The deck mounted tank cleaning machines are turbine driven, fully

programmable, single nozzle units. The nozzle performs a helical

pattern by rotating in a horizontal plane, combined with a very slow
vertical movement. The machine can rotate 360° in the horizontal
plane and up to 135° in the vertical plane.

The revolutions per minute are increased or decreased using the

speed control valve on the driving unit. The speed range for one
horizontal pass ranges from a minimum of 60 seconds with the
speed control dial fully wound in, to a maximum of 135 seconds with
the speed control dial fully wound out. There is approximately 2.5
turns of the speed control dial between minimum and maximum
speed.
Tank Cleaning Machine Arrangement

The vertical pitch is preset and cannot be changed but varies with
angular setting of the nozzle. Pitch is the angular difference between
two points on the tank side, with the nozzle pointing in the same
direction on successive rotations. Although the pitch setting cannot
be changed, the actual pitch does vary, the pitch detail is given is
the following section.

Washing Time Table

One Horizontal Rotation Time of a
 Nozzle

One Horizontal Rotation Set Time

(s) 60 90 120 135

135° – 0° 60 90 120 135

90° – 0° 43 64 85 96

60° – 0° 30 45 60 68

25° – 0° 10 15 20 23

135° – 90° 17 26 35 39

135° – 60° 30 45 60 67

135° – 25° 50 75 100 112

90° – 60° 13 19 25 28

90° – 25° 33 49 65 73
Washing Limits
Angle 60° – 25° 20 30 45 45

Spot or manual washing can be carried out by closing the driving

fluid intake valve then adjusting the direction of the nozzle and the
vertical angle of the nozzle using the crank handle then opening and
closing the washing fluid valve as required. On the top of the drive
unit is a cover which protects the indicator spindle, this spindle is
used by the operator to set the correct starting angle of the nozzle.

The indicator rotates during operation of the COW, a marker on to

of the indicator can be used to gauge the time interval of each
revolution, allowing the correct speed setting to be made
accordingly. This marker is also used to give the operator the
direction of the nozzle when conducting a spot wash.

The ship is provided with a separate 200mm COW/tank cleaning line,

with branches to each tank washing machine. A main cargo pump is
required to supply the driving fluid to the tank cleaning machines
and stripping eductor when they are in use.

Final draining is carried out using the stripping eductor while the
automatic stripping system fitted to each main cargo pump is used
for initial draining during washing.

A tank cleaning heater is fitted in the top of the pump room capable
of heating sea water from 20°C to 80°C with a through put of
160m3/h. In addition heating coils are fitted in both slop tanks. Eight
sets of coils are fitted to the port slop tank and are capable of
heating the sea water contents from 15°C to 66°C over a period of
24 hours. The starboard slop tank has two coils fitted.

The capacity of each cargo pump is adequate for supplying driving

fluid to the eductor and tank cleaning machines for two cargo tanks.
The suction capacity of the eductor is 125% of the output of all the
COW tank cleaning machines when washing both a port and
starboard cargo oil tank.

Washing Programme

130° to 70° for main cargo tanks, top cleaning at 60 seconds/ revolution

130° to 40° for slop tanks, top cleaning at 75 seconds/revolution

70° to 0° for main cargo tanks, bottom cleaning at 90 seconds/ revolution

40° to 0° for slop tanks, bottom cleaning at 135 seconds/ revolution

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE COW MACHINES

(ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IN OPERATION ONLY)
Before any tank cleaning operations are carried out the line must be
inspected and tested to full working pressure, any faults or leaks
must be rectified before the system is used.

CAUTION :The cargo stripping pump is a positive

displacement pump and therefore must never be used to
pressure test the COW line.
Operation of the Tank Cleaning Machines
a) Remove the vertical scale protective cover.

b) Using the manual hand crank, preset the nozzle to any desired
starting angle. The perspex cover on the indicator spindle is
graduated at the following values, 0°, 25°, 60°, 90°, 120° and 135°.

