Water equilibrating arrangement

Abstract: A water equilibrating arrangement in a vessel (1) having two closed or closable compartments (3a,3b) in communication via a trap (7) which is fillable with a flowable medium, such as water, to prevent the flow of gas between the compartments (3a,3b), e.g. in case of fire.

Description: This invention relates to a water equilibrating arrangement in a sea-going vessel or the like according to the preamble of claim 1. If a sea-going vessel is provided with two side by side compartments, each of which may, in case of damage to the vessel, be filled with water, safety regulations require that water flowing into one of the compartments must also have access to the other neighbouring compartment. This ensures that the water load will be uniformly distributed over the cross-section of the vessel. If this does not apply, the vessel could lose its stability and capsize. There is no difficulty in designing compartments which allow water to flow from one compartment to another. However there is also a requirement for certain compartments to be closed off in a gas-tight manner, for example in case of fire. Closing a compartment prevents the spread of fire and also allows the closed compartment to be filled with gas to choke the fire. An object of the present invention is to provide a structure which not only allows large masses of water to flow from one compartment to another, but also makes it possible to prevent the spread of fire or gas from one compartment to another through ducts provided for water flow. According to the present invention this object is achieved by a water equilibrating arrangement as claimed in claim 1. In this specification the terms "closed compartment" and "closable compartment" mean a compartment which is closed or may be closed in a sidewards direction. This does not exclude the possibility that the compartment is open upwards through possibly closable air ducts or the like. The present safety regulations require that, in case of damage to a vessel, a water mass flowing into one compartment should "instantaneously" provide an equilibrating action in another, e.g. neighbouring, compartment to counter balance the incoming water flow. This means that if one compartment is completely filled with water, the equilibrating action must take place within a certain maximum time, for example 60 seconds. The value of 60 seconds is the standard for the present day application of the safety regulations. However, in different applications the interpretation of the regulations may be different and furthermore the interpretation of these regulations may change in the future. Therefore it will be appreciated that the value of 60 seconds is only a present day guideline which may change in the future. In a water equilibrating arrangement according to the invention the trap between the two compartments has the same function as the liquid seal (the odour seal) of a sanitary installation. The trap does not normally have to function as a liquid seal, but there must be means provided or arranged to rapidly fill the trap with water or another suitable flowable material to seal the trap in a gas tight manner. An alternative flowable material may, for example, comprise foam material, e.g. a fire extinguishing foam, a gelatinous substance or a substance which, in a filling phase, flows relatively easily but, after a short time, for example due to heat, becomes gelatinous. A granular substance could also be used if it could rapidly fill or block the trap and provide sufficiently good gas tightness. It is only important that the trap can be filled sufficiently rapidly and that an acceptable gas tightness and/or a fire prevention function is achieved when the trap has been so filled. The trap may advantageously comprise a trough, for example running in the direction of a partition, in particular a bulkhead or the like structure, between the compartments. Such a partition suitably extends downwardly into the trough along the length of the latter, with the trough opening into the two compartments on opposite sides of the partition. The bottom of the trough may conveniently be spaced at a distance from the lower edge of the partition so that a U-shaped flow duct is formed which pass around the lower portion of the partition. Such a structure takes up relatively little space and, being situated at the position of a partition, preferably a bulkhead or the like, between the compartments does not normally obstruct the mounting or use of any machinery or any device and does not substantially restrict the free space available within the compartments, for example for the installation of machinery. The trap may be totally or to a considerable extent below the floor level of the compartments where there normally is a space for a trap. If there is not sufficient space below the floor level, the trap must be placed higher. Then the effect of the change in the speed of the equilibrating action must be taken into account when dimensioning the trap. The trap may, in its longitudinal direction, that is in the direction of any partition or bulkhead, be divided into several portions by transverse walls. In this case, changes in the trim of the vessel do not have any significant effect on the functioning of the trap as a liquid seal provided that the distance between the transverse walls is small enough. Transverse walls may also be utilized to improve the rigidity and stiffness of the trap structure and any structures attached thereto. It is recommended to design the trap so that, when filled with liquid or other flowable medium, the trap is able to prevent through flow of gas between the compartments when the vessel has a heeling angle of at least 5°, preferably up to at least 10°. Such a trap is designed to function in the event of a possible cargo shift or other accident