Capacity of fire pumps
The required fire pumps shall be capable of delivering for fire-fighting purposes a quantity of water, at the pressure specified.
- Pumps in passenger ships, not less than two thirds of the quantity required to be dealt with by the bilge pumps when employed for bilge pumping; and
- pumps in cargo ships, other than any emergency pump,not less than four-thirds of the quantity required under Regulation II-1/21 to be dealt with by each of the independent bilge pumps in a passenger ship of the same dimension when employed in bilge pumping, provided that in no cargo ship need the total required capacity of the fire pumps exceed 180 m3/hour.
- The capacity of the pump shall not be less than40% of the total capacity of the fire pumps required and in any case not less than 25 m3/hour.
NOTE:
- Each of the required fire pumps (other than any emergency pump required for cargoships) shall have a capacity not less than 80% of the total required capacity divided by the minimum number of required fire pumps but in any case not less than 25 m3/hour and
- each such pump shall in any event be capable of delivering at least the two required jets of water.
- These fire pumps shall be capable of supplying the fire main system under the required conditions.
- Where more pumps than the minimum of required pumps are installed the capacity of such additional pumps shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration.
- Sanitary, ballast, bilge or general service pumps may be accepted as fire pumps, provided that they are not normally used for pumping oil and that if they are subject to occasional duty for the transfer or pumping of oil fuel, suitable change-over arrangements are fitted.
Points to pounder for fire pump:
- In passenger ships of 1,000 gross tonnage and upwards, in the event of a fire in any one compartment all the fire pumps will not be put out of action.
- In cargo ships of 1,000* gross tonnage and upwards if a fire in any one compartment could put all the pumps out of action there shall be an alternative means consisting of a fixed independently driven emergency pump which shall be capable of supplying two jets of water to the satisfaction of the Administration.
Any diesel driven power source for the pump shall be capable of being readily started in its cold condition down to a temperature of 0°C by hand (manual)cranking. If this is impracticable, or if lower temperatures are likely to be encountered, consideration is to be given to the provision and maintenance of heating arrangements, acceptable to the Administration.
These means shall be such as to enable the diesel driven power source to be started at least 6 times within a period of 30 minutes, and at least twice within the first 10 minutes.
Any service fuel tank shall contain sufficient fuel to enable the pump to run on full load for at least three hours and sufficient reserves of fuel shall be available outside the main machinery space to enable the pump to be run on full load for an additional 15 hours.
