Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 14

BILGE AND BALLAST SYSTEM

CONTENTS

1.  Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 

2.  Bilge System ............................................................................................................... 1 

3.  Ballast Water System .................................................................................................. 9 

i
Bilge and Ballast System

1. Introduction

The Bilge and ballast piping systems are very important systems of the ship piping systems
though they are not connected with the main propulsion system or with electrical power
generation systems. The ships’ stability and safety in pumping out of any leakages or
flooding due to accidental reasons are taken care by these systems.

The bilge and ballast systems while they have very distinct functions to perform on board
the ship, they are usually interconnected and hence it is advantageous to deal with both the
systems together. However they can be separated and dealt separately for practical reasons
or for clarity.

2. Bilge System

All manned vessels must be provided with satisfactory bilge pumping system which is
capable of pumping from and draining out any watertight compartment except for ballast,
oil and water tanks which have separate acceptable means of pumping in and pumping out
arrangement, independent of the bilge pumping system. All ships are to be provided with
efficient pumping plant having the suctions and means for drainage so arranged that any
water within any compartment of the ship, or any watertight section of any compartment,
can be pumped out through at least one suction when the ship is on an even keel and is
either upright or has a list of not more than 5°. For this purpose, wing suctions will
generally be necessary, except in short, narrow compartments where single suction can be
provided for effective drainage under the above conditions.

The capacity and number of pumps or their equivalent arrangements to be used in the bilge
system depends on the size, type and service of the ship. Specific requirements regarding
the number of bilge pumps and their capacities are governed by the rules of the

1
classification societies, US coast guard, Rules of Govt. of India under the Merchant
shipping Act etc.

The bilge pumping system must be capable of dewatering the ship under all practicable
conditions such as after casualty including extreme conditions of list and trim. For this
purpose wing suctions are generally fitted in all the watertight compartments except in
compartments that are narrow in the fore and aft directions and the ends of vessel, for
which single suction would generally be adequate. In compartments of irregular shape
additional suctions may have to be provided to ensure efficient dewatering. A non return
valve is to be fitted to the end of the bilge pipe in the compartment which it serves.

All bilge suctions must be fitted with suitable strainers. In the machinery spaces these
should be so located that they are easily accessible from the engine room floor and they
should be of a type that can be easily cleaned. At the end of bilge lines in other
compartments ordinary box strainers or equivalent may be fitted provided they have an
open area not less than three times the area of the suction pipe. In addition to the suction
strainer, easily cleanable strainers should be fitted in the line between the manifold and
pumps and so arranged that the pumps will be protected against any debris that may have
passed through the individual strainers.

The piping design must be such that miscellaneous water in compartments will be drained
to bilge suction pipes. The bilge suctions are to be arranged so that water from all tank
tops, water tight flats, insulated holds, peak tanks chain lockers and decks over peak tanks
can be drained. Where drainage from a particular compartment is considered undesirable
the provisions for such drainage may be omitted provided the safety of the vessel is not
impaired by such deletion of drainage arrangement.

The pump discharge from bilge system is always led overboard and when the same pump is
used for other purposes such as for ballast water, fire main, general service etc., other
discharge connections are provided. Each pump may have a separate discharge through the
ship’s side but it is desirable that the shell penetrations are minimized to the extent

2
practicable; therefore two or more discharge lines are usually combined into one with each
individual line being fitted with separate suction valves at the pumps.
The number, location and size of bilge suctions in the boiler and machinery compartments
must be determined when the pumping plans are submitted for approval by statutory and
regulatory authorities and must be based upon size of compartments and drainage
arrangements.
For purpose of drainage of compartments scuppers may be provided as follows

Scuppers sufficient in number and size to provide effective drainage are to be fitted in all
decks. Scuppers draining weather decks and spaces within superstructures or deckhouses
not fitted with efficient weather tight doors are to be led overboard. Scuppers and
discharges which drain spaces below the freeboard deck, or spaces within intact
superstructures or deckhouses on the freeboard deck fitted with efficient weather tight
doors, may be led to the bilges in the case of scuppers, or to suitable sanitary tanks in the
case of sanitary discharges. Alternatively, they may be led overboard provided that: the
freeboard is such that the deck edge is not immersed when the ship heels to 5°, and the
scuppers are fitted with means of preventing water from passing inboard in accordance with
in passenger ships, the pumping plant is to be designed to ensure draining any watertight
compartment under all practicable conditions after a casualty, whether the ship is upright or
listed

In ships where an approved fixed pressure water spray fire extinguishing system is fitted in
vehicle or cargo spaces, deck scuppers of are to be provided port and starboard, the
scupper size being decided basing on the drencher system capacity.

