AnExhaustGasBoilerisatypeofheatrecoveringsystemonshipswhichallowstheexhaustheatof

themainenginetoproducesteamwhilegoingoutintheatmosphere.
Everysystem,whichisoperatedathightemperature,alwayshasariskoffire.ThisappliestoEGB
whichhastheinlettemperatureofexhaustgases@300400deg.C.Themostcommontypeof
ExhaustGasBoiler(EGB)usedonshipsarewatertubeboilers.
Inwatertubetypeofarrangement,thewaterpassesthroughtubestack,whichisarrangedinthepath
ofexhaustgasinsidetheexhaustgastrunkingofthemainengine.Theexhaustgasflowsoverthetube
stacksandheatsthewater,thusproducingsteam.
Exhaustgasboiler

Themainconstituentofthesootdepositisparticulatesbutinaddition,someunburntresiduesoffuel
andlubricatingoilsmaybedepositedintheboiler.
SootdepositandfireintheEGBcanbe
1.Duetothepoorcombustionoffuelinthemainengine
2.Duetoprolongslowsteaming
3.Longmaneuveringoftheship
4.Frequentstartingandstoppingoftheengine
5.Poorgradeoffueloil/cylinderoil
6.LowexhaustgasvelocitypassingtheEGB
7.Lowwaterinletvelocityinthewatertubes
8.Lowcirculationwaterflowratio
TypesofExhaustGas/SootfireintheExhaustGasBoiler(EGB)

Forabetterunderstanding,itisbettertodistinguishtheEGBfireinstagesratherthanintypes.EGB
firescanbedifferentiatedintwoorthreestagesdependingupontheintensityoffire.
Stage1:NormalSootfire
Stage2:HydrogenFire
Stage3:IronFire
Stage1:NormalSootFire:
Sootisdepositedinthewatertubeoftheexhaustboiler.Whentheshipisatslowspeed,theexhaust
temperatureofmainenginemayvaryfrom100to200degC.Thistemperatureisenoughtoignite
wetsootwhoseignitiontemperatureisaround150deg.C.
Ifthesootisdry,itwillnotgetignitedatsuchlowtemperature(150deg.C)butwhentheengineis
runningathigherspeedandthetemperatureofgasesreachestoabove300deg.C,theninthe
presenceofexcessoxygenthedepositsofcombustiblematerialswillliberatesufficientvapor,which
canbeignitedbyasparkoraflame