INERT GAS SYSTEM

• INERT GAS means a gas or mixture of gases containing insufficient

oxygen to support combustion
• Inert condition means a condition in which the oxygen content
throughout the atmosphere of a controlled space has been
reduced to les than 8 % by volume
• Oil tankers carry oil of different grades and quality, having
property to produce flammable vapors and gases when
loaded for transportation. Even with no cargo on board, there
can be harmful flammable gases present in the hold. When
the vapor produced by an oil cargo is mixed with certain
concentration of air primarily containing oxygen, it can result
in exploison
 FLAMABLE LIMITS

• A mixture of hydrocarbon gas and air cannot ignite unless its

composition lies with a range of gas in air concentration as
Flamable range
• The lower limit of this range is known as Lower Flamable Limit
is any hydrocarbon concentration below which there is insufficient
hydrocarbon gas to support combustion
The Upper limit of the range is known as Upper Flamable Limit
•
• When Inert Gas is added to hydrocarbon air /gas mixture the result
is to increase the lower flammable limit concentration and decrease
upper flammable limit concentration
• Methods of Gas replace ment- Inerting , Purging & Gas freeing
• Inerting means introduction of Inert Gas in to tank with the
object of attaining a condition in which the oxygen content
throughout the atmosphere has been reduced to 8 percent or less by
volume
FLAMABLE LIMITS
Sources of Inert Gas on Board
• Up take from Ships Main or Aux Boiler
• Independent Inert Gas Generator
• Gas turbine plant equipped with after burner
• Nitrogen Generators( Chemical Tanker)
• Gas freeing : Introduction of fresh air in to the tank with object of
toxic flammable and inert gases and increasing the oxygen content
to 21%

• Purging means introduction of inert gas in to a tank already in inert

condition with the object of Further reducing the existing oxygen
content and or Reducing the existing hydrocarbon gas content to a
level below which combustion cannot be supported if air is
subsequently introduced in to the tank
Scrubber
Inert Gas Blowers
• Blowers are used to deliver the scrubbed flue gas to cargo tanks
• At least two blowers shall be provided which together shall be
capable of delivering inert gas to cargo tanks at the rate of at least
125% maximum cargo discharge capacity
• Blower casing and impeller should be constructed using corrosion
resistant material
• Means should be provided for water washing to remove build up of
deposit
 Non return Devices
• Regulation requires that the inert gas system is equipped
with two non-return devices, one of which shall be a water
seal, to prevent the return of hydrocarbon vapour to the gas-
safe spaces.

• The deck water seal and Mechanical non return valve

together form means of automatically preventing back flow
of cargo gases from the cargo tank to machinery space
Deck water seal
• The dry type deck water seal has an upper reservoir (drop tank) and a lower
reservoir (sealing tank). The flow of water from the drop tank to the sealing
tank and from the sealing tank to the overboard discharge is controlled
automatically via level sensors and other control equipment.
• The upper reservoir is filled with water at all times and supplies water to the
lower reservoir.
• The lower reservoir is empty during system operation (gas flowing to tanks)
and filled with water when the inert gas blower is shut down, either because
of normal stopping or because of automatic system shutdown activated by
off-design conditions. The filling and drainage of the upper and lower
reservoirs is triggered automatically by the sensing of levels in the sealing
tank and drop tanks, by the on/off status of the blowers or by the gas-to-tank
push button switch. The upper and lower reservoirs are usually equipped
with float-type level sensors.
Pressure Vaccum Breaker