CAUTION: Before cranking the nozzle to a new position close

the drive fluid intake valve.
c) When the machine starts to wash, the nozzle always goes down
therefore set nozzle to the upper angle required.
d) To start the machine, open the wash fluid valve slowly in order
to avoid any liquid shock.

e) Open the drive fluid drain valve and the drive fluid inlet valve.

f) On completion of tank cleaning, close the wash fluid valve and

reset the machine to the rest position by cranking the nozzle to the
bottom position, 0°.

g) Replace and lock the protective cover.

h) After about two minutes close both the drive fluid intake valve
and the drive fluid drain valve.

Speed Adjustment
The speed of the unit can be regulated by opening and closing the
speed control valve which is situated on the drive fluid intake line.
The direction the nozzle is pointing in is shown by an indicator line
on the head of the indicator spindle.

Pitch Adjustment
The vertical pitch is preset and varies with regard to the washing
range as per the following table.

135° to 90° = 2.6°

90° to 60° = 2.4°

60° to 25° = 1.75°

25° to 0° = 2.5°

Spot Washing
If it is necessary to carry out spot washing, then the operator must
consult the shadow diagrams to work out the horizontal and vertical
angle. The machine should be hand cranked to the vertical and
horizontal positions and then the wash fluid valve can be opened. To
adjust the vertical angle insert the crank handle to the vertical
adjuster and turn it counter clockwise. To adjust the horizontal
position of the nozzle insert the crank handle to the adjuster on the
side of they hydro-reciprocator and turn it counter clockwise.

Deck Mounted Machines

It is not intended for these machines to be removed from the tanks
unless there has been an actual mechanical failure. In the event of
such a failure, a lifting tripod, chain block and tools are provided and
should be kept in good order.

Normal maintenance will consist of running each machine

periodically for three minutes to verify that the machine is carrying
out its programme and the stop valves are tight when not in
operation. If testing each machine with drive fluid is not possible,
routine checks can be carried out by manually rotating the nozzle
horizontally ten times and changing the vertical angle by 30°. On a
yearly basis remove the gearbox cover, grease the gears and ball
bearing parts, that the machine is carrying out its programme and
the stop valves are tight when not in operation.
STRIPPING PUMP AND EDUCTORS

The stripping pump is a steam driven, double stroke, reciprocating

type pump, controlled from the cargo console in the CCR. The
stripping pump can be used to drain the cargo lines and the pump
room bilges to the port or starboard slop tank, to shore via the
125mm line (MARPOL line), or if necessary to overboard via the
ODME line with the ODME in operation.

The MARPOL line connects to the manifolds outboard of the manifold

valves. It may also be used as a back-up alternative stripping device,
along with a single stripping eductor.
Operation
Refer to above illustration

a) Ensure the stripping pump automatic lubricator is topped up

with oil.

b) Slightly open the four drain valves on the steam chest

and exhaust casing of the stripping pump.

c) Open the pump discharge valve and line valve to the MARPOL
line if stripping to ashore, or valve to the port slop line and tank, or
alternatively valve to slop to starboard slop if discharging to stbd
tank.
d) Open the required pump suction valve and suction master
valves, bilge suction or stripping master valve for cargo pumps and
strainers.

e) Ensure the steam exhaust return valve in the engine room is

open. Open the steam exhaust valve at the pump chest.

f) Open the drain valves on the steam exhaust line and inlet
steam chest line to the pump.

g) Ensure that the speed setter control, in the cargo control

console, is set at the minimum setting.

h) Ensure that an adequate steam supply is available from

the engine room and that the main steam isolating valve in the
engine room is open.

i) Open the speed setting bypass warming through valve.

j) After the warm up process, the pump can be started remotely

from the cargo console in the CCR.

l) Close the speed setting bypass valve and all drain valves, then
open the steam inlet isolating valve. Bring the pump up to speed
using the speed setter control in the cargo console.

m) The speed is monitored by use of the stroke counter on the

cargo console. The speed of the pump should not be taken above a
maximum of 30 strokes/minute.

Stripper Stroke Controller

Note: Under no load conditions the speed of the pump
will increase, therefore a good watch should be kept on the
pump when it is coming to the end of suction.
Stripper Pump Panel in CCR
Instrumentation
Indication of the suction and discharge pressure are available in the
cargo control room. A stroke transmitter is fitted to the pump. The
air signal is sent to a stroke converter in the engine room, where the
signal is converted to an electrical signal and passed to the stroke
counter in the cargo control room console. The pump can be stopped
quickly by closing the steam inlet valve by means of the master
steam control switch in the cargo console. On closing the steam inlet
valve, the stroke counter will continue to show the stroke at the time
of closing for approximately 20 seconds after which it will show zero.
The stroke counter will not display a count of less than 3 rpm.

