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Ship fire main system

Fire main: Whilst the various types of portable extinguishers form the front line of attack against a fire detected in its early stages, the fire main or one of the other fixed fire-fighting installations is used if a fire becomes established. The fire main extends to the full length of the ship and from the machinery spaces to the highest levels. Hydrants served by the main, are situated so that with suitable hoses any area on the ship can be reached.

Cargo ship fire main (R. C. Dean)
Figure : Cargo ship fire main (R. C. Dean)

Water is the chief fire fighting medium on a ship and the fire main is the basic installation for fighting fires. The system shown for the cargo ship (Figure 14.1) has two independently powered pumps which are also used for general service and ballast. These pumps supply engine room hydrants and the deck main through the screw down isolating valve which must be accessible from outside of the machinery space. The latter is required to prevent loss of water through damaged pipework in the engine room if, to maintain the deck supply, the emergency fire pump has to be used. The emergency fire pump is shown as being situated in a tunnel, with a supply to the deck main through the tunnel escape and also to the twin hydrants in the shaft tunnel by the engine room watertight door.

The deck main has a drain at the lowest position so that the pipe can be emptied (particularly of fresh water) in cold weather. If this is not done, the pipe can be damaged by the water freezing but more importantly, it will be blocked by the ice and not usable.

It is a statutory requirement that a fire main and deck wash system should be supplied. This has hose outlets on the various decks, and is supplied by power driven pumps in the machinery spaces. Provision may be made for washing down the anchor chain from a connection to the fire main.

The fire main for a passenger terry (Figure 14.2) provides cover for the vehicle deck in addition to that furnished by the fixed drencher system. Foam may be provided for foam branch pipes which can be operated through hoses from the fire main hydrants.

Ferry fire main (R. C, Dean)
Figure : Ferry fire main (R. C, Dean)



Summarized below general cargo ship fire protection equipments & guideline:
  1. Fire main system & related mechanism

  2. The fire main extends to the full length of the ship and from the machinery spaces to the highest levels. Hydrants served by the main, are situated so that with suitable hoses any area on the ship can be reached. .....more

  3. CO2 fire extinguishing installation

  4. Fire extinguishing installations employing CO2 stored under pressure at ambient temperature are extensively used to protect ships' cargo compartments, boiler rooms and machinery spaces. When released the CO2 is distributed throughout the compartment, so diminishing the relative oxygen content and rendering the atmosphere inert. ...... more

  5. Fire fighting equipments

  6. Two independently powered pumps must be provided in all cargo ships of 1000 tons gross and over and in passenger ships of less than 4000 tons gross. Larger passenger vessels and passenger ferries must have three such pumps. The pumps are fitted with non-return valves if they are of the centrifugal type, to prevent loss of water back through open valves when not running. ..... more



  7. Details of fire detectors

  8. A variety of devices are available for detecting fire in unmanned machinery spaces but each has an ability to detect basically only one aspect. Thus, smoke detectors based on the ionization chamber are able to recognize combustion products but will not register radiation from a flame or heat. .....more

  9. Machinery space fire & use of Walter Kidde CO2 system

  10. Walter Kidde CO2 system employs pilot CO2 cylinders to open the distribution system main stop valve and subsequently the valves on the individual CO2 cylinders. .....more

  11. Fire protection system for cargo holds

  12. Holds for general cargo, have been protected against fire by fixed installations which deliver inert gas from an inert gas generator based on combustion of fuel (similar to the system available for inerting oil tankers) and halon systems. .....more

  13. Low pressure CO2 storage

  14. In some installations, the CO2 is stored in low pressure refrigerated tanks. The cylindrical storage vessels are fabricated to the pressure vessel requirements of the authorities. The tanks are of low temperature steel, fully tested and stress relieved. They are mounted on supports designed to withstand shock from collision. ..... more

  15. Halon system

  16. Halon 1301 has the chemical formula CF3 Br being known as bromo-trifluoromethane. It is a colourless, odourless gas with a density five times that of air and extinguishes fire by breaking the combustion chain reaction. .....more

  17. Multi-spray system for the machinery spaces

  18. This system is similar to the sprinkler used in accommodation areas but the spray heads are not operated automatically. The section control valves (Figure 14.20) are opened by hand to supply water to the heads in one or more areas. Ready to use hoses can also be supplied. Fresh water is used for the initial charging and the system is brought to working pressure by means of the compressed air connection. .....more

  19. Automatic sprinkler system

  20. A network of sprinkler heads is arranged throughout the spaces to be protected. Each sprinkler head is normally kept closed by a quartzoid bulb which is almost filled with a liquid having a high expansion ratio. .....more

  21. Details various portable extinguishers & how to use ?

  22. The first line of defence against fire in any area of the ship, is the portable fire extinguisher. Some common portable extinguishers that have been used at sea are described. .....more



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