 500 Service Hours or 1 Year ............................................................................................ 17
5.9. Every 1000 Service Hours .......................................................................................................... 17
5.10. Every 2000 Service Hours ...................................................................................................... 18
5.11. Every Year .............................................................................................................................. 18
5.12. Every 3000 Service Hours ...................................................................................................... 18
5.13. Every 3000 Service Hours or 3 Years ..................................................................................... 18
5.14. Every 4000 Service Hours ...................................................................................................... 18
5.15. Every 6000 Service Hours or 6 Years ..................................................................................... 18
5.16. Every 12 000 Service Hours or 6 Years .................................................................................. 18
5.17. Overhaul .................................................................................................................................. 19
5.18. Commissioning ....................................................................................................................... 19
6. PARTS AND SERVICE ..................................................................................................................... 19
6.1. Dealer Contact Information ........................................................................................................ 20
7. WARRANTY ..................................................................................................................................... 21
©2012 Caterpillar®
All rights reserved
1. SAFETY
Do not operate or work on a generator set unless you have read and understood the
instructions and warnings in the Operation and Maintenance Manual. Failure to follow these
instructions may result in injury or death. Contact your Cat Dealer for access to additional
literature such as Owning and Maintenance Manuals, Applications and Installation Guides,
technical information, or other.
Proper care during the installation, setup, operation, and maintenance is your responsibility.
Electrical components are sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). An electrostatic charge
can damage some components resulting in breakdown or improper operations. Take the
following precautions while installing/removing/handling any electrical components:
Handle equipment correctly. Use ESD protective packaging and material handling containers
that are anti-static and provide discharge protection and electric field suppression.
Use protective devices: ESD-protective workstations and/or work surfaces (grounding mat or
anti-static wrist strap).
Keep all plastic items away from the electrical devices. Any plastic item is a potential static
generator. This includes candy wrappers, foam cups, synthetic carpet, foam cushions, etc.
NOTE: Locking out the generator set does not remove the voltage on the EMCP panel at the
bus voltage sensing leads.
2. INTRODUCTION
Caterpillar has developed a Dynamic Gas Blending (DGB) option as a complete generator set
or retrofit kit. The DGB system allows diesel engines to operate on diesel fuel and natural
gas simultaneously. This is accomplished through our DGB specific system which includes
all the required hardware and software in order to utilize both fuels.
DGB is not the same as dual fuel, bi-fuel, or flex-fuel. Our DGB systems use Caterpillar-
proprietary software designed to interface with Caterpillar designed hardware and integrate
seamlessly with Caterpillar engines.
The DGB system is able to maximize diesel fuel saving via gas substitution that is
continuously optimized throughout the engine’s entire operating range (including transient
loading conditions). Integrated feedback systems allow the generator set to react to incoming
gas quality and modulate diesel and gas fuel controls to maximize fuel savings and protect
the engine without affecting the power output of the engine. This is accomplished across a
wide range of gas quality and varying gas quality during operation.
Simplified operations that include fully automatic gas detection are part of the DGB system.
This automatic gas detection allows the system to turn on or off the gas blending system
when the minimum gas supply pressure is detected or not detected.
The DGB system does not require re-commissioning when the generator set is moved from
one site to another. The generator set will not need to be re-commissioned if a change in fuel
gas quality occurs. The DGB system has enables high fuel flexibility that allows for lower
methane and higher inert fuel gas which are typical characteristics of well head gas.
The DGB system allows for consistent performance of the generator set during transient
loading, either operating on diesel or gas blending mode. No compromise in rating will be
incurred during operation of the DGB system. One major benefit to Caterpillar’s DGB
system is that is maintains the engine’s current factory-certified emissions levels.
Caterpillar has specifically designed the generator sets and DGB systems for the
environments encountered in oil and gas applications. The DGB system is unique for each
rating and is optimized for certain engines and power settings. Each DGB system is
specifically designed for an engine size and rating.
The DGB natural gas system is referred to as a low pressure gas system. In the DGB low
pressure gas system, gas enters the fuel system through a shutoff valve and then passes
through the fuel heater, the gas pressure regulator and then the gas valve. After passing
through the gas valve, the fuel enters the air inlet system, just prior to the turbochargers.