In ships where the inner bottom plating extends to the ship’s side, the bilge suctions are to
be led to wells placed at the wings. If the tank top plating has inverse camber, a well is also
to be fitted at the centre line.

For cargo holds having non-weather tight hatch covers or where hatch covers have been
omitted, drainage arrangements are to take into account the effects of additional water
ingress into the hold. High level bilge alarms are to be provided for all such hold spaces.

3
Drainage arrangements of cargo holds intended for the carriage of flammable or toxic
liquids are to be designed to prevent inadvertent drainage of such products through
machinery space piping systems.

All tanks, including double bottom tanks, whether used for water ballast, oil fuel or liquid
cargoes, are to be provided with suction pipes, led to suitable power pumps, from the after
end of each tank.

Where the peaks are used as tanks, power pump suction is to be led to each tank, except in
the case of small tanks used for the carriage of domestic fresh water, where hand pumps
may be used.

In ships where the fore peak and aft peaks are not used as tanks, and main bilge line
suctions need not be fitted. The drainage of this type of peak tanks may be carried out by
hand pump suctions, provided that the suction lift is well within the capacity of the pumps
and in no case exceeds 7.3 m.

In passenger ships the collision bulkhead should not to be pierced below the bulkhead deck
by more than one pipe for dealing with the contents of the fore peak. The pipe is to be
provided with a screw-down valve capable of being operated from an accessible position
above the bulkhead deck, the chest being secured to the bulkhead inside the fore peak. An
indicator is to be provided to show whether the valve is open or closed.

However in passenger ships where the forepeak tank is divided into two compartments, two
pipes i.e. one for each compartment can be if it is established that there is no alternative to
the fitting of a second pipe. In such a case each pipe piercing is to be provided with a
screw-down valve.

In ships other than passenger ships, pipes piercing the collision bulkhead are to be fitted
with suitable valves operable from above the freeboard deck and the valve chests are to be
secured to the bulkhead inside the fore peak. The valves may be fitted on the after side of
the collision bulkhead, provided that the valve is readily accessible under all service
conditions and the space in which it is located is not a cargo space.

4
Drainage of the chain locker and watertight compartments above the fore peak tank may be
carried out by hand or power pump suctions. Steering gear compartments or other small
enclosed spaces situated above the after peak tank should be provided with drainage, either
by hand or power pump bilge suctions.

The bilge pumping arrangement of the machinery spaces shall comply with specific
requirements which are governed by the classification society rules, SOLAS and other
statutory authority regulations.

The bilge drainage arrangements in the machinery space should basically comply the
general requirements of bilge pumping described above, except that the arrangements are to
be such that any water which may enter the machinery space should be capable of being be
pumped out through at least two bilge suctions when the ship is on an even keel, and is
either upright or has a list of not more than 5°. One of these suctions should be branch bilge
suction, i.e. a suction connected to the main bilge line, and the other is to be direct bilge
suction, i.e. a suction led direct to an independent power pump. In passenger ships, the
drainage arrangements are to be such that machinery spaces can be pumped out under all
practical conditions after a casualty, whether the ship is upright or listed.

In machinery spaces where the double bottom extends to the full length of the engine room
and forms bilges at the wing side one branch and one direct bilge suction are to be arranged
at each side. Where the double bottom extends the full length and also full breadth of the
compartment, one branch bilge suction and one direct bilge suction should be arranged to
two bilge wells, situated one at each side.

Additional bilge suctions should be provided for the drainage of depressions in the tank top
formed by crank pits, gearbox pits or other recesses, or where the tank to has an inverse
camber or if there is any type of discontinuity of the double bottom.

Additional bilge suctions from forward wings besides those in the after end of the
machinery space are to be arranged in ships where the propelling machinery is located in
the aft.

In addition to the bilge suctions, emergency bilge suction is to be provided in each main
machinery space. This suction is to be led to the main cooling water pump, or where the
5
cooling water pump is not suitable for bilge pumping duty to the largest power pump
available in the space. However where two seawater cooling pumps are provided or where
two identical large pumps are available to which the bilge pumping arrangement is
proposed to be connected as an alternative arrangement, only one of the pumps need be
connected to the bilge pumping duties.

As per the classification society rules the diameter, Dm, of the main bilge line is to be not
less than required by the following formula, to the nearest 5 mm, but in no case is the
diameter to be less than that required for any branch bilge suction:

Dm = 1.68 √ {L *(B+D)}+ 25 mm

Where

Dm = internal diameter of main bilge line, in mm

B = greatest moulded breadth of ship, in meters

D = moulded depth to bulkhead deck, in metres

L = Rule length of ship as defined in the classification society rules.