Cargo and Ballast Stripping Eductors

The cargo oil and ballast stripping eductors are used for final
stripping of tanks and in the case of the cargo oil stripping eductor,
they are also used to keep the cargo oil tanks that are being COW’d
almost dry.

Essentially the operating procedure for both sets of eductors is the

same, just that the supply comes from a different source and that
the cargo oil eductor discharges to either of the slop tanks, while
the ballast eductor discharges directly overboard.

Operation
The driving fluid for the cargo oil stripping eductor can be supplied
by any of the main cargo pumps. During COW operations the main
cargo oil pump supplying the eductor will also be supplying a
number of COW cleaning machines. The cargo oil pumps are
each rated to be able to supply the eductor and a maximum of
two cargo oil tanks and their respective cleaning machines.

It is important that the effective drive pressure does not drop too low
so that the suction pressure is maintained. Additionally, there is the
possibility that drive fluid may flow back to the tank through the
eductor lines via an open suction valve.

When COW operations are taking place it should be noted that as

there are two COW machines in the port cargo tanks and only one in
the starboard tanks, the stripping suction valve in the starboard pair
of tanks being COWd may require to be shut periodically during
draining, this is in order that suction will not be lost in the starboard
tank and an accumulation of oil in the port tank.

a) When the point is reached to use the stripping eductor, the

speed of the cargo pump selected for drive duty should be reduced
to allow effective changeover from bulk discharge to eductor
operations.

b) When the pump is ready for operation set the line suction
valves and eductor discharge valves to either slop tank. The port
slop tank is designated as the dirty tank and the starboard tank is
the clean tank.

c) Open the eductor drive valve . At this point the eductor suction
valve must remain closed.

d) Increase the speed of the cargo oil pump and open its
discharge valve, increase the pump speed until a minimum drive
pressure of 1.0MPa is shown on the gauge. When a suction is shown
on the eductor, open the suction valve.

Monitor the level in the slop tanks, if necessary the cargo oil pump
suction can be taken from the port slop tank with the discharge from
the eductor back into the port slop tank.
AIR CONDITION

The air conditioning system is designed to cool air if required,

provide heating to the air when needed and humidify the air to the
correct level for comfort. A by product of air conditioning is the
lowering of the air’s dew point and precipitation of moisture out of
the air and making it dryer.

A comfortable atmosphere is a combination of temperature and

humidity and both must be controlled. The level of humidity is
important for comfort so it is necessary to humidify the air again by
spraying steam into the circulating air flow.

The air conditioning plant is a package type unit which contains all
items required for providing cooled or heated air to the
accommodation spaces. The cooling of air is obtained by a
refrigeration system which is operated by four hermetically sealed
compressors; the compressors are in two groups of two. Heating is
by means of a steam coil and humidification is supplied by means of
steam injection into the air flow to the accommodation spaces.
Air is supplied to the accommodation by the single air
conditioning unit located on the upper deck cross alleyway. A belt
driven fan draws air through the body of the air conditioning unit
which has the following parts:

 Mixing chamber for fresh and recirculated air

 Filter
 Heating coil (steam)
 Air cooler
 Steam humidifier nozzles
 Water eliminator section (drain)
WARNING:- It is essential that no water should be lying in
the air conditioning system as at the right temperatures,
this can become a breeding ground for legionella bacteria
which can have serious, or even fatal, consequences. The
drain should be kept clear and areas where water can lie
should be sterilised at frequent intervals.
Air is forced into the distribution trunking which supplies the
accommodation block. It may be drawn into the system either from
outside or from the accommodation via recirculation trunking. The
ratio of recirculated to fresh air can be manually adjusted at the inlet
to the air conditioning unit. During winter and summer months a
30% fresh air ratio is used and at intermediate seasons 50% fresh air
ratio is used.

The inlet filters are of the washable mat type and they should be
cleaned at regular intervals before the air flow is restricted; the
frequency of cleaning should be increased when operating in dusty
conditions. Heating is provided by a finned heat exchanger supplied
by steam from the .88MPa system.

