500 kVA power class
500 kVA Diesel Generator (400 kW)
A 500 kVA diesel generator delivers 400 kW at a 0.8 power factor. This is one of the most frequently specified commercial ratings: it is large enough to carry a hospital, a hotel tower or a small data hall as a complete bus, and it is still small enough to ship in a standard canopy or a 20 ft container without special transport.
Ratings
Ratings at a glance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Prime power (PRP) | 500 kVA / 400 kW |
| Emergency standby (ESP) | 550 kVA / 440 kW |
| Rated voltage and frequency | 400/230 V, 50 Hz (380/220 V or 60 Hz on request) |
| Rated speed | 1500 rpm, four-pole (1800 rpm for 60 Hz) |
| Full-load current | 722 A per phase at 400 V |
| Typical duty | Standby for a complete facility bus; prime power for industrial and rental duty |
Specification envelope
What is normally inside a 500 kVA set
| Item | Typical range | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Six-cylinder, 12.0-14.5 L, electronic governor | Block load acceptance and fuel efficiency at part load |
| Alternator | Brushless, class H insulation, IP23, AVR controlled, 2/3 pitch | Voltage recovery with chillers, drives and UPS loads |
| Fuel consumption | 72-81 L/h at 75% load (300 kW) | Sizing of day tank and bulk storage |
| Base tank autonomy | 700-900 L, 9-11 h at 75% load | Whether a separate bulk tank is required |
| Noise at 7 m | 69-76 dB(A) canopy, 80-87 dB(A) open frame | Boundary and night-time limits |
| Weight | 4.0-5.0 t open, 4.3-5.4 t canopy | Foundation, route and lifting capacity |
| Footprint | Approximately 4.4-5.2 m x 1.6 m canopy | Plant room layout and radiator airflow |
Sizing
Five numbers that decide a 500 kVA specification
- Running kW at the bus. 400 kW at 0.8 power factor. Add the essential loads and keep non-essential cooling or process loads on a shed group.
- Largest load step. Chillers, lifts and large pumps are the critical items. Staging the sequence is often what allows 500 kVA instead of 630 kVA.
- Duty rating. Continuous prime power duty on a rental or industrial site is rated lower than standby duty for the same hardware, and the fuel curve changes with it.
- Site conditions. Above roughly 40 C ambient or 1000 m altitude the derating curves apply. Gulf summer conditions sit at or beyond that boundary.
- Autonomy. 72-81 L/h at 75% load means a day tank of 800 L covers about 10 hours. Longer autonomy moves the project to a bulk tank and a fuel transfer system.
Applications
Typical 500 kVA applications
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Hospitals
A complete essential bus covering theatres, imaging, medical gas, lifts and refrigeration, often as one of a pair.
-
Data halls and IT rooms
Technical load with UPS support, where the set is run regularly on load and the fuel and cooling systems are designed for it.
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Hotels and mixed-use towers
Lifts, pumps, kitchen, lighting and part of the air conditioning, with the transfer time written into the electrical design.
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Industrial and rental duty
Ready-mix plants, batching, crushing and temporary utility power, where the set runs as prime power for long periods.
Options
Options usually specified at 500 kVA
| Option | What it changes |
|---|---|
| Paralleling control | Two 500 kVA sets sharing load, or one running while the other is serviced, without an outage on the critical bus |
| Container or canopy | Walk-in container for weather protection and security, or a canopy where the yard is already prepared |
| Motorised ATS | Changeover at 800-1000 A, interlocked, with adjustable transfer and return delays |
| Alternator choice | 2/3 pitch and a full neutral where drives, LED lighting and UPS systems dominate the load |
| Fuel system | Bunded base tank, day tank or bulk tank with a transfer pump and level alarms |
Questions
500 kVA questions we are asked
How many kW is a 500 kVA generator?
400 kW at 0.8 power factor. At the emergency standby rating of 550 kVA the same machine is quoted as 440 kW. The 100 kW difference between the two figures is entirely a question of which duty the unit is sold for.
How much fuel does a 500 kVA generator burn per hour?
Budget 72-81 L/h at 75% load, which is 300 kW running load, and about 96-108 L/h at full load. A 10 hour outage at 75% load therefore consumes roughly 750 L, so fuel delivery arrangements matter as much as the tank itself.
Can two 500 kVA sets run in parallel?
Yes, when both are ordered with paralleling-capable controllers, matching alternators and a synchronising panel. Load sharing, reverse power and overcurrent protection are all part of that package. Sets supplied without those controls cannot simply be connected together later.
What transformer or switchgear rating goes with 500 kVA?
At 400 V the full-load current is 722 A, and about 794 A at the standby rating. Switchgear and busbars are normally selected for the higher figure, and where the set feeds a transformer the transformer is sized for the set output rather than the load alone.
Canopy or container for a 500 kVA set?
A canopy is enough where the machine stands in a prepared yard with drainage and access. A container is the better answer where it stands outdoors for years, where security matters, or where the site needs the tank, cabling and controls inside one enclosure.
Related
Other pages in this range
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Diesel generator sets
How ratings, form factors and control options are defined.
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400 kVA
320 kW, for smaller facility buses and split-load designs.
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800 kVA
640 kW, the next step for data halls and district cooling.
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Request a quote
Send the load list and site conditions, and we reply with the rating and build options.
Need a 500 kVA quotation?
Send the essential load list, the largest load step and the fuel autonomy you need. You will get a rating, a fuel figure and the build options that fit your site.