The fuel is combined with the incoming air through the use of specifically-designed
mixing tubes that add the appropriate amount of natural gas to the air stream. After being
mixed with the incoming air, the air/fuel mixture then enters the compression side of the
turbochargers and is compressed to the desired pressure. The air/fuel mixture then
continues through the air inlet system through the aftercooler and into the combustion
chamber through the air inlet valves.
The temperature of the inlet gas is an important parameter because low inlet gas
temperature can cause freezing downstream of the pressure regulator, liquid hydrocarbon
dropout, and engine damage. Gas fuel streams are typically made up of a mixture of
many different hydrocarbon gas fractions, each with their own qualities. Many of the
heavier fractions tend to exist as liquids at lower temperatures, making control of fuel
stream temperature an important tool in preventing the unwanted dropout of
hydrocarbon liquids in the fuel delivery system. To resolve this issue, all DGB engines
and kits include a heat exchanger installed in the fuel delivery system to serve as a fuel
heater. The DGB fuel heater uses the jacket water system on the engine as a source of
energy to heat up the incoming gas fuel stream. It is mounted close to the engine and
regulator and installed between the regulator and the gas shutoff valve.
The gas shut-off valve (GSOV) is one of the most important safety devices in the fuel
system. Its role is to allow gas to the engine only when the engine is ready to use the gas.
If the DGB system has been turned off or the load is below 25%, the GSOV positively
The GSOV that is include on the DGB engine or in the DGB kit is an energize-to-run
GSOV. This means that power must be provided to the GSOV before it will open and
allow gas to flow. This ensures that the GSOV is defaulted to the shutdown condition.
During normal operation of the engine the GSOV will open and close as signaled by the
engine ECM when the appropriate conditions of load and DGB system operation are
met. In an emergency shutdown, the GSOV is closed immediately. If equipped, the air
shutoff will be activated and the diesel system will be shut down. This is done to stop
rotation of the engine as quickly as possible, but it can leave unburned fuel in the engine
and exhaust system. This unburned gas poses a hazard at restart as it can be ignited by
hot exhaust gases leaving the engine, resulting in an exhaust stack explosion. As a result,
the DGB system shuts down when the emergency stop button is activated. Once the
engine components come to a rest, the DGB system will activate the starter and purge
the fuel lines and exhaust system for 10 seconds with the GSOV closed and the diesel
fuel system disabled.
During startup for DGB generator sets, the GSOV will be closed to prevent any natural
gas fuel from entering the system. The starters will engage and purge the fuel lines,
manifold, and exhaust system for 10 seconds with the GSOV and diesel fuel system
disabled. After purging for 10 seconds, the starters will be disengaged and allow the
engine to stop turning. The DGB system will then automatically engage the starters and
activate the diesel fuel system to start the system normally. The GSOV will open when
the DGB generator set reaches the minimum load for DGB operation.
The gas pressure regulator controls the supply of fuel from the customer fuel supply line
to the on-engine fuel system. This function is critical to the on-engine fuel system
· Step gas pressure down to a value appropriate for the on-engine fuel system
· Dampen out any fluctuations in the supply pressure to stabilize the supply to the
engine
As with gas filters and other components in the gas stream, the proper regulator for a
given application depends on the specific installation, including details such as gas
specific gravity, temperature, pressure, flow rate, and desired outlet pressure. The DGB
regulator has been specifically chosen to work in the appropriate DGB application with
the fuel limitations for each engine. If the external supply pressure is too high to
accomplish the desired pressure reduction in a single step (high pressure gas on a low
pressure package), or if the pressure fluctuations in the external supply are too large, a
knockdown pressure regulator may be required prior to the fuel filter to deliver the
desired gas pressure to the engine pressure regulator.
The following guidelines can be applied for a successful gas pressure regulator
installation:
· To prevent pressure buildup (“dead head” condition), avoid providing gas inlet
pressures above the maximum downstream pressure rating for a regulator.