Cooling is provided by a direct expansion R-404a system. The

plant is automatic and consists of two compressor/condenser
units each supplying a separate evaporator contained within the
air handling section of the air conditioning unit. The evaporators
consist of finned copper tubes through which the expanding
refrigerant gas flows and over which the air flows.

A single compressor/condensing/evaporator unit may be able to

meet the cooling requirements under certain conditions, however, if
the cooling demand increases the second compressor /condensing
/evaporator unit will automatically start in order to meet the
demand. Each compressor /condensing /evaporator unit has two
identical compressors and normally only one compressor will
operate in each compressor/condensing/evaporator unit.

The compressor takes suction from the returning superheated gas

from the evaporator inside the air handling section. After
compressing and raising the pressure of the gas to in the region of
20MPa, it leaves as a superheated gas which is then passed to the
condenser where it is cooled by the auxiliary sea water cooling
system into the liquid refrigerant state.

The liquid R-404a then flows, via a filter dryer unit, back to the
expansion valves of the evaporator inside the air handling section.
The expansion valve is regulated by the operating parameters
selected at the control panel by the duty engineer. Once expanded
through the evaporator and converted back to a superheated gas, it
then returns back to the compressor to repeat the cycle.

The refrigerant expansion valve is designed to regulate the

superheat of the refrigerant gas in the evaporator. During cooling
down after the plant has been started, the valve regulates the flow
through the evaporator based on the lowest allowable superheat
temperature in the compressor suction lines. When the
temperature has been sufficiently reduced, the valve regulates
according to the supply air temperature.

The compressors are protected by high and low gas pressure cut-out
switches, and overcurrent relays. The shutdowns must be reset
manually before the equipment can be run.

Hermetically sealed compressor systems are less prone to leakage

and are fitted with less instrumentation, so monitoring gas
pressures to determine the charge is not possible, however a
reduction in the temperature on the compressor discharge could be
indicating loss of charge and a leak test should be undertaken.

Note: To comply with the Montreal Protocol, the maximum

annual leakage of this gas into the atmosphere should be
restricted to 10% of the total system charge. To verify this
and to monitor the number of times the system has to be
recharged, a record has to be made in the refrigerant
recharge log. A regular system of leak detection to minimize
gas leaks is to be implemented to ensure leaks are detected
at an early stage.
CAUTION: Refrigerant R404a is a gas mixture. If gas is lost it
may be one component of the mixture and a top up with new
refrigerant may result in a slight change in the composition.
If a substantial leak has occurred, in order to guarantee
correct composition, the system should be evacuated and
charged with a fresh refrigerant charge.
If required, additional liquid refrigerant can be added through the
charging line, after first venting the connection between the
refrigerant bottle and the charging connection. Care must be taken
to ensure that no moisture or dirt is drawn into the system as any
trace of moisture in the refrigerant may lead to problems with icing
of the thermostatic expansion valve and subsequent blockage.
CAUTION:Because of the limited instrumentation, only very
small amounts of refrigeration should be added at any one
time.
Inspection Before Operating the Air Conditioning System
 Check refrigerant pipe joints and the electrical system for loose
connections and damaged wires
 Check the condenser water supply and pressure, vent air from
the top of the condensers, check the condensers for water
leakage and check the refrigerant level in the condenser
to ensure a full charge
 Check the fan drive belt tension (about 10mm total at the mid
length) and condition
 Check that the fan drive belts are parallel and that the drive
moves smoothly by hand
Operation of the Air Conditioning System
The air conditioning system is designed to run with one compressor
operating on each of the two evaporator sections. Inside the air
conditioning unit there are two evaporators or cooling sections.
These are identical to each other but are controlled by separate
expansion valves and are fed internally by different compressor
systems.

Steam is supplied via spray nozzles in order to control the humidity

of the air being supplied to the accommodation spaces.

The control panel on the air conditioning unit has two main switches
(breakers), one for the air fan unit and one for the compressors.
When the fan main switch is turned to the ON position the air fan
and its related parts are electrically energized. When the compressor
switch is turned to the ON position the compressors and their
crankcase heaters are energized.

