FIRE FIGHTING

SYSTEMS

SCOPE OF PRESENTATION
INTRODUCTION
CLASSIFICATION
PRINCIPLES

OF FIRE

OF FIRE FIGHTING

OVERVIEW
SYSTEM

COMPOSITION

INTRODUCTION
FIRE

IS ESSENTIALLY A SELF-SUSTAINED
CHAIN REACTION THAT IS EXOTHERMIC IN
NATURE. IT INVOLVES THE RAPID FORMATION
AND DISINTEGRATION OF FREE RADICALS
THAT ARE
ACTIVE
FORMS
OF
THE
REACTANTS.

INTRODUCTION
THREE

ESSENTIALS NEEDED FOR FIRE

FUEL
COMBUSTIBLE GAS, LIQUID OR SOLID
OXYGEN
HEAT
TO BRING FUEL TO ITS IGNITION POINT

CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE
FOUR

CLASSES OF FIRES
CLASS A
PAPER, WOOD, TEXTILES AND RUBBISH

CLASS B
LIQUIDS, GASES IN LIQUID FORM, ALCOHOL, OIL AND
GREASE

CLASS C
ELECTRICAL

CLASS D
OCCUR IN EXPLOSIVES AND CERTAIN METALS LIKE
MAGNESIUM, SODIUM, POTASSIUM, TITANIUM OR ZIRCONIUM

PRINCIPLES OF FIRE
FIGHTING

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FIRE FIGHTING ARE

COOLING. THE TEMPERATURE OF THE BURNING SYSTEM
IS LOWERED BELOW THE IGNITION TEMPERATURE OF
THE FUEL.
LOWERING THE TEMPERATURE ALSO
SUPPRESSES FORMATION OF FREE RADICALS.
STARVING. THIS INVOLVES REMOVING THE FUEL FROM
THE BURNING MASS OR DISPERSAL OF THE REACTANTS
OVER A LARGE AREA SO THAT THE FIRE IS SPLIT UP INTO
A NUMBER OF SMALLER FIRES THAT CAN BE
INDEPENDENTLY EXTINGUISHED.

PRINCIPLES OF FIRE
FIGHTING

SMOTHERING. THE EXCLUSION OF OXYGEN FROM THE

BURNING SYSTEM SHALL EFFECTIVELY TERMINATE THE
COMBUSTION PROCESS. SMOTHERING INVOLVES THE
USE OF BLANKETING AGENTS THAT ISOLATE THE AIR
SUPPLY TO THE BURNING SYSTEM.

FREE RADICAL QUENCHING. THIS METHOD EMPLOYS

THE PRINCIPLE OF REDUCTION OF FREE RADICAL
CONCENTRATION (THROUGH RECOMBINATION OF THE
FREE RADICALS WITH THE EXTINGUISHING AGENT).

OVERVIEW

FIRE MEASURES PROVIDED ON BOARD ARE

DESIGNED WITH A VIEW TO EXTINGUISH FIRES,
RANGING FROM SMALL TO LARGE MAGNITUDE IN ALL
THE COMPARTMENTS
FIRE
FIGHTING
FACILITY
COMPRISES
FOLLOWING INDEPENDENT SYSTEMS :

OF

PORTABLE FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM PRIMARILY

MEANT FOR FIRST AID FIRE FIGHTING I.E. FOR
SMALL
FIRES,
USING
PORTABLE
FIRE
EXTINGUISHERS

OVERVIEW

FOAM FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM

SYSTEM IS MEANT
FOR EXTINGUISHING MEDIUM TO LARGE FIRES BY
SMOTHERING THE FIRE WITH AIR-MECHANICAL FOAM
BLANKET

HALON FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM SYSTEM IS MEANT

FOR EXTINGUISHING MAJOR FIRES BY FLOODING
(DRENCHING)
THE
COMPARTMENT
WITH
EXTINGUISHANT TO THE REQUIRED CONCENTRATION

OVERVIEW

OTHER MAJOR
ONBOARD

FIRE

FIGHTING

SYSTEM

WATER MIST FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM

STEAM DRENCHING SYSTEM
CO2 DRENCHING SYSTEM
N2 FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM

USED

SYSTEM COMPOSITION

PORTABLE FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM CONSISTS OF

PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS LOCATED IN
VARIOUS COMPARTMENTS/ DECKS

PORTABLE EXTINGUISHERS ARE SUITABLE FOR USE

ON CLASS A AND CLASS B FIRES. FOR ELECTRICAL
FIRES CO2 EXTINGUISHERS ARE USED

ADEQUATE REDUNDANCY IS
POSITIONING EXTINGUISHERS

PROVIDED

BY

SYSTEM COMPOSITION

AFFFS - FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM TO EXTINGUISH

SMALL TO MEDIUM FIRES OF LIQUID AND SOLID
INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES AND OTHER DEENERGIZED ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

BY SMOTHERING THE FIRE WITH AIR-MECHANICAL

FOAM BLANKET

FORMATION OF AIR AND MECHANICAL FOAM TAKES

PLACE AS A RESULT OF MIXING AIR AND LIQUID
SOLUTION

SYSTEM COMPOSITION

SCHEMATIC OF AFFF

SYSTEM COMPOSITION

FOAM STATIONS ARE INTERCONNECTED BY A COMMON

MAIN PIPELINE FROM WHICH BRANCH PIPES LEAD TO
INDIVIDUAL HOSE REELS

COMPRESSED AIR SERVES AS THE DRIVING FORCE TO

TRANSPORT THE EXTINGUISHANT FROM FOAM STATION TO
HOSE REEL, AND FURTHER THROUGH THE HOSE TO
NOZZLE DISPERSER FITTED AT THE END OF THE HOSE

REDUCING VALVE IS PROVIDED TO REDUCE THE AIR

PRESSURE TO SYSTEM OPERATING PRESSURE. SAFETY
VALVE IS PROVIDED ON THE OUTLET OF REDUCING VALVE

SYSTEM COMPOSITION

DURATION OF DISCHARGE AND TIME VARIES AS PER

THE FLOW RATE WHICH IN TURN DEPENDS UPON
THE PRESSURE DROP FROM THE SUPPLYING
STATION TO THE SELECTED HOSE REEL

FOAM STATION

HOSE REEL WITH FLEXIBLE HOSE AND NOZZLE

DISPERSER ALL COMPTS

SYSTEM COMPOSITION

HFFS - HFFS CONSISTS OF HALON STATIONS

LOCATED IN ALL COMPARTMENTS, HALON PIPELINES,
AIR PIPELINES AND ASSOCIATED,INSTRUMENTATION
AND CONTROLS
EACH STATION IS USED TO STORE EXTINGUISHANT
IN RESERVOIR
STORE INDEPENDENT SUPPLY OF COMPRESSED AIR
IN AIR BOTTLES.
SUPPLY EXTINGUISHANT IN CASE OF FIRE TO A
COMPARTMENT/ ENCLOSURE BY REMOTE OPERATED
VALVES THROUGH THE HALON PIPELINE.

SYSTEM COMPOSITION

SCHEMATIC OF HFFS

SYSTEM COMPOSITION

MOTIVE FORCE FOR THE WORKING MEDIUM IS

SUPPLIED BY COMPRESSED AIR STORED IN AIR
BOTTLES
ELECTRO-PNEUMATIC VALVES ARE USED, FIRSTLY TO
SUPPLY AIR TO THE SELECTED RESERVOIR TO
FORCE OUT THE EXTINGUISHANT AND THEN TO
DIRECT THE EXTINGUISHANT TO THE DESIRED
PIPELINE
CENTRIFUGAL SPRAYERS
MODES OF OPERATION REMOTE AND MANUAL