Rolls-Royce Provides mtu Generator Sets for New Central Utility Plant at UNC Charlotte

• Three mtu 1250kW generator sets to provide back-up power for major campus expansion
• Versatile onboard paralleling capabilities of mtu generators among key features

MANKATO, MN

Rolls-Royce and its mtu distributor partner, Western Branch Diesel, recently received an order for three mtu 16V2000 DS1250 standardized backup generator sets to service an area of the University of North Carolina’s Charlotte campus (UNC Charlotte). The generator sets were installed at the university’s new central utility plant and will deliver up to 800 hours of standby power per year to select, critical buildings across the 1,000-acre campus.

“With nearly 30,000 students and 3,700 faculty and staff on campus, it is imperative that dependable power is available during any conditions experienced at UNC Charlotte,” said, Kevin McKinney, Senior Manager Sales at Rolls-Royce’s subsidiary mtu America. “mtu generator sets deliver high reliability along with low fuel consumption, optimized system integration ability and low maintenance intervals for a result that’s hard to beat in terms of operation and peace of mind.”

A key benefit that helped secure the order for the project was the exceptional onboard paralleling capabilities of mtu generator sets. Onboard paralleling offers numerous advantages in terms of reliability and performance confidence but can be complicated and difficult to customize. mtu has ensured its generator sets offer as much simplicity as possible when customers are faced with intricate paralleling. By comparison, mtu generator sets require fewer components and parts than others.

“Having the ability to do a moderately difficult sequence of operations in an onboard paralleling application in an extremely versatile, plug-and-play configuration with the mtu generator sets is one of the reasons we became the basis of design for the project with UNC Charlotte,” said Clayton Pacunas, application engineer for Western Branch Diesel.

Working with the university, Western Branch Diesel – an mtu distributor and services provider that supplies sales and service to the on-highway, power generation, oil and gas, construction, industrial, mining, and marine markets – oversaw the installation of the mtu units, which offer an industry-leading average load factor and cutting-edge emissions control. Contractor partners provided custom fuel tanks, platforms and enclosures for the system.

The multi-unit set-up features a unique auto-syphon fuel arrangement that offers a high level of reliability without adding complexity, as it allows all three generator sets to share the fuel source without pumps or switches. This provides ensured system availability in case of any component failure.

Learn more about Western Branch Diesel at  www.wbdiesel.com

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

1. Rolls-Royce pioneers cutting-edge technologies that deliver clean, safe and competitive solutions to meet our planet’s vital power needs.
2. Rolls-Royce Power Systems is headquartered in Friedrichshafen in southern Germany and employs around 11,000 people. The product portfolio includes mtu-brand high-speed engines and propulsion systems for ships, power generation, heavy land, rail and defence vehicles and for the oil and gas industry. Under the mtu Onsite Energy brand, the company markets diesel and gas systems and battery containers for mission critical, standby and continuous power, combined generation of heat and power, and microgrids. Medium-speed engines from Bergen power ships and power generation applications.
3. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces, 70 navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
4. Annual underlying revenue was £15 billion in 2018, around half of which came from the provision of aftermarket services.
5. In 2018, Rolls-Royce invested £1.4 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 29 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.
6. The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to further developing employee skills.