The fan is started by pressing the FAN pushbutton at the master

controller. The master controller has two other pushbuttons, an OFF
pushbutton, for stopping the air conditioning unit, and a
COOL/HEAT pushbutton which starts the compressor when cooling
is required or activates the heater when heating is required. Heating
or cooling is selected by means of the COOL/HEAT selector switch.

For each pair of compressors there is a sequence start switch which

enables No.1 or No.2 compressor in the pair to be selected as the
first start compressor.
Indicator lamps are provided for ‘Power’, ‘Operation’ and ‘Alarm’.

Procedure for Starting the Air Conditioning Fan

The recirculation air damper is set to the desired amount of
recirculated air/ fresh air. The steam supply and condensate drain
valves to the air conditioning unit must be open. Steam supplies
heating when required and also maintains the desired air humidity
(steam supply valve must be open together with the local steam
valves at the unit). Drains from the air chamber must always be
clear and during operation of the air conditioning unit the duty
engineer must ensure that condensed water vapor is draining from
these drain lines.

a) Supply electrical power to the air conditioning unit and select

LOCAL at the REMOTE/LOCAL changeover switch.

b) Operate the switch (breaker) for the fan; the fan power lamp
will illuminate.

c) Press the FAN pushbutton on the master controller. The fan will
start and the operation lamp will illuminate.

d) Check the fan operational direction is correct, that there is no

abnormal noise and that the electric motor current is within
acceptable limits (15 – 17A).

Operation of the Air Conditioning Cooling System

The cooling system is started when the fan is running correctly. It is
assumed that items a) to d) above have been completed
successfully.

e) Select COOL at the COOL/HEAT selector switch.

f) Operate the switch (breaker) for the compressor.

g) Press the COOL/HEAT pushbutton on the master controller.

The cooling system will start; the selected first start compressor will
operate.
h) The temperature may be regulated by means of the
thermostat.

The cooling system will operate automatically to maintain the

desired temperature and humidity. The unit designed conditions are
27oC and 50% relative humidity.

Operation of the Air Conditioning Heating System

The heating system is started when the fan is running correctly. It is
assumed that items a) to d) above have been completed
successfully.

e) Select HEAT at the COOL/HEAT selector switch.

f) Fully close the needle valve for steam spray and open the steam
inlet valve to the steam valve panel. Open the steam spray valve by
0.25 turn.

g) Regulate the desired temperature by means of the temperature

regulator

h) Press the COOL/HEAT pushbutton on the master controller in

order to activate the heating system.

Stopping the Systems

The heating system is stopped by pressing the COOL/HEAT
pushbutton whilst the heating system is running and then closing the
steam supply valve to the steam inlet panel; the other steam
valves must also be closed. The cooling system is stopped by
pressing the COOL/HEAT pushbutton whilst the cooling system is
operating and then by opening the switch (breaker) for the
compressor so that the compressor stops.

The fan is stopped by pressing the FAN pushbutton when the fan is
running and then opening the switch (breaker) for the fan; the fan
will stop and the operation lamp will be extinguished.

To Shut Down the Compressor for a Prolonged Period

Leaving the system with full refrigerant pressure in the lines
increases the possibility of losing charge through system leaks or
through the compressor’s drive end shaft seal. If the air conditioning
system is to be shut down for a prolonged period, it is advisable to
pump down the system and isolate the refrigerant gas charge in the
condenser.

Shutting Down the Refrigeration Plant for Maintenance

Hermetically sealed compressor systems would normally be
maintained by specialist contractors, however it would still be
advisable to pump down the refrigerant into the condenser prior to
tie maintenance team’s arrival.

HEATING COILS

The voyage orders will clearly indicate if the cargo requires heating
and the temperature to be maintained. Normally the heating clause
in a charter party requires the cargo to be carried at loaded
temperature but not higher than 135º F or 57.5º C. The cargo
heating should be planned judiciously by taking into consideration
the ambient temperature, the temperature to which the cargo
should be heated or any other special instructions given by the
charterer. If the ambient temperature is low and the difference
between the ambient temperature and the cargo temperature is
high then it is advisable to start heating immediately after sailing
from the load port. On single hull tankers the wing tanks require
more heating than the centre tanks

Can you understand why this would happen?

