Inert Gas System

A Brief history..
In the 1960s, three tankers in three different parts
of the world exploded causing a major disaster and
loss of life.
The common link was that all the three ships were
performing tank cleaning operations.
Tanks were being washed down with jets of water on an
oily surface in an Hydrocarbon and Oxygen rich
atmosphere.
In short.. the atmosphere was
NOT INERT, BUT EXPLOSIVE.

To protect the Oil Tankers form such disasters in the

future
A Inert Gas System was developed

What is Inert Gas ?

It is a gas which contains insufficient Oxygen to

support combustion.

Keeping tanks inerted means cutting one side of the fire triangle and
hence avoiding any chances or Fire or Explosion.

Why do we need Inert Gas ?

For the Safety of Oil Tank vessels against
fire and explosion risks

An Oil Tanker carries petrolieum cargo, which give out flammable vapors .
In the absence of Inert gas, any source of ignition will cause the atmosphere
within a tank on the tanker to explode.

A Tanker with gas and oxygen inside the cargo

tank is like a Floating Bomb which can explode
with the slightest spark

Cargo tank with Gas

and Oxygen in its ullage
space

Cargo

BOMB

What happens if the Tanker Explodes ?

Loss Of Life
Loss of Ship
Pollution

What is a Fire Triangle

It describes the three different factors required for ignition of a fire.
1.
2.
3.

Air (Oxygen)
Heat (External Spark)
Fuel (Cargo)

The Inert Gas is used to cut of

the Air or the Oxygen side of
the triangle

In absence of any
one side of the
original Fire
Triangle, the risk of
a fire is nonexistent.

Ine
rt G
as

The Oxygen Depleted Condition

NO FIRE

No Fire can take Place even in the presence of Heat or Fuel

because there is not enough oxygen to support it

Safe Ship

The Flammability diagram

8%

Inerted Condition

What is the percentage of oxygen required to sustain combustion ?

More than 11 %

What percentage of oxygen are we required to maintain

in the cargo tanks ?
By law less than 8 %.
Some ports require a vessel to maintain less than 5 %.

A Cargo tank is considered Inerted when the oxygen content in the

tank is less than 8 % by volume

How can we produce such Inert Gas

(oxygen depleted gas) on board a ship ?
From the Exhaust Gases (Flue gas) of a boiler. The
combustion of the Boiler can be controlled to reduce the
oxygen to less than 5 % in its exhaust.

Why cant we use the Exhaust from the

Ships Main Engine or Auxiliary Engine?
Engines are designed to work with higher percentage of
oxygen for better combustion and efficiency. These
exhaust gases are rich in oxygen and much above 11 %.
Hence not suitable for use as Inert Gas.

How much does it cost us to make Inert Gas on board ?

It is almost free of charge because

1.

Inert gas is mainly used during the discharge of the vessel.

2.

The Boiler is anyway running during the discharge of cargo to power

the turbines of the cargo oil pumps.

Hence just by treating the exhaust gas of this boiler would

generate the Inert Gas

When Is Inert Gas Plant Used

1.

During Discharging to replace the volume of the Liquid in the tank.

2.

For Purging, so as to replace the atmosphere in the tank.

3.

To Top up cargo tanks in loaded voyages.

Can the Exhaust gases of the boiler sent straight to

the cargo tanks ?
NO,
Due to the following reasons
1.

The Exhaust gases of the boiler are very hot and dirty and
requires treatment prior they are sent to the cargo tanks.

2.

Any connection between the Non hazardous area (Engine room)

and the Hazardous area(Cargo Tanks) calls for safety barriers
between the two areas so as to prevent back flow of flammable
gases to the boiler from the cargo tanks.

A Typical Block Diagram of Inert Gas System

IG Fan, they Suck the
Flu Gas form the boiler
and supply it to the
cargo tanks

Non return valve, A

mechanical means
of sealing gases
from E/rm

Releases
excessive
pressure in
the cargo
tanks.

To cargo tanks

Boiler,
the flu gas
generator

Scrubber,
Is where the
IG is cleaned
and cooled

The Engine Room or the non Hazardous area

Deck seal a
positive means of
sealing gases from
E/ Rm

The Cargo Tank or the

HAZARDOUS area

A Marine Boiler

Boiler Furnace

It is the place where the fuel is burnt to generate steam. The hot
exhaust gases from the furnace is sucked by the IG blower through the
scrubber.