= length between perpendiculars at the extremities of the deepest subdivision load line, in
metres, for passenger ships.

The diameter, db, of branch bilge suction pipes to cargo and machinery spaces is to be not
less than required by the following formula, to the nearest 5 mm, but in no case is the
diameter of any suction is to be less than 50 mm:

db = 2.15 √ {C (B+D)} + 25mm

where
db = internal diameter of branch bilge suction, in mm
C = length of compartment, in meters, and
B and D are as defined as defined above for main bilge line.

6
The direct bilge suctions in the main engine room, and the direct bilge suctions in large
separate boiler rooms, motor rooms of electrically propelled ships and auxiliary engine
rooms should be of diameter not less than that required for the main bilge line.

The area of each branch pipe connecting the bilge main to a distribution chest is to be not
less than the sum of the areas required by the Rules for the two largest branch bilge suction
pipes connected to that chest, but need not be greater than that required for the main bilge
line.

At least two power bilge pumping units are to be provided in the machinery space for all
ships other than passenger ships. In ships of 90 m in length and under, one of these units
may be worked from the main engines and the other is to be independently driven. In larger
ships both units are to be independently driven. For passenger ships, at least three power
bilge pumps are to be provided, one of which may be operated from the main engines each
unit may consist of one or more pumps connected to the main bilge line, provided that their
combined capacity is adequate.

The bilge pumping units, or pumps, may also be used for ballast, fire or general service
duties of an intermittent nature, but they are to be immediately available for bilge duty
when required,

Each bilge pumping unit, or bilge pump in the case of passenger ships, is to be connected to
the main bilge line and is to be capable of giving a speed of water through the Rule size of
main bilge pipe of not less than 122 m/min.

The capacity of each bilge pumping unit or bilge pump is to be not less than required by the
following formula:

Q = 5.75*10-3 dm2

Where
dm = Rule internal diameter of main bilge line, in mm
Q = capacity, in m3/hour.

7
In ships other than passenger ships, where one bilge pumping unit is of slightly less than
Rule capacity, the deficiency may be made good by an excess capacity of the other unit. In
general, the deficiency is to be limited to 30 per cent.

All power pumps which are essential for bilge services are to be of the self-priming type,
unless an approved central priming system is provided for these pumps. Details of this
system are to be submitted.

Cooling water pumps having emergency bilge suctions need not be of the self-priming type.

The connections at the bilge pumps are to be such that one unit may continue in operation
when the other unit is being opened up for overhaul. Pumps required for essential services
are not to be connected to a common suction or discharge chest or pipe unless the
arrangements are such that the working of any pumps so connected is unaffected by the
other pumps being in operation at the same time. The direct bilge suctions in the machinery
space(s) are to be led to independent power pump(s), and the arrangements are to be such
that these direct suctions can be used independently of the main bilge line suctions

Where practicable, the power bilge pumps should be placed in separate watertight
compartments so arranged or situated that these compartments will not readily be flooded
by the same damage. If the engines and boilers are in two or more watertight
compartments, the pumps available for bilge service should be distributed throughout these
compartments as far as is possible.

On ships 330 feet (or 100 metres) or more in length or having the arrangements should be
such that at least one power pumps will be available for use in all ordinary circumstances in
which a ship may be flooded at sea. This requirement will be satisfied if one of the required
pumps is an emergency pump of a reliable submersible type having a source of power
situated above the relevant bulkhead deck or the pumps and their sources of power are so
disposed throughout the length of the ship that under any condition of flooding which the
ship is required to withstand, at least one pump in an undamaged compartment will be
available.

8
The engine room bilge water, under normal circumstances, should not be pumped
overboard directly. The international oil pollution prevention convention prohibits
discharge of oily bilge water directly overboard. All ships above 400 gross tons must have
permanently installed and approved type of oily bilge water separator fitted to separate the
oil from the bilge water so that the bilge water which is pumped overboard contains oil
which is less than 100ppm. The ship must have a certificate issued by the statutory
authority or by the authorized classification society regarding the installation and
satisfactory working of the oily bilge water separator. The functioning of the oily bilge
water separator is subject to periodical test by the certifying authority.

3. Ballast Water System


All ships have ballast water system where ballast water, which is sea water, carried in ships
built-in tanks to ensure that the ship loading, i.e., the distribution of load by self weight and
cargo does not lead to bending moment and shear forces are in within the designed
limitations and where needed the same are brought within the limitations by taking in
ballast water into specified ballast water tanks.