In case of the wing tanks, the heat loss is from the sides, top and
bottom and in case of the centre tanks the heat loss is from the top
and bottom; the side tanks with heated cargo allow no heat loss. In
ships with a double bottom the heat loss from the bottom of the tank
is reduced as the DB offers a kind of insulation. Normally the
temperature is checked in the morning and a report sent to the
owners / charterers. In temperature critical cargoes, the temperature
may be checked twice a day as per instructions of the charterers.
With the existing double hull tankers this problem does not exist.

Testing of heating lines

Before loading any cargo that requires heating, the heating lines
should be pressure tested for integrity. This is done by pressurising
the lines with fresh water / compressed air, to the max pressure that
can be expected on the heating lines. If the pressure in a particular
coil falls, then it is assumed that the coil has a leak and man entry
has to be made into the tank to detect and rectify the leak.

The heating coils are normally made of a material called ‘Yucalbro’

which is an alloy of copper and aluminium. This being a soft alloy is
liable to be damaged if it is subjected to physical pressure.

Welding cannot be done on this alloy and hence silver brazing is

done. If there is a section of the pipe that is damaged or if the pipe is
holed, then to avoid doing hot work in the tank, it is advisable to
change that section of the pipe by cutting the damaged section and
connecting the pipes again. The pipes are connected to each other
using “Ermato” couplings. While bending the pipes used for heating
coils they are filled with sand and then bent in the required shape.
The pipes are cleaned thoroughly before putting them in place.

Each tank has a steam heating manifold or there may be a common

manifold for a set of tanks. In this manifold, a line comes from the
main steam line and it branches into lines for individual heating
coils.

Normally, although the centre tanks are much bigger than the wing
tanks, the number of heating coils installed in the wing and centre
tanks is same. This is so because, as explained earlier, heat loss is
more from the wing tanks than from the centre tanks and hence
they require more heating.

Each steam manifold has a valve, which controls the steam to the
coils in that manifold, and each heating coil has an individual valve
to control the steam in that coil. A pressure gauge is provided after
the stop valve of each manifold to indicate the steam pressure in
that manifold.

Before commencing cargo heating, the deck steam is put on warm

up and the forward bypass valve is opened, so that the steam main
and return line are warmed up. Then the steam pressure is slowly
increased and the individual valves of the heating coils are opened
after opening the manifold valves on the steam manifolds for the
tanks to be heated.

It is normal practise to keep the return line valves on the steam line
always open unless specifically required to be closed. On the return
line from the heating coil, a drain valve is provided. This should be
opened to check if there is water coming from the line, which will
confirm that the line is clear, and to check if there is any oil in the
return line. This will indicate a leak in the heating coil.

The drain valve should be opened to check for leakages on a regular

basis. It should be remembered that the water from the return line is
taken to the drain well in the engine room and is then reused in the
boiler. Hence, any oil in the water will be detrimental for the
efficiency of the boiler.

The diameter of the heating coils in the tanks is bigger than the
diameter of heating coils prior to the entry of the line into the tank.
This ensures that there is more surface area available for the heat
exchange to take place between the steam and the cargo. If water is
found to be coming out of the drain valve on the return line, then it
indicates that proper heat exchange is taking place in the tank.

It should be remembered that it is difficult to stop the fall of

temperature once it reaches an accelerated rate. It is prudent to
start cargo heating as soon as it is apparent that the temperature is
going to drop.
In case of a long voyage, ships crew are sometimes tempted to allow
the temperature to drop below the requirement of the charterer with
the idea that it can be raised before arrival discharge port.

This is not advisable because:

 Once the temperature has started falling rapidly it is difficult to
stop the fall in temperature and raise the temperature, and.
 The charterers may sell the cargo before reaching discharge
port and at that time the new cargo owner will require the
details of the temperature maintained and this can create a
problem as he may then reject the cargo because of it not being
maintained as per charter party requirement. Some cargoes like
vacuum gas oil have a high pour point and they will solidify at
ambient temperature.
 We know that in liquids, convection currents within the liquid
transfer heat. Hence increasing the pressure of the steam will
not expedite the process of heating the cargo appreciably. Also
with some cargoes (like molasses) crystallisation may take
place on the heating coils and this will serve as insulation and
reduce the heat exchange process.
During discharge, it is advisable to keep heating the cargo until the
level of the cargo has fallen to the level of heating coils. This
prevents the cargo from losing its fluid state and helps in draining
the tank. It also compensates the cooling by ballast water, which is
taken in the DB tank below the cargo tanks.

