Main bilge system
Main bilge system – it is a drainage system serving the whole ship: cargo
holds, void spaces. In the event of an accident involving damage to the hull or
flooding of the ship as a result of fire, this drainage system shall be used to
remove large quantities of water from the ship's premises.
Also, in the event of an emergency, the main drainage system can serve
the engine room. In this case, the discharge valves leading overboard must be
marked and sealed. The bilge water is collected and accumulated in wells
located in the space of the double bottom so that the drainage system receivers
in them ensure the removal of water from them at a heel of 15 ° and a trim
angle of 5 °.
The pumps of the main drainage system are usually combined with the pumps
of ballast fire or general service systems.
Example of a basic drainage system
Pumps
that can be used to drain the wells of the main drainage system:
- Drain pump in the engine room. Can be pumped from the bilge water line in the engine room. Cannot pump water directly overboard. Suction water is supplied to dirty bilge tanks or to the sludge pump discharge line.
- Drainage, ballast and
fire pump No.1. Can be pumped
from the engine room bilge water line and directly from the engine room bilge
water collection well. The pump drains the sucked water directly overboard.
- Drainage, ballast and fire pump No.2. Can be pumped from the bilge water main. The pump drains the sucked water directly overboard.
- Pump for oil-contaminated water separator. Can be pumped from the engine room bilge water tank and from (clean or dirty) bilge water collection tanks. The pump discharges the suction water through a separator behind the boron or into the bilge water collection tanks.
- Main cooling pump for on-board water No.1. Can be pumped from the engine room via a special separate emergency suction.