which would be likely to cause heelings of these magnitudes. It is of advantage that the size of the cross-sectional area of a flow duct of the trap is at least substantially uniform at all flow positions through the trap between the compartments. This is favourable from the point of view of flow dynamics, because it eliminates flow speed fluctuations in the duct. Other arrangements are also possible. For instance if the cross-section of the trap is rectangular, the trap is relatively easy to manufacture and to fit into the other structures of the hull of the vessel. The floor area available in the compartments in question may be enlarged by covering the opposite ends of the trap, which open into the adjacent compartments, with grating structures. The ends of the trap should be so dimensioned that the total area of the grating openings of each grating structure is approximately equal to the smallest cross-sectional area of a flow duct of the trap. Dimensioned in this way the grating structures do not substantially slow down water flow between the compartments during a water equilibrating action. If storage of a liquid of other flowable medium is provided at a level above the trap, the trap can be rapidly filled with an amount of the liquid or other flowable material sufficient to provide a gas-tight seal of the trap. If it is required to speed up the flow of the liquid or other flowable material into the trap it is possible to make use of pressurised air, a pump, a compressor or some other suitable device for speeding up the flow of the stored substance. Water for filling up the trap may be taken, for instance, from the sea, from a pool, from a ballast tank or the like. Means may also be provided for filling the compartments with a fire choking gas or with a corresponding fire preventing substance to improve the fire safety of the vessel. Such means are especially required in engine rooms. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 schematically shows a water equilibrating arrangement according to the invention applied to the engine room of a vessel; Figure 2 schematically illustrates the functioning of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 in the event of an accident; Figure 3 schematically illustrates the functioning of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 in the event of a fire; and Figure 4 is section taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 1. In the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates a floating vessel, e.g. a sea-going vessel, having an engine room which is divided by a longitudinal partition in the form of a longitudinal bulkhead 2 into two side-by-side closeable compartments 3a and 3b having a floor 4. One main engine 5 of the vessel is located in compartment 3a and another main engine (not shown so to make the water equilibrating arrangement according to the invention more clearly visible) is located in compartment 3b. The compartments 3a and 3b have a double bottom 6a, 6b above which is arranged a trough-shaped trap 7. For strength reasons, the longitudinal bulkhead 2 extends downwardly into the trap 7 where its lower portion 8, which is provided with large through flow apertures 11, divides the trap 7 longitudinally into two portions 9a and 9b. The trap 7 is laterally restricted by the longitudinal plate structures 10a and 10b of the vessel. The portions 9a and 9b open into the compartments 3a and 3b, respectively, through apertures 12. The apertures 11 and 12 are arranged so that they fit into the general hull structure of the vessel without weakening it. For safety reasons, the apertures 12 may be covered by gratings 19. Instead of, or in addition to the apertures 11, the partition or bulkhead 2 may terminate above the bottom of the trough defined by the plate structures 10a and 10b and the bottom 6a to provide a fluid flow connection between the portions 9a and 9b. The floor 4 may be provided with vertical shields 14 in the vicinity of the apertures 12 to prevent any substance in the trap 7 from spreading into the compartments. This kind of shield is particularly required if the trap 7 is partially above the level of the floor 4. Alternatively, only the edges of the apertures 12 need to be provided with upwardly projecting collars for the same purpose. The trap 7 is connected to a substance container 15, for example, a ballast tank or another tank, a pool or the like, from which the trap 7 may be rapidly filled via a tube 16. For safety reasons, it is preferred that the container 15 should always contain enough substance to completely fill up the trap 7. It is advantageous for the container 15 to be at a clearly higher level than the trap 7 so that the trap is filled by means of gravity. Although not shown in Figure 1, devices or systems for speeding up the filling process may be provided. Also a closure valve should be provided in the tube 16. Level indicators, control devices or other devices may also be required. Pressure vessels 17 containing a pressurised substance, such as carbon dioxide, for extinguishing fires, may also be provided, the pressure vessels being connected via tubes 18 to the closed compartment 3a or 3b or to both of them. Figure 1 illustrates a normal situation when there is no immediate need to fill up the trap 7 with water or some other flowable material. However the arrangement is at full readiness all the time for using the trap 7 in an equilibrating action as well as to prevent the spread of fire. Figure 2 shows an accidental damage opening 20 in the outer side of the compartment 3b. Water flowing in through the opening 20 to the compartment 3b flows through the trap 7 and into the compartment 3b. Because the total cross-sectional area of the trap 7 is large, the flow of water from the damaged compartment 3b to the compartment 3a takes place rapidly and the stability