The stability is also ensured by taking in ballast water to adjust the centre of gravity of the
ship either in light condition or in loaded conditions and also adjust the trim by the adding
the ballast water weight in the required tanks.

The ships ballast pumps are generally centrifugal pumps which are generally of the same
size and capacity. In some ships of large size the ballast pump would be the highest
capacity sea water pump on board the ship. The ballast pumps take suction from the sea
chest or the cross sea water main connecting the sea chests. The sea water is pumped into
the respective tanks. The ship is normally arranged to have two ballast pumps.

The sea water pumped into the tanks may be from ring main which is run through the pipe
tunnel or duct keel from where individual tanks are filled by branch lines. The individual
branch lines which are short in length are provided with remotely operated pneumatic or
hydraulic valves. The de-ballasting or emptying of the tank is also carried out by the same
pipe system and hence the valves should be of the type which allows reverse flow.
Butterfly valves are frequently employed for this service in all modern ships the ballasting

9
operation is controlled by a ballast control panel. This ballast control panel will have the
entire ballast tank remote control valve operations centralized and will carry a mimic panel
for indicating the tanks which are being ballasted or de-ballasted and for indicating whether
the valve is in open or closed condition.

Alternatively, the ballast pump discharges the water into a main pipe in the engine room
and individual branch pipe lines with valves in the engine room are taken to fill or empty
individual tanks. These pipes are laid through other ballast tanks generally and if they are
to cross through oil tanks extra precautions are taken to use heavy gauge pipes to ensure
that the pipe line life is ensured for a longer time against corrosion. Further the pipe to pipe
joint is made with a sleeve pipe only and flange joints are avoided totally to prevent
contamination of oil by the sea water in the pipe. The ballasting and de-ballasting
operations can also be achieved by use of valve chests for suction and discharge or by
combination valve chests from the ballast main in the engine room, which was the common
practice on the older ships.

The top side wing ballast tanks are filled by ballast main which is run on the open deck
with individual valves provided for each tank. Normally the top side tanks are pumped out
by opening the ship side discharge valves provided for each tank with operation provided
from open deck. The double bottom and other peak tanks are pumped out by the ballast
pump through a common overboard discharge valve.

The ballast system is connected to bilge pump although the pipe system is different. The
same pump may serve ballast and bilge operations by operation of suitable set of valves for
each operation.

The galvanized steel pipes are generally used for the ballast system. Cupro nickel,
aluminum brass pipes are also used but are more expensive both material wise and
installation cost wise. The rules also permit use of approved type synthetic pipes for the
ballast water system.

The ballast main can be designed for a slightly higher flow velocity compared to sea water
cooling system since the system is non in continuous use and the corrosion and erosion
problems causing pipe wall wastage to be comparatively less. The general water velocity
10
for galvanized steel pipes is about 3m/sec. Where long lengths of ballast pipes are involved
the system should be so designed to allow expansion or contraction of the length by use of
loops in the pipe layout or by use of expansion joints. The pipes laid in the duct keel and
the valves should be capable of being attend to conveniently and there should normally be
accessible from the engine room double bottom area. Where long length of duct keel exists
as in large bulk carriers etc there should be a provision for an escape from the tunnel to the
open deck space besides the access from the engine room The engine room access from the
duct keel should be provided with a water tight closing arrangement to prevent accidental
flooding of the engine room from the duct keel. The remote operated valves in the duct
keel should be provided with an arrangement so that they can be opened or closed by
portable equipment such as a hand hydraulic pump etc.

The international regulatory authorities have in the recent past considered the ecosystem of
the different sea and ocean areas and the damage caused by transfer of organisms from one
area to another. New regulations are now promulgated for ballast control and management
system whereby the large quantities of ballast water taken in at a particular region are not
transferred to another region and suitable arrangements are provided to exchange the ballast
water.

The ballast tanks are prone for high level of corrosion and hence when ships are built
special care is taken to thoroughly clean the tank surfaces before application of the paint
system. Earlier ballast water tanks were coated with coal tar epoxy paints but later practice
is to coat the tanks with epoxy paints which are light in colour so that any corrosion
initiated in any area of the tank can be easily and readily detected.

The de-ballasting operation of the ballast water cannot achieve total discharge of the ballast
water from any tank. However the system design, including the height of suction funnel
above the tank top in the tank, pipe arrangement etc should facilitate only a very minimum
quantity ballast water to remain as un-pumpable. The un-pumpable ballast water from
each tank is to be established to know exactly how much water is left out in each tank and
the total un-pumpable weight of ballast water. In some ships where it is considered that the
un-pumpable ballast water quantity should be low a separate stripping pumping system
with a stripping pump is provided.

11

Вам также может понравиться