THE PROCESS

General

Inert gas is produced by stoichiometric combustion of oil with air. The fuel oil is a
hydrocarbon, and the air is a mixture of mainly 79% of nitrogen and 21% of oxygen. The
combustion is a chemical reaction between the hydrocarbon and oxygen, giving mainly carbon
dioxide and water. Some little rest quantities of oxygen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen also
remain. The nitrogen leaves the generator unchanged. The water is drained for the main part by
condensation. Effectedbij cooling. So the inert gas produced mainly consists out of nitrogen and
carbon dioxide. The hot combustion gases are cooled, first indirectly in the combustion chamber
by a cooling water jacket. The main feature of its construction is the absence of any internal
bricklining. The advantage is that inert gas of the correct composition can be delivered within 5
minute ( no lining need to be heated up ). Main cooling occurs in the cooling / washing section of
the combustion chamber, where the inert gas is directly cooled with seawater, at the same time
the sulphur oxides are washed out. Sulpher is mostly present in the fuel and oxidized during the
combustion.

The inert gas is cooled down to a few degrees over seawater inlet temperature and saturated with
water at that temperature.

At the end of the cooling section the water drops are separated, as the gas passes through a
demister. The required final pressure of the generator is achieved by a fan installed in front of
combustion chamber and pressure control valve in the inert gas line. This causes an overpressure
inside the combustion chamber and gas cooling section. A waterseal under the cooling section
discharges the water, at the same time maintaining the required pressure and avoiding the escape
of inert gas.

Besides inert gas, the generator is also capable of producing air. The burner is not ignited then. A
selector switch is provided on the generator control panel to choose one of the following three
modes of production:

- Inerting ( inert gas production )

- Gasfreeing ( air production )
- Air purge ( air production for testing purposes, the air blown off )
Burner

A good combustion process is the first requirement for reliable inert gas generator. The burner is
of our special design, according to the smit ultramizing® combustion sytem. In this design the
fuel oil is tomized in two steps. First the oil, supplied under pressure to the burner, is sprayed out
of a conventional nozzle. Then the oil is subjected to tangential impulse flow of combustion air,
wich, added to the mainly axially orientated impulse flow of the liquid itself, results in an
ultrafine dispersion of the burner lance.

The passage of these slots is variable ( see “capacity control” par. III. 3 )

This combustion process guarantees that there will be no soot. Soot cannot be tolerated in the
plant, neither in the ship’s cargo tanks nor piping system. To prevent it, especially on the long
run, a stable and well belanced combustion process is a must.

Capacity control

The burner lance itself can be moved forwards and backwards within the burner housing. At the
end of burner housing the atomizing ring is the fitted, through wich the combustion air is
supplied under pressure. By moving the burner gun, the passage of the slots in the atomizing ring
is changed, and thusthe quantity of combustion air is regulated. By means of mechanical linkage,
the fuel oil supply is regulated at the same time.

The fuel oil regulating valves used, have an adjustable gradient. This implies that with the help
of several adjustment screws, the right quantity of fuel oil can be supplied to the burner to match
the combustion air flow in every position of the burner lance.

The adjustment has to be carried out with the help of generator’s O 2-analyser. The capacity can
be adjusted from the cargo control room panel by means of the remote manual control, or
directly on the generator by means of handwheel.
TECHNICAL SPESIFICATION

Design basis

The layout of the installation has been calculated and based upon the following criteria:

- Shipboard use, indoor erection

- Fully automatic starting by switch

- Process safeguarded by several protecting device

- Capacity calculated on ambient air of 25o and 100% RH

- Electric motors switched directly on line

- Interface according DIN norms

- Installation suitable for non hazardous area

- Pressure mentioned are effective working pressures

Generator Unit

Output data

CAPACITY

Adjustable between max. 5600 m3/h

Min. 2800 m3/h

Capacity measured on dry basis at 15oC and atmospheric pressure.

DISCHARGE PRESSURE max. 0.15 bar

GAS COMPOSITION (on dry basis)

Oxygen O2 max. 2 vol %

Carbon dioxide CO2 abt. 14 vol %

Combustible CO max. 500 ppm

Sulphur oxides SOx max. 100 ppm

Nitrogen N2 balance

Soot (on Bacharach scale) O (= complete abemce)

TEMPERATURE abt. 10oC above cooling wate inlet temperature

DEWPOINT saturated at gas temperature

SUPPLY DATA AND CONSUMPTION FIGURE

FUEL OIL

Quality marine diesel oil acc. to enclosed specification

N13-4645

Inlet pressure atmospheric

Consumption abt.463 kg/h at full capacity

ELECTRICITY

Supply : system emergency 440 V, 3 ph, 60 HZ

Alarm system 24 V, 1 ph, 60 HZ

Min. rating consumption

Combustion air blower motor 86 KW 75.0 KW

Standby blower motor 86 KW (75.0 KW)

Fuel oil pump motor 1.1 KW 0.9 KW

Standby fuel oil pump motor 1.1 KW (0.9 KW)

Emergency alarm system 0.05 KW

Auxiliaries 3.0 KW 2.0 KW

COOLING WATER

Consumption 458 m3/h

Quality filtered seawater (mesh size 4 mm)

Inlet pressure constant, between 2-4 bar

Outlet pressure atmospheric

Inlet temperature max. 32oC

Temperature rise abt. 10oC

FRESH WATER (for rinsing only)

Capacity 2-5 m3/h

Consumption 8 m3 in total

INSTRUMENT AIR

Quality dry, clean and oil free

Supply pressure 6-9 bar

Consumption for pilot burner 20 Nm3/h during 30 sec. per start only

Consumption for pneumatic valve 2 Nm3/h

AMBIENT AIR

Temperature max./min consumption 50oC/ 0o.C

For combustion abt. 6600 m3/h

SUFFICIENT VENTILATION IS OBLIGATORY

MATERIALS

Combustion air piping mild steel

Fuel oil piping mild steel

Combustion chamber stainless steel AISI 316L

Cooling/washing section stainless steel AISI 316L

Cooling water piping stainless steel AISI 316L

Parts in contact with cold inert gas mild steel, coal tar epoxy coated

Effluent waterseal mild steel, epoxy coated

DECK SEAL UNIT

DATA

The deck water seal provides for an effective seal against backflow of gases to the engine room.

Maximum back pressure seal : 2500 mm WG

Capacity : 5600 Nm3/hr

Inert gas pressure drop : ca. 300 mm WG

Water make up quantity : 5 m3/hr

Water make up pressure : min. 0.2 bar

Max. 0.5 bar

MATERIALS

Steel plate : thickness ; 5 mm H II

Heating coil : alumunium brass

COATING

Internal : grit blasted to SA 2 ½ coal tar epoxy 250 microns

External : grit blasted to SA 2 ½ 1 x Zinc primer 10-15

microns
PRESSURE / VACUUM BREAKER

DATA

The liquid filled pressed/vacuum breaker is incorporated in the inert gas distribution main to
prevent the tanks from being subjected to excessive pressure or excessive vacuum

Type : liquid filled

Pressure setting : 2000 mm WG

Vacuum setting : 500 mm WG

Filling : 50% water/50% ethylene glycol (freezing point -

37oC, density1.7)

MATERIALS

Pipes and plates : mild steel

Internal coating : grit blast SA 2 ½ coal tar epoxy 250 micron

External coating ; grit blast SA 2 ½ one coat zinc primer