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Fire protection & control system for Ships machinery spaces

Fire is a constant hazard at sea. It results in more total losses of ships than any other form of casualty. Almost all fires are the result of negligence or carelessness.

Carelessly carried out maintenance in machinery spaces may cause serious fire hazard such as below :
  1. Sheaving on high pressure fuel pipes that are not correctly replaced after work
  2. fuel filter covers that are not correctly torqued
  3. lagging on exhaust manifolds that is not replaced or properly replaced after maintenance.
Two basically different types of equipment are available on board ship for the control of fires. These are small portable extinguishers and large fixed installations. The small portable extinguishers are for small fires which, by prompt on-the-spot action, can be rapidly extinguished. The fixed installation is used when the fire cannot be fought or restrained by portable equipment or there is perhaps a greater danger if associated areas were to be set on fire.

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The use of fixed installations require evacuation of the area containing the fire which, if it is the machinery space, means the loss of effective control of the ship. Various types of both portable and fixed fire fighting equipment are available.

Fire protection on ships is provided by detection and fire-fighting equipment together with structural features which are intended to contain an outbreak of fire and the employment when required of non-combustible materials to prevent its spread.

Combustion occurs when the gases or vapours given off by a substance are ignited: it is the gas given off that burns, not the substance. The temperature of the substance at which it gives off enough gas to continue burning is known as the 'flash point'.

Fire is the result of a combination of three factors: These three factors are often considered as the sides of the fire triangle. Removing any one or more of these sides will break the triangle and result in the fire being put out. The complete absence of one of the three will ensure that a fire never starts.

Fires are classified according to the types of material which are acting as fuel. These classifications are also used for extinguishers and it is essential to use the correct classification of extinguisher for a fire, to avoid spreading the fire or creating additional hazards. The classifications use the letters A, B, C, D and E.
  1. Class A : Fires burning wood, glass fibre, upholstery and furnishings.
  2. Class B : Fires burning liquids such as lubricating oil and fuels.
  3. Class C : Fires burning gas fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas.
  4. Class D : Fires burning combustible metals such as magnesium and aluminium.
  5. Class E : Fires burning any of the above materials together with high voltage electricity.
Many fire extinguishers will have multiple classifications such as A, B and C. Fire fighting at sea may be considered in three distinct stages, detection—locating the fire; alarm—informing the rest of the ship; and control—bringing to bear the means of extinguishing the fire.


Machinery space systems

Machinery spaces are protected by fixed fire extinguishing installations, the fire main and extinguishers. Any statutory fixed installation must be operable from a position outside of the space. Any emergency stops for machinery and vent fans, means of securing openings and fuel tank valve shut-off devices, must also be located external to the space.


Machinery space fires

Engine room fires have been started by neglected oil leaks with the combustible material, in the form of fuel or lubricating oil dripping on to and being ignited by hot exhaust manifolds. There are a number of examples of combustible materials and potential ignition sources in machinery spaces.

A fire when it starts is usually small enough to be dealt with by a vigilant watchkeeper using a portable fire extinguisher. A fire which develops undetected in an unmanned machinery space (or one where the watchkeeper is in a control room) could require complete shutdown, evacuation and employment of the inert gas system. With unmanned spaces, an efficient alarm system for early detection is vital .


Fire protection on ships is provided by detection and fire-fighting equipment together with structural features which are intended to contain an outbreak of fire and the employment when required of non-combustible materials to prevent its spread.

Two basically different types of equipment are available on board ship for the control of fires. These are small portable extinguishers and large fixed installations. The small portable extinguishers are for small fires which, by prompt on-the-spot action, can be rapidly extinguished. The fixed installation is used when the fire cannot be fought or restrained by portable equipment or there is perhaps a greater danger if associated areas were to be set on fire.

The use of fixed installations require evacuation of the area containing the fire which, if it is the machinery space, means the loss of effective control of the ship. Various types of both portable and fixed fire fighting equipment are available.



Types of portable fire extinguisher

There are four principal types of portable extinguisher usually found on board ship. These are the soda-acid, foam, dry powder and carbon dioxide extinguishers. Details as below :
  1. Soda acid portable fire extinguisher
    2. The container of this extinguisher holds a sodium bicarbonate solution. The screw-on cap contains a plunger mechanism covered by a safety guard.

  2. Foam type portable fire extinguisher
    3. The main container is filled with sodium bicarbonate solution and a long inner polythene container is filled with aluminium sulphate

  3. Dry powder fire extinguishers
    4. The outer container contains sodium bicarbonate powder. A capsule of carbon dioxide gas is located beneath a plunger mechanism in the central cap

  4. CO2 portable fire extinguisher
    5. A very strong container is used to store liquid carbon dioxide under pressure


Which fire fighting equipment to use on certain fires ?

Small oil fire in the machinery space: You could use a foam or dry powder fire extinguisher as this is a class B fire. These extinguishers would have a smothering type effect on the fire.

Bedding fire in the accommodation: You could use a water extinguisher on this type of fire as it is a class A fire. The water would have a cooling effect on the heat source.

Galley fryer where it has been left on and the thermostat has failed, causing oil to burst into flames: As you don't know that the electrical supply has been isolated, you would use a CO2 fire extinguisher on this type of fire. This would have a smothering effect on the fire.




Fixed fire extinguishing installations

A variety of different fixed fire fighting installations exist, some of which are specifically designed for certain types of ship. A selection of the more general installations will now be outlined.
  1. Fire main system for cargo ships

    2. An outbreak of fire requires a source of ignition, the presence of combustible material and ample oxygen. Of the three factors, oxygen is provided in large quantities in machinery spaces, accommodation, dry cargo holds and tanker pumprooms by ventilation fans. Air supply trunkings are not only a source for a supply of oxygen to feed the fire but also have potential for carrying smoke from one area to another....

  2. Automatic water spray & water mist system for machinery protected area

    3. The automatic spray or sprinker system provides a network of sprinkler heads throughout the protected spaces. This system may be used in accommodation areas, and in machinery spaces with certain variations in the equipment used and the method of operation. ....

  3. Automatic foam induction system for machinery space fire

    4. Foam spreading systems are designed to suit the particular ship's requirements with regard to quantity of foam, areas to be protected, etc. Mechanical foam is the usual substance used, being produced by mixing foam making liquid with large quantities of water. Violent agitation of the mixture in air creates air bubbles in the foam. ...

  4. CO2 fire extinguishing installations for machinery spaces

    5. Fire extinguishing installations employing CO 2 stored under pressure at ambient temperature are extensively used to protect ships' cargo compartments, boiler rooms and machinery spaces. When released the CO 2 is distributed throughout the compartment, so diminishing the relative oxygen content and rendering the atmosphere inert....

  5. Inert gas systems, inert gas generator

    6. Inert gases are those which do not support combustion and are largely nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Large quantities suitable for fire extinguishing can be obtained by burning fuel in carefully measured amounts or by cleaning the exhaust gases from a boiler. ....

  6. Fire fighting Halon system

    7. A Halon storage system would be very similar to one using carbon dioxide except that fewer cylinders would be required. The liquefied Halon is usually pressurised in the cylinders with nitrogen in order to increase the speed of discharge. ....

  7. Accommodation sprinkler system

    8. Advantages of accommodation sprinkler system are its automatic and quick operation. The fire fighting medium is cheap and plentiful and the system can also be easily tested. ....

  8. Bulk CO2 fire fighting system

    9. The advantages of a bulk CO2 system over a multi- bottle system are that it gives a 50% less weight saving, the volume it occupies is less and it is a lot cheaper to supply CO2 in bulk. . ....



Other important fire & safety equipments


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