Some ships carrying special cargoes have heaters mounted on deck

and the cargo is pumped into the heaters on deck where the heat
exchange takes place between heating coils and the cargo. The
cargo is then returned to the forward end of the tank. These ships
normally have deep well pumps in the tanks and hence the cargo
from the tank is re-circulated without getting mixed with the cargo
from another tank.
SEAWAGE SYSTEM

The sewage treatment plant treats all sewage in a three tank unit
using activated sludge and extended aeration.
Sewage Treatment Plant
The sewage treatment plant consists of three separate tanks
through which the sewage passes and during that passage through
the tanks bacteria effectively breaks down the raw sewage so that
the discharge into the final tank is clean water. This cleaned water is
treated with chlorine to destroy harmful pathogens before it is
pumped overboard. Because the sewage is digested by bacteria it is
essential that there is a steady supply of sewage to the tank in order
to ensure that the bacteria can thrive.

Note: The use of disinfecting chemicals for cleaning lavatory

pans, or the disposal of such chemicals in lavatory pans,
will kill the bacteria in the sewage treatment plant and such
practices are forbidden.
A three-way valve enables raw sewage from the accommodation to
be directed to the sewage treatment plant or overboard if required.
The hospital sewage discharge goes directly to the sewage
treatment plant. Although the sewage treatment plant discharge
pump is normally set for overboard discharge, effluent from the
sewage treatment plant may also be discharged to the shore
connections on the port and starboard sides of the ship.

Aeration Tank
The sewage in this tank is from the lavatory pans and urinals in the
accommodation spaces; flow from the accommodation is by gravity.

The incoming effluent material mixes with the activated sludge

already present in this tank. The bacterial action breaks down the
sewage producing carbon dioxide, water and new bacteria. The
gases produced are vented to atmosphere. The ship’s working air
system supplies air to the tank, which provides the oxygen the
aerobic organisms require for digesting the raw sewage and it also
assists in mixing the incoming sewage with the water, sewage
sludge and bacteria already present in the tank. The aeration tank is
supplied with air from the blower and it also has an air lift. This is
basically a vertical pipe through which air is bubbled and this acts to
draw effluent from the bottom of the aeration tank and discharge it
to the settling tank. The rate of flow through the aeration tank is
designed to be as slow as possible to enable maximum bacterial
effect. The aeration period is about 12 hours after which the effluent
is pumped to the clarification compartment by means of the transfer
air lift.

Clarification Tank
The effluent passes into this tank and settles out. The water passes
into the chlorine contact tank, whilst the remaining sludge,
containing the active bacteria, returns to the aeration tank for
further processing. A surface skimmer in the tank removes floating
sludge and debris from the surface and returns it to the activation
tank.

Chlorine Contact Tank

Water from the clarification tank is brought into contact with
sterilizing tablets containing the required amount of chlorine and is
sterilized. The disinfecting tubes are filled with chlorine tablets (the
amount and number of tubes in use depending upon the sewage
plant throughput), and the water is sterilized when it comes into
contact with the tablets and dissolves the chlorine in the tablets.
After flowing through the disinfecting tubes the water passes to the
discharge chamber which is fitted with float switches controlling the
start and stop of the discharge pump.

CAUTION: Discharge overboard should not take place within

12 nautical miles of the coast. Raw sewage may only be
pumped to sea in waters where such discharge is permitted
and permission from the bridge must be obtained before the
discharge takes place.
Note: Rules governing the discharge of raw sewage
must be complied with at all times and the discharge of
raw sewage overboard must only be contemplated should
the sewage plant not be serviceable. The bacterial action
requires a regular supply of raw sewage and the discharge
of raw sewage overboard can impair effective bacterial
action.
The sewage treatment plant works automatically once the control
switch is set to the ON position and the selector switch for the
discharge pump is set to the AUTO position. Periodic attention is
required and the unit must be monitored for correct operation.