· Install the regulator in the correct gas flow direction and downstream of the fuel
filter
· Piping to the gas regulator must be at least as large as the regulator inlet/outlet
ports
As noted above, the gas pressure regulator works closely with the fuel-air mixer to make
the fuel system function properly. The gas pressure regulator setup should be matched to
the needs of the fuel-air mixer and engine requirements. Appropriate pressure to the
natural gas regulator must be achieved per the DGB guidelines. In the event that pressure
is too low, the DGB system will not operate. Minimum fuel pressure to the DGB system
The DGB natural gas fuel system incorporates a fuel control valve. The FCV has been
specifically designed is to control the flow of gas fuel into the combustion chambers.
This valve is controlled by the by the engine ECM in order maximize the substitution
rate based the fuel quality and the operating point.
During startup, the FCV will be closed along with the GSOV and will not open until
25% load has been achieved. Once 25% load has been achieved, the FCV will open via a
signal from the ECM to allow for maximum/optimal substitution or to achieve the
customer preferences.
The natural gas fuel is distributed into the intake air piping prior to the turbochargers by
means of a natural gas fuel mixer. This component has been specifically designed for
each engine model to optimize fuel delivery into the air inlet and subsequently into the
combustion chamber.
Gas engines, like most engines, require a fuel supply free from dirt and other foreign
matter (including water). Undesirable solids and liquids are removed from the gas stream
using filters and coalescers. For that reason, Caterpillar recommends adding a filter
designed to remove 99% of all particles larger than 1 micron to the fuel system. The
filter should be mounted upstream of the GSOV to ensure that natural gas fuel delivered
to the engine is free from contaminants.
Gas filters are not designed to handle liquids. Liquids in the fuel supply must be
removed using equipment designed for that purpose.
The DGB control system processes engine and generator data and determines the
optimum gas fuel requirements to allow for seamless adjustment of gas and diesel ratio
during operation. The DGB control system is comprised of the EMCP4.4, Engine
Control Module, engine and generator sensors, and Integrated Sensor Module.
The DGB kit and engine includes the EMCP 4.4 control panel, 6 direct gauge readout
displays, and an emergency stop button. The panel is connected to the rest of the
generator set through a supplied interconnect harness that connects to the generator
terminal box and also the Engine Control Module (ECM). The panel has the capability
for Direct Rack Input connections via 4-20 mA to PWM signal conversion. The panel
also allows for integration into existing drill rig control systems. It also allows for “plug
and play” connection to the engine and the generator via the standard CDL or Cat ET
connections.
The analog style gauges are meant to offer the operator a quick glance at the engine and
include the following. The figure below shows the parameters available through the
analog gauges.
The DGB generator sets and retrofit kits utilize an EMCP4.4 panel to integrate the
operator to the DGB controls. The EMCP 4.4 has a user friendly display panel that
includes analog gauges along with a 5.5 inch graphical display. The EMCP 4.4 has
intuitive menus and plain text alarm and faults. The EMCP 4.4 panel has a remote E-stop
and a start/stop capability. The panel is capable of CAN, MODBUS, and Ethernet
With the addition of DGB, the panel interfaces and controls the DGB system with
certain operator inputs. Those inputs include DGB system status (off or on) and the
substitution rate. Substitution rate can be programmed by percentages (20%, 25%, etc)
or maximum substitution rate as determined by the ADEM 4 ECM. The EMCP 4.4 panel
also displays the actual DGB substitution rate. The EMCP 4.4 panel will display the
substitution rate based on diesel energy that is actually replaced by natural gas energy.
The maximum substitution would show that
70% of the required energy is from natural gas fuel and that 30% of the required energy
is from diesel fuel. Depending on the natural gas fuel quality, 70% may not be able to be
achieved. Also note that since the substitution rate is energy based, the actual liquid fuel
requirement may not be reduced by exactly 70%.
DGB engines and retrofit kits include an Integrated Sensor Module (ISM). The ISM
monitors combustion and communicates date to the Engine Control Module (ECM) and
controls system to adjust and protect the engine. The ISM’s primary source of
combustion monitoring is via the detonation sensors and the exhaust temperature
monitoring. The ISM communicates with the engine ECM via J1939 protocol.
