Bilge pumps are often a ship owner’s first and only line of defense against sinking. To prevent you from being that proverbial scared sailor with a bucket. It’s essential to know why bilge pumps are so important. Carvepump recently published an ultimate guide on marine bilge pumps for ships.
Here’s an excerpt from that.
What Is Bilge Pump?
Bilge pumps are a type of marine water pump found on both large and small ships. The function of the bilge pump is to remove water that collects in the bilge.
Location Of Bilge Pump
For ships, At least one pump installed on the starboard and one on the port. At least one pump should be installed at the lowest point in the bilge.
3 Reason’s Why Ship Need Of Bilge Pump
- Prevent Flooding- Leakages from fresh water and sea water pumps, coolers, pipelines, and machinery spaces are collected in bilge well. If bilge well left unchecked. Oily water may rises, it may get to machinery and damage them. Also if any compartment gets flooded, then this will affect the stability of ship. So, emptying of Bilge is important.
- Defence Against Sinking- A bilge pump can also be a life-saver in emergencies. If ship hull get’s damaged due to collision, grounding or any other reason. Water start rushing in and Bilge pump come in action to pump out water. The removal of the incoming water allows you to repair the hole or make an emergency docking. Ballast and firefighting pumps also used to pump out the water in case of an emergency.
- Required by SOLAS- According to Regulation 21 of SOLAS, minimum three power driven pumps for Passenger Ships and two for Cargo Ships are required, one of them may be driven by main propulsion engine in both the cases.
One of the pumps shall be an Emergency Bilge Pump of having independent power source different from main power supply.
How Should You Turn on a Bilge Pump?
The pump may have a float or switch to turn it on automatically when water collects in the bilge. Float switches are simple devices that turn your bilge pump on when the water reaches a certain level and turns them off once the water descends.
Bilge pump switch has both an “auto” and “manual” setting. Bilge pump can also be start manually from engine control room.
Types Of Bilge Pump
- Centrifugal
- Diaphragm
- Reciprocating
- Flexible impeller
Selecting Bilge Pump For Your Ship
For Large vessels
Nowadays, centrifugal pumps are generally used as bilge pumps as they provide greater output rate and take lesser time for the pumping process. The only drawback of these pumps is that they don’t have a self- priming system.
Reciprocating pumps aren’t use now a days as, the rate of flow provided by a reciprocating type is lesser than that of the centrifugal type.
For Smaller Vessels
The two most popular types are centrifugal and diaphragm are used.
Capacity Of Bilge Pump
A bilge pump is rated by its ability to move water, expressed in gallon per hour, or GPH. The higher the GPM, the faster your bilge pump can drain ship’s bilge. Generally, the bigger pump, the more GPM it will have.
A good rule of thumb is to get the highest GPM that’s reasonable for your ship.
What are Mud Boxes?
Mud boxes are fitted into the machinery space bilge suction piping. The mud box is a coarse strainer with a straight tailpipe down to the bilge . To enable the internal perforated plate to be cleaned when necessary, the lid of the mud box is easily removed without disconnecting any pipework.
Mud boxes or strum boxes filter out debris from getting to the pump.
How To Prime The Bilge Pump?
- Before starting the pump, open the suction valve and close the discharge valve.
- Open top vent.
- Start the priming unit to the suction line
- Start the motor.
- Keep a watch at the priming process.
- Wait for the water to spill off from the top vent.
- Close top vent.
- Once priming is done, open the discharge valve slowly, turn by turn.
- Adjust the amount of flow with the help of the suction valve.
- Keep the desired output flow by adjusting the discharge valve.
Checks done on Bilge Pump
Daily Checks:
- Visual inspection of the pump
- Check bearing temperature
- Check power reading
- Check discharge pressure
- Check for vibrations
Monthly Checks:
- Check coupling alignment
- Grease coupling
- Check foundation bolts
Annual Checks:
- Check coupling alignment
- Run emergency bilge pump
General Maintenance Of Bilge Pump
- Clean The Bilge- A dirty bilge is harmful to bilge pumps. As, dirt can clog up the filter and prevent water from getting in.
- Clean The Filters- Clean the filter that clogged with dirt and debris. If you have mud or strum boxes, check them once in a while.
Inspect Automatic Switches- Failure of swithes may allow the water to rise and oily water will get into the dry-compartments. Inspect the automatic switches and If you have bilge alarms in place, also test those.
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Source : CarvePumps
