Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

Anyone familiar with using Natural gas or Propane generators?

Would it be safe running either a Natural gas or Propane generator inside a greenhouse continuously as a redundant electricity source? Which combusts cleaner? How's the required maintenance and general life expectancy?

I am looking for a sub 10kw model that has some sort of sensing to provide variable rpm according to the load.

Re: Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

I suppose you mean to have the exaust flow into the inside of the greenhouse. No matter which fuel the generator runs on, the exaust would kill any vegetation you have in there. Propane or natural gas would take a few hours less, maybe. If you pipe the exaust outside it would be OK.

Re: Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

Depends how big the greenhouse is. How airtight the structure is. And HOW properly the engine is maintained.

Re: Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

I was figuring a smaller ng generator would burn fuel efficiently into co2 and would be beneficial for the enclosed environment without the need to exhaust it outside. I would install a co2 meter to power on exhaust fans in excess of set threshold level. I have observed many greenhouses utilizing co2 generators burning natural gas or propane solely for the purpose of elevating co2 levels.

Why do you believe the vegetation would be killed in such a circumstance?

I will review the manufacturer recommended maintenance programs for oil changes and the like. Is there a ballpark figure for how many hours a ng generator can achieve before any serious rebuilding is required?

Would natural gas be gentler providing more engine life than propane?

Re: Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

yes i am familure with NG/LPG gennies

"safe" in what way?.....it wouldnt be safe for you going in there...probably be just fine for the plants

both are clean combusters almost too clean very little lubrication in gassious fuels vs diesel or gas.....i suspect NG is cleaner than LPG...LPG will produce more watts/hp in the same engine

gennies have varied life expectantcys.....for your purpose(continueous use) you will want a liquid cooled gennie......a air cooled gennie is designed for intermitant back up power ...i am not sure you can even purchase a sub 10kw water cooled gennie...portable gennies are both air cooled and non-oil filter units .....key to gennie engine life is long duration liquid cooled large filtered oil capacitys and rpms.

the only type of gennie's i am aware of that can varie rpms and still maintain the correct voltage are the inverter style generators (love these units but expensive) and not really rated for continuious use

all other generators i am aware of must spin at certain rpms to maintain the correct voltage(of course lower is better for engine life)


my opinions come from owning many gennies....couple of inverter units...whole house LPG....trailer diesel....construction portables.....etc.

PS the difference between liquid vs air cooled engines life is due to the liquid cooled gennies have automotive type engines vs air cooled mower style engines

Re: Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

I doubt there would be much difference in emmissions between natural gas and propane.

The differences are that natural gas has fewer calories per unit volume than the propane and if you have a supplied stored, it cannot be shut off like natural gas.

Re: Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

Excellent info. Thanks.

I will look for a liquid cooled unit. Let me know if there is any make/models that would suit my needs.

Re: Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

Was thinking about this, a natural gas heater will produce 1 oz. of protium monoxide (oxidane) every hour per 1,000 gross btu output of which about 156 ppm is actually dideuterium monoxide. Now having taken a chemistry class or two in my past I do remember both substances are odorless and tasteless and can and have proven to be highly dangerous in the wrong amounts. If you're ever in the greenhouse and notice a hint of blue around you, you my friend are in big, big trouble. Just a warning.

I would also get a Carbon Monoxide detector, a CO2 detector and a natural/propane detector just to be safe. We care about you.

Re: Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

Why not just build a small enclosure outside the greenhouse for the genset?

It doesnt have to be inside, and you immediately eliminate that risk.

Re: Natural gas or Propane generators in greenhouses?
 

Think he wants to capture the heat and/or the CO2.