The plant requires a throughput of raw sewage in order to keep the

bacteria active. If there is no sewage flow for a prolonged period the
bacteria will become inactive and operation of the plant
subsequently impaired. When raw sewage supply is resumed it may
take some days before full bacterial activity is restored and this can
result in imperfect treatment and the discharged of untreated
sewage.

Disinfectant material must never be used for cleaning lavatory pans

or urinals as this kills the bacteria which are essential for satisfactory
operation of the sewage treatment plant.

The sewage treatment plant discharge pump normally takes suction

from the chlorine contact tank but valves on the other two tanks
allow those tanks to be pumped out if necessary.

Procedure for Operating the Sewage Treatment Plant

a) Set the system valves as in the following tables.

Position Description

Open Three-way sewage valve from accommodation (set for sewage treatment plant inlet)

Closed Fresh water inlet to sewage treatment plant

Open Chlorination tank discharge valve

Closed Aeration tank discharge valve

 Closed Clarification tank discharge valve

Open Pump discharge valve to overboard discharge line

Closed Pump discharge valve to shore discharge line

Closed Port shore discharge valve

Closed Starboard shore discharge line

Open Air supply valve from service air system

Open Air supply valves to tank aeration and air lift outlets

Closed Chlorination tank sampling valve

b) The sewage treatment plant should be initially filled with water

and activated sludge added if it has been emptied for any reason or
when commissioning the plant for the first time. This will not be
required when the unit has been operating previously but the
description is included for completeness.

c) Turn the sewage treatment plant main switch to the ON

position.

d) Ensure that the ship’s service air system is operating and that
compressed air is being supplied to the sewage treatment plant and
is regulated to 0.5MPa Check that the aeration and air lift systems
are operating.

e) Turn the overboard discharge pump switch to the AUTO

position.

f) Check that the discharge pump has the correct rotation.

g) Ensure that there are sufficient chlorine tablets in the

chlorination tank.

Note: The number of tablets and number of tubes in use may

need to be adjusted through experience, depending upon
the throughput of the sewage plant.
h) Check that the discharge pump is operating correctly in
response to the float switches in the chlorination tank.
i) Check that ample air is being supplied and that sludge is being
returned to the activation tank from the clarification tank. This can
be checked by looking at the transparent hose in the return line.

j) The sewage treatment plant is now operating.

k) The discharge pump will only operate when the chlorination

tank is full enough to activate the high level float switch.

CAUTION: Tanks may only be pumped to sea in waters where

such discharge is permitted and permission from the bridge
must be obtained before the discharge takes place.
The chlorine level in the discharge effluent must be checked using
the chlorine test kit. A sample of the effluent must be obtained from
the chlorination tank using the sample valve . If the residual chlorine
content is less than 1ppm additional chlorination tablets must be
used or additional tablet feed tubes must be brought into use if they
are not already being used.

WARNING: Care must be taken in the storage and handling

of the Sodium Hypochlorite tablets (Chlorine tablets). They
must never be in contact with bare skin and must not be
exposed to high temperature or fire. Chlorine tablets must
never be exposed to damp conditions and must not be
allowed to get wet in storage.
Sewage Discharge Ashore
When in confined waters where the overboard discharge of treated
sewage is prohibited it is necessary to discharge the treated effluent
ashore. Approval must be obtained from the harbour authorities and
the reception facility must be provided which can accommodate
the amount of treated sewage to be discharged. The blank is
removed from the port or starboard discharge pipe and the hose to
the reception facility connected. The overboard discharge valve is
closed and the discharge valve to the shore connection is opened.

Treated effluent is discharged by operating the sewage

treatment plant discharge pump.

Maintenance
Daily Checks
Check that the sludge is being returned to the activation chamber
from the settling chamber, and that the discharge pump and blower
are working. Check that the sterilizing unit is functioning correctly
and replenish as necessary.

Check the operation of the air lift and the air diffusers through the
compartment portholes. Check that the air supply pressure is correct
at the air inlet to the sewage treatment plant.

Weekly Checks
Check the residual chlorine level; this should always be between
1ppm and 5ppm.

Monthly Checks
Check that air flows are correct and that compartment vents are
clear. Clean the blower suction strainer.

Check that the chlorinator unit is clear and that the float switches
are operating correctly.