Firemain and Drainage Systems

N72B 6.6

UNCLASSIFIED
 References
• Navy Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Program Manual for
Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19 Series
• Piping Systems, NSTM Chapter 505
• Pollution Control, NSTM Chapter 593
• Practical Damage Control, NSTM Chapter 079, Volume II
• Surface Ship Firefighting, NSTM Chapter 555, Volume I
• Shipboard BW/CW Defense and Countermeasures, NSTM Chapter
470
• Ship’s Damage Control Book
• Ship's Information Book (SIB)

UNCLASSIFIED
2
 Terminal Objectives

• Given a US naval vessel, DISCUSS the functions, locations, and

components of the firemain and drainage systems.

UNCLASSIFIED
3
 Enabling Objectives
• IDENTIFY the function, location, and operating principles of loop
and composite firemain systems.
• IDENTIFY the function, location, and operating principles of single
main firemain systems.
• IDENTIFY the function, location, and operating principles of vertical
offset loop firemain systems.
• DISCUSS the functions, locations, and components of fire stations.
• IDENTIFY the function, location, and operating principles of installed
drainage systems.

UNCLASSIFIED
4
 Firemain Services

How would a loss of firemain affect the ship? Loss of power?

UNCLASSIFIED
5
 Fire Pump Layout

• Widely distributed
throughout the ship's
engineering spaces
• Fed from two sources of
power
• What vital equipment is
located in the various
engineering spaces on
your ship?

UNCLASSIFIED
6
 Single Main System
• Single main pipe that extends longitudinally near the centerline of
the ship
• Provides little battle damage survivability

UNCLASSIFIED
7
Loop Configuration

• Designed as a system of
independent loops
• Battle damage will not impact
the entire firemain
• Three types:
– Horizontal
– Vertical
– Vertical offset

UNCLASSIFIED
8
 Horizontal Loop System
• Two cross-connected mains on the damage control (DC) deck
• Separated athwartships

UNCLASSIFIED
9
 Vertical Loop System
• Installed in the DC deck and lower main
• Two single main pipes cross-connected in a vertical plane

UNCLASSIFIED
10
 Vertical Offset Loop System

• Components of the
vertical offset loop
– A starboard loop that
is located on the first
deck
– A port loop that is
located on the third
deck, with cross-
connects
• Supplied by six fire
pumps

UNCLASSIFIED
11
 Composite System
• Consists of more than one type of firemain system

UNCLASSIFIED
12
 Installed Drainage Systems
• Piping systems (with or without pumps) to remove flood & waste
water

• Actuation methods:
– Power: positive pressure or suction
– Gravity: directed over side or downward into waste tanks or voids
– Combination

UNCLASSIFIED
13
 Installed Eductors

• Jet-type pumps (dynamic), no

moving parts
• Dewaters by pumping firemain
rapidly to create a low pressure
(suction) region (Venturi effect)
• Capacity depends on ship
• Water pressure to operate
eductor must be greater than
the static head pressure
• Listed in DC book
• DRAWN on main and secondary
drainage plates

UNCLASSIFIED
14
 Installed Eductor Activation

1. D: Open overboard DISCHARGE valve

2. F: Open FIREMAIN actuating valve
(Throttle valve to get eductor’s rated
operating pressure)
3. V: Ensure VACUUM is created by checking
associated gage

DO NOT CONTINUE IF
VACUUM IS NOT PRESENT
4. S: Open Drainage Main Cutout & Suction
Valves
(Post a watch to monitor water level)
UNCLASSIFIED
15
 Operating an Eductor

Step 1: Open
Discharge
Valve
Step 2:
Open
Firemain Step 3:
Valve Check for
Vacuum

Step 4:
Open
Suction
Valve
UNCLASSIFIED
16
 Eductor Safety Hazards
• Man space until evolution is complete
• Obtain permission (CO) and notify key watches
• Dangers:
– Flooding the space
• Ensure eductor is not misaligned
• Make sure suction check valve is not degraded
– Asphyxiation
• Scuttle open
• Ensure ventilation is operational
• Secure eductor operation when water level is below suction line

UNCLASSIFIED
17
 Installed Drainage Systems

1.Main Drainage
2. Secondary Drainage
3. Gravity Drainage

UNCLASSIFIED
18
 Main Drainage
• Reliable and has no moving parts
• Provides emergency dewatering in engineering spaces
• Uses galvanized pipe or copper-nickel tubing
• Segregated by bulkhead stop valves

Bulkhead Stop Valves

UNCLASSIFIED
19
 Installed Drainage Systems

1. Main Drainage
2.Secondary Drainage
3. Gravity Drainage

UNCLASSIFIED
20
 Secondary Drainage
• Serves spaces at or below the waterline for spaces forward and aft
of the main spaces
• Independent of main drainage with its own eductors and sea
connections
• Piping is smaller in size than main drainage piping but can be cross
connected
• Example spaces served:
– Steering gear rooms
– Emergency diesel
generator rooms
– A/C machinery rooms
– Chain lockers
– List & trim control tanks

UNCLASSIFIED
21
Special Drainage

• Service spaces (heads,

galleys, sickbays)
• Magazines w/sprinklers
– Above waterline, near
weather deck: drain through
bulkhead check valve
– Above waterline, NOT near
weather decks: overboard
discharge with deck drains
– Below waterline: installed
secondary eductors

UNCLASSIFIED
22
 Installed Drainage Systems

1. Main Drainage
2. Secondary Drainage
3.Gravity Drainage

UNCLASSIFIED
23
 Gravity Drainage System
• Consists of plumbing and
deck drains
– Installed most extensively in
compartments above the
waterline
– Spaces above waterline are
directed overboard
– Spaces below waterline
directed to tank or space
where installed drainage
can remove water
• NOT designed to remove
flooding water from ship as a
result of damage
• May NOT be shown on DC
diagram
UNCLASSIFIED
24
 Discharging Overboard

• CO Permission is required prior to

discharging anything over the side
– Black water (sewage)
– Gray water (shower/scullery waste
water)
– Oily waste (separator)
– Gas turbine waste (water wash)
– Bilge water
– Cooling water (nuclear)

UNCLASSIFIED
25
 Overboard Discharge
• Welded flush with hull
• 4in female fitted cap with a safety chain
• Attached to a 4in male connection by a 2½in
female adapter
• Spanner wrench should be near by
• Located on DC deck
• Between each main transverse bulkhead
(one port side, one starboard side)
• Hose connection for portable dewatering
directly overboard
• Provide lowest possible discharge head
– Water pressure increases as it is pumped
vertically

UNCLASSIFIED
26
 Using the Overboard Discharge
In this example, three electric submersible pumps (ESP) are used in
tandem with the an S-type eductor to overcome the head pressure

OVBD
Discharge
Fire Main

ESPs

S-Type
UNCLASSIFIED
27
Questions?

UNCLASSIFIED
28