Engine control is performed from the Engine Control Module (ECM), which runs on the
ADEM™ A4 software (Advanced Digital Engine Management). The ADEM 4 ECM
allows the DGB system to operate at the maximum efficiency possible to insure timely
adjustments to the diesel and natural gas fuel system. The ADEM 4 ECM for the DGB
system controls the flow of the natural gas fuel via the control of the FCV. The control
of natural gas flow is derived from the ECM monitoring the engines detonation levels
(input from the ISM), exhaust temperatures (input from the ISM), inlet manifold
In order to maintain some United States EPA diesel emissions certifications, a Diesel
Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) is required, and included in the DGB retrofit kits when sold in
4. FUELING PROCEDURE
A source of continuous gas fuel flow must be provided to the DGB system and must be
securely connected to the DGB gas inlet connection by means of a flexible line. The
connection at the gas inlet is 2 inch NPT. Gas fuel quality must follow the guidelines
described in this section. Pressure and temperature must be within the guidelines described
in section 3.
The following forms of natural gas fuels are often used in internal combustion engines:
The unique use of using diesel fuel and natural gas fuel in the same engine requires that
the natural gas or gaseous fuel meets certain quality requirements. All gas fuels must
meet the requirements set forth in the Gaseous Fuel A&I Guide.
Contaminants may be introduced into the engine as chemical compounds carried in the
fuel or air. These contaminants may cause damage to the engine through corrosion,
abrasion, or formation of deposits. The amount of each allowed to enter the engine must
be limited to protect the engine from damage. Contaminants in the fuel could be water,
particulates, silicon, ammonia, sulfur, etc. A complete list of contaminants and their
limits is included in the Gaseous Fuels A&I Guide.
One major contaminant is sulfur compounds. Sulfur compounds are formed during the
decomposition of organic waste. The primary compound of concern is hydrogen sulfide
(H2S), although any compound containing sulfur should be considered when comparing
sulfur intake to engine limits. A complete list of sulfur compounds can be found in the
Gaseous Fuels A&I Guide. Sulfur compounds which condense out of the fuel gas are
highly corrosive and will quickly damage and fail bright metal engine components.
Condensation of the air fuel mixture in the after cooler will lead to failure of the after
cooler core. Even more significant, sulfur compounds dissolved in the engine oil from
blow-by gas will corrode the oil cooler, bronze and brass bushings and bearings and any
internal engine components containing copper. Even trace amounts of sulfur can
significantly damage engine components.
Since H2S is the primary sulfur compound of concern in gaseous fuels, the sulfur limits
are expressed as maximum H2S content. Maximum H2S content is defined for each
engine type and model. For the DGB engines, the maximum H2S content is 0.14
micrograms/BTU, which translates into 0.0004 mole percentage or 4 ppm (part per
million).
Inert gases are compounds in the natural gas fuel that have no combustions properties.
Cat DGB engines can operate on gaseous fuels from a wide range of sources; from
associated gas to pipeline natural gas.
The key property that determines suitability of a fuel for use in an engine is the ability of
the fuel gas to resist detonation. Detonation and pre-ignition are forms of abnormal
combustion processes that involve uncontrolled burning of the fuel-air mixture in the
cylinder. Pre-ignition is the term used to describe premature ignition of the fuel-air
mixture before the combustion process is meant to start – in the case of the DGB system
is the diesel fuel injection. Detonation describes the scenario where the fuel-air mixture
is ignited at the proper time by the diesel fuel injection and a second ignition event takes
place in the unburned fuel-air mixture before the normal combustion sequence can go to
completion. Both events are potentially damaging to the engine due to their ability to
produce localized high temperatures and sharp rises in cylinder pressure. Left
unchecked, detonation has the potential to cause significant engine damage. For this
reason, having a measure of this detonation resistance property provides a valuable tool
for assessing the suitability of a gas to use as engine fuel. The Caterpillar Methane
Number provides a measure of detonation resistance of a fuel. Calculating the methane
number requires a set of complicated computations; therefore, Caterpillar developed a
computer program to perform these calculations and allow field determination of the
methane number. The Caterpillar Methane Number program is the only program that can
provide the methane number required for Caterpillar engines. GERP (Gas Engine Rating
Pro) includes the latest version of the Caterpillar Methane Number program. The
For all DGB 3500 “B” series generator sets, the minimum methane number is 30 and the
maximum lower heating value is 2300 BTU/scf.
