Firefighting and Fire Safety Systems on Ships

251 Pages·2023·4.304 MB·English

by  Alexander Arnfinn Olsen

Firefighting and
Fire Safety Systems
on Ships
This accessible reference introduces frefghting and fre safety systems on
ships and is written in line with the IACS Classifcation Rules for Firefghting
Systems. It covers the design, construction, use, and maintenance of
frefghting and fre safety systems, with cross references to the American
Bureau of Shipping rules and various Classifcation Society regulations
which pertain to specifc Classifcation Society rules. As such, this book:
• Focuses on basic principles in line with current practice.
• Is aimed at non-specialists.
The book suits professional seafarers, students, and cadets, as well as
leisure sailors and professionals involved in the logistics industry. It is also
particularly useful for naval architects, ship designers, and engineers who
need to interpret the Class rules when developing shipboard firefighting
systems.

Firefighting and
Fire Safety Systems
on Ships
Alexander Arnfinn Olsen
Cover image: Ministry of Defence, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Alexander Arnfinn Olsen
The right of Alexander Arnfinn Olsen to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known
or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to
infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-032-47302-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-47305-5 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-38552-3 (ebk)
DOI: 10.1201/9781003385523
Typeset in Sabon
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Contents
Preface xix
Author’s note xxi
Abbreviations xxiii
PART 1
Science of combustion 1
1 Chemistry of fire 3
Fundamentals of fire 3
Combustion process 4
Fire triangle 5
Fuel 6
Oxygen 9
Heat 9
Fire tetrahedron 9
Extinguishing effect considering the fire tetrahedron 10
Breaking the chain reaction 13
Hazardous and combustible materials 13
Flame 13
Heat 14
Combustion gases 14
Fire vapours (smoke) 14
2 Classifications of fire 17
Class ‘A’ fires 18
Wood and wood-based materials 18
v
vi Contents
Burning characteristics of wood and wood-based materials 19
By-products of combustion of wood and wood-based
materials 20
Textiles and fibres 20
Natural textiles 20
Synthetic textiles 21
Burning characteristics of textiles and fibres 21
By-products of combustion of textiles and fibres 22
Plastics and rubber 22
Burning characteristics of plastics and rubber 23
By-products of combustion of plastics and rubber 24
Locations of class ‘A’ materials on shipboard settings 24
Extinguishing effect of class ‘A’ fires 25
Class ‘B’ fires 25
Flammable liquids 25
Burning characteristics of flammable liquids 25
By-products of combustion of flammable liquids 26
Locations of flammable liquids on shipboard settings 26
Extinguishing effect of flammable liquids 27
Flammable gases 27
Basic hazards 28
Extinguishing flammable gases 31
Class ‘C’ fires 31
Types of equipment 32
Electrical faults that cause electrical fires 32
Hazards of electrical fires 33
Locations of electrical equipment on shipboard settings 34
Extinguishing electrical fires 34
Class ‘D’ fires 35
Hazards and characteristics of specific metals 35
Locations of class ‘D’ metals on shipboard settings 36
Extinguishing class ‘D’ fires 36
Class ‘F’ or ‘K’ fires 37
Hazards and characteristics of fires caused by cooking greases,
fats, and oils 37
Contents vii
Locations of cooking greases, fats, and oils on shipboard
settings 38
Extinguishing class ‘F’ or ‘K’ fires 38
PART 2
Fire extinguishing systems and infrastructure 41
3 Shipboard fire main systems 43
General principles of the shipboard fire main system 43
Extinguishing capabilities of water 43
Moving water to the fire 44
Straight streams 45
Efficiency of straight streams 45
Using straight streams 45
Fog streams 46
High-velocity fog streams 46
Low-velocity fog streams 47
Limitations of fog streams 47
Combination nozzle operation 47
4 Class requirements for fire main systems 53
Main fire pumps 53
Number required 53
Arrangements 53
General arrangement and common boundaries 53
Access 54
Power supplies 54
Water supply 55
Environmental systems 55
Emergency fire pump 58
Arrangement (independent systems) 59
Capacity 59
Pressure 59
Starting arrangements 59
Fuel supply 60
viii Contents
Suction 60
Arrangement (boundaries) 60
Supply and delivery piping 61
Access 61
Fire main sizing and system pressures 63
Fire hose reaction 65
Isolation valves and routing arrangements 66
Fire main piping components and materials 67
Hydrant locations and fire hoses and nozzles 68
Hydrant locations 68
International shore connection arrangements 71
Cold weather protection 72
Additional requirements for vessels with automation
notations 72
Alternative requirements for steel vessels under 90 m in
length and less than 1,000 GRT 73
Additional requirements for oil and fuel oil tankers 73
Additional requirements for passenger vessels 74
Additional/alternative requirements for RORO vessels 77
Additional/alternative requirements for gas carriers 77
Application 77
Fire pump/fire main sizing 77
Pressure 78
Arrangements 78
Isolation valves 78
Nozzles 78
Piping materials 78
Remote operations 78
Steel vessels under 90 m (295 ft) in length 79
High-speed craft 80
Cargo vessels for river service 84
Additional requirements for passenger vessels in river
service 86
Yachts 87
Fishing vessels 88
Contents ix
Accommodation barges 89
Pump requirements 91
Fire main and pressure 91
Hydrant locations and arrangements 92
Nozzles 92
International shore connection 92
Offshore support vessels 93
Revised notation 93
Emergency fire pump suction 93
5 Fixed water extinguishing systems 95
General principles of fixed water extinguishing systems 96
Water spray systems 96
Water sprinkler systems 96
Water mist systems 97
Class requirements for fixed water spray, water sprinkler,
and water mist systems 99
General system component requirements 99
Pumps 99
Piping components and materials 99
Nozzles 100
Fixed water spray systems in machinery spaces 100
Nozzles 100
Coverage rate 101
Division into sections 102
Supply and control arrangements 102
System capacity requirements 103
Arrangements 103
Pump prime movers 103
Protection from clogging 103
Fixed water sprinkler systems in accommodation spaces 104
General 104
Visual and audible alarms 104
Zone arrangements 104
Section isolation valves 105