of the vessel is preserved. Figure 3 shows a fire 21 in the compartment 3b. In this case the trap 7 is filled at least approximately to the height of the level of the floor 4 with water from the container 15 through the tube 16. It is important that the water level 22 is above the upper edges of the apertures 11 in order to achieve liquid sealing. Carbon dioxide or some other suitable substance is used which is led from a tube 18 to the compartment 3b to extinguish the fire. Figure 4 shows the apertures 11 which are located in the lower portion 8 of the bulkhead 2 in the vicinity of the bottom 6b of the trap 7. The trap 7 is divided into portions by transverse walls 23 which are spaced apart from 1 to 5 metres, preferably from 2 to 3 metres. The total area of the apertures 11 should be sufficiently great to enable a sufficiently fast water equilibrating action to be achieved. The upper edges of the apertures 11 are at a sufficiently low level for a safe liquid sealing function to be obtained with only a relatively small amount of water. The filling tube 16 of the trap 7 is installed so that the tube 16 is provided with outflow apertures or tubes 24 in each of the spaces between the transverse walls 23. By providing the transverse walls 23, the water or other substance used to fill the trap 7 cannot flow in the longitudinal direction of the vessel 1. Therefore, the liquid sealing function of the trap arrangement is maintained even if the trim position of the vessel 1 changes. In the arrangements described above, the compartments are positioned side by side separated by a partition wall 8, e.g. in the form of a bulkhead. The compartments 3a, 3b could, however, be separated from each other by one or more walls provided that they are in communication with each other via a trap. Thus the two compartments 3a, 3b could be on opposite sides of a vessel separated by walls defining at least one further compartment or passageway. The invention is not to be considered as being limited to the embodiment illustrated since several variations thereof are feasible including variations which have features equivalent to, but not necessarily literally within the meaning of, features in any of the following claims.

Claims: A water equilibrating arrangement in a vessel (1) with two closed or closable compartments (3a,3b), characterised in that, between the compartments there is a trap (7) providing fluid flow connection between both compartments (3a,3b) so that a mass of water in one compartment (3b) is able to freely flow into the other compartment (3a) to rapidly equilibrate the water load in both compartments, the trap being at least partly fillable with a liquid or other flowable medium, for example a fire-resistant foam, to prevent the flow of gas between said compartments (3a,3b) through said trap (7). An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that said compartments (3a,3b) are positioned side by side. An arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the trap (7) is so dimensioned that, when one compartment (3b) is full of water, an equilibrating action takes part within a time stipulated by applicable regulations. An arrangement according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the compartments (3a,3b) are separated by a wall means (8) and the trap comprises a trough (7) into which a lower part of the wall means (8) extends downwardly along the length of the trough (7), the trough (7) communicating with each compartment (3a,3b) on opposite sides of the wall means (8) and providing said fluid flow connection through a gap between the bottom of the lower part of the wall means (8) and the bottom of the trough or through at least one through-flow aperture (11) in the lower part of the wall means (8). An arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that the trap (7) is totally, or at least to a considerable extent, positioned below the floor levels (4) of the compartments (3a,3b). An arrangement according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that said trough (7) is partitioned along its length by longitudinally spaced apart transverse walls (23). An arrangement according to any of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that said wall means comprise a partition wall (8) between said compartments (3a,3b). An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said trap (7) is so designed that, when filled with a liquid or other flowable medium, it is able to prevent through-flow of gas between the compartments when the vessel is heeled over at an angle of at least 5°, preferably at least 10°. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cross-sectional area of through flow ducts of the trap (7) is at least substantially of uniform size at all through-flow positions. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that end apertures (12) of flow ducts of the trap (7) are covered with a grating structure (19) with apertures having a total area approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of the smallest flow position between said end apertures (12). An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that, at a level above the trap (7), a container of water or other flowable material is stored in a manner allowing filling the trap (7) with an amount of the water or flowable material sufficient to seal the trap. An arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that means (17,18) are provided for filling the compartments (3a,3b) with fire choking gas or with a corresponding fire preventing substance.

Inventors: DEGERMAN TOM, ESSEN RAY, IMMONEN ESKO, RIMPELAE ANNA-LEA, DEGERMAN, TOM, ESSEN, RAY, IMMONEN, ESKO, RIMPELAE, ANNA-LEA, Essén, Ray, Rimpelä, Anna-Lea
Applicants: KVAERNER MASA YARDS OY, KVAERNER MASA-YARDS OY
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B63B43
IPC codes: B63B43, A62C3