For the DGB 3500 “C” series generator set, the minimum methane number is 30 and the
maximum lower heating value is 1260 BTU/scf.
If the natural gas fuel does not meet the minimum requirements for the DGB system,
fuel treatment recommendations are available from Caterpillar. Please contact your local
Cat dealer and/or Caterpillar’s Application Support Center for fuel treatment
recommendations.
DGB engines can only use Low Sulfur Diesel (LSD) or Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel
(ULSD) fuels. Low Sulfur Diesel (LSD) fuel is defined by the U.S. EPA as diesel fuel
having sulfur content not to exceed 0.05% by weight or 500 parts per million (ppm).
Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel is defined by the U.S. EPA as diesel fuel having
sulfur content not to exceed 15 parts per million or 0.0015 percent by weight. Heavy
Fuel Oil (crude), Marine Diesel Oil, Biodiesel, Blended Fuel Oil, Residual Fuel,
Kerosene, and Aircraft Jet Fuels are not recommended for use with DGB engines. Only
ASTM No.2 diesel fuel (LSD or ULSD) is recommended.
For further information in diesel fuel requirements for Caterpillar engines, consult the
Application and Installation Guide.
The choice of fuel depends on the specific engine model. Please refer to the following
list for choice of appropriate diesel duel type:
Use of fuels with higher than recommended and/or maximum allowed fuel sulfur levels
can result in increased overall operating costs and/or reduced engine life. Refer to the
applicable engine Operating and Maintenance Manual and the Caterpillar Commercial
Diesel Engine Fluids Recommendations for further diesel fuel requirements.
Ensure that all safety information, warnings, and instructions are read and understood before
any operation or any maintenance procedures are performed. An authorized operator may
perform the maintenance items with daily intervals. An authorized operator may perform the
maintenance items with intervals of every week. The maintenance that is recommended for
all other maintenance intervals must be performed by an authorized service technician or by
your Cat dealer.
The user is responsible for the performance of all maintenance which includes the following
items: performing all adjustments, using proper lubricants, fluids, and filters, and replacing
old components with new components due to normal wear and aging. Failure to adhere to
proper maintenance intervals and procedures may result in diminished performance of the
product and/or accelerated wear of components. Before each consecutive interval is
performed, all maintenance from the previous intervals must be performed. Choose the
interval that occurs first in order to determine the correct maintenance interval: fuel
consumption, service hours, and calendar time. Products that operate in severe operating
conditions may require more frequent maintenance. All of the following will affect the oil
change interval: operating conditions, fuel type, oil type, and size of the oil sump. Scheduled
To determine the maintenance intervals for the overhauls, refer to the Operation and
Maintenance Manual, “Maintenance Recommendations.” Unless other instructions are
provided, perform maintenance and perform repairs under the following conditions:
The items below are the recommended maintenance activities for optimum performance of
DGB generator sets. Refer to the Owning and Maintenance Manual for full procedures and
explanations.
5.2. Daily
Air Inlet Filter - Inspect/Clean/Test
Air Starting Motor Lubricator Oil Level - Check
Air Tank Moisture and Sediment - Drain
Battery Charger - Check
Control Panel - Inspect/Test
Coolant Level - Check
Electrical Connections - Check
5.18. Commissioning
Fan Drive Bearing – Lubricate
Parts and service for the DGB generator sets are available through the Cat dealer network. A
comprehensive list of all Cat dealers in the US is available below. Alternatively, individual
dealers can be found by using the dealer locator tool at http://www.cat.com/dealer-locator .
Registration of the upgrade will be required in order to obtain full warranty on the upgrade
kit. Please see the section above “Registering the Upgrade” for complete details.