Fire fighting equipment for machinery spaces - Automatic water spray system

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.

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.

The accommodation areas are fitted with sprinkler heads which both detect and
extinguish fires. The sprinkler head is closed by a quartzoid bulb which contains a
liquid that expands considerably on heating When excessively heated the liquid
expands, shatters the bulb and water will issue from the sprinkler head.
Water mist (Fog)

Water mist (fog) sprinklers are being used as an alternative to, the now
banned, Halon fire suppression systems. The mist system delivers very
small water particles, which are able to remain suspended in the air. The
water particles are evaporated by the heat of the fire and the expanding
vapour displaces oxygen. The combined cooling and oxygen starvation
effects quickly extinguishes a fire. Less water is used than with sprinkler
systems and the mist has proved effective against liquid fuel fires,
making it suitable for use in machinery spaces.

Research is continuing, in particular as to the effectiveness of mist in a

large machinery space. Water mist is accepted as a fire extinguishing
agent, with respect to SOLAS fire protection requirements.
Soda-acid extinguisher
The container of this
extinguisher holds a
sodium bicarbonate
solution. The screw-on cap
contains a plunger
mechanism covered by a
safety guard. Below the plunger is a
glass phial containing sulphuric acid
(Figure When the plunger is
struck the glass phial is broken and the
acid and sodium bicarbonate mix.
The resulting chemical reaction produces carbon
dioxide gas which pressurises the space above the
liquid forcing it out through the internal pipe to the
nozzle. This extinguisher is used for Class A fires
and will be found in accommodation areas.
Water Fire Extinguisher
Water fire extinguishers are of the most simplest design. A
9 liter capacity portable water fire extinguisher is shown
above. This extinguisher can be used for class A fires (or
in other words, fires on solid materials such as wood,
plastics, furniture, paper, cloth, etc.). The extinguisher
contains fresh water with added salts to reduce freezing
point and a CO2 bottle inside. The extinguisher is not
pressurized when not in use. It must be stowed and
operated in upright position.

Characteristics of Portable Water

Extinguisher
Simple extinguisher where extinguishing
medium is water with added salts to reduce
freezing point.
Expellent used is carbon dioxide bottle
which is used as a cartridge. It can be easily
 replaced with the spare while recharging.
Used bottles can be recharged from shore.
Since discharge contains only fresh water,
no cleaning up is required.
Water extinguisher extinguishes fire in two
ways. One is by cooling property of the
water, by which it takes away the heat.
Second is by covering the material on fire
with a blanket of steam, formed by
evaporation of the water, which helps to cut
the oxygen supply for firing (Smothering)
It cannot be used on live electric equipment
since water is a good conductor of
electricity.
Do not to keep the extinguisher in high
temperature areas, since increase in
temperature causes pressure of carbon
dioxide gas to increase and it may result in
accidental release of the gas to the container.