Scrubber
Demister helps draning the carried water from the inert gas

Seawater is sprayed
through nozzles

Cooled and cleaned Flu gas to the

I. G. Blower

Hot Exhaust flu gas

from The Boiler

Sprayed water

It does Two functions

1.

Cools the Exhaust gas to safe temperature.

2.

It cleans up the Exhaust gas of soot and acidic contents.

Inert Gas Blower

Fresh water
washing line
of the
blower

Suction from
the boiler
through the
scrubber
IG Blower drain, This
drain to be left open
during periods when Fan
is not operating to avoid
accumulation of water in
the blower casing

Discharge of IG to the tanks

through the Deck Seal

The blower sucks the Flu gases from the scrubber and sends it to
the cargo tanks through the deck seal

The Deck Seal

A IG Gas flow towards cargo tanks

E/room side

Cargo tanks side

Back pressure from the cargo tanks

E/room side

Cargo tanks side

A Water
seal is
formed

When IG is in operation

When IG is not in operation

Demister helps draning the carried water from the Inert Gas

This gives a positive means of Gas Seal between Cargo tanks and Engine
Room

Deck Seal

IG Pipe to Deck

Mechanical Non return Valve

IG pipe from
Engine room
Deck Seal
Glass fitted on the
body of the deck
seal to check the
water level

Deck Seal Viewed from the Bridge of one of our Tanker

IG line going to individual tanks

Non Return
Valve

IG Line going
on deck

IG Line coming from E/Rm

Deck Seal

Pressure Vaccum Breaker

IG Line

IG Line

IG Line

IG Line

Filled with
antifreeze
mixture

In case of Malfunction in main System. The PV breaker helps

breaking Pressure or Vaccum in the tanks. This equipment is
connected on the main IG line only .
This arrangement will not help reliving the pressure in the individual tank if the
branch IG valve for that tank is shut

Pressure Vaccum Breaker

Main IG Line
Gauge glass to see water
level in the PV breaker

Pressure Vaccum Breaker

PV Breaker

Main IG line

The Mast Riser

Gas Outlet

line
G
I
o
ted t
c
e
n
n
Co

Mast Riser

Valve

PV Breaker

IG Line

The Mast riser is opened to vent out gases from the cargo tank to
atmosphere during loading. The Height (6 mtrs or more) of the mast riser
helps dispersing the toxic vapor to the atmosphere
In case of malfunction in the valve of the mast riser the PV breaker will release the
Pressure Or Vaccum from the cargo tanks

Black Sea Loading at a SBM

Mast Riser in
Operation

The Mast Riser is placed as forward as possible on a tanker for the Toxic gases
to be dispersed well away from the Accommodation

What are Vapor Connections ?

Vapor connections
fore and aft of the
cargo manifold

Some ports do not allow cargo vapors to be vented to atmosphere

during loading . Hence they have to be sent back to the terminal for
treatment through these vapor connections at the manifold.

High Velocity Pressure and Vaccum Valve

Pressure side

Vaccum Side

This is fitted on each individual cargo tank

It is the secondary means of Venting a cargo tank in case the IG

branch valve for the tank is accidentally kept shut .

What is a Tank branch Valve ?

To the tank
To

the
mai
n I
Gl
ine

Tank Branch valve in

shut position
Lock and chain
arrangement to avoid
tampering

As seen in the Photo the valve is shut and if the vessel continuous to load / discharge in
this condition. It will cause the cargo tank to damage due to under / over pressurization
The PV valve will come in operation much earlier and avoid the damage

The Key to this lock is only kept with the Chief Officer of the ship

High Velocity Pressure and Vaccum Valve

The Shape and Pressure setting of the valve is such that it allows the vapor
to vent more than 30 m / sec
1.

This allows it to rise high enough for dispersing safely

2.

Also avoids traveling of any spark back to the tank.

Non Return Valve

Deck Seal

High Velocity Valve

A Typical High Velocity valve Of another Vessel in the fleet

Pressure side

Vaccum side

Inert Gas Generator

This equipment is fitted on some of our vessels in the fleet and is used to
fill up small quantities of Inert gas to TOP Up the tanks during the loaded
passage, when the ullage spaces of the cargo tanks are small .
The Equipment is easier to start than firing the Main Boiler and saves a lot of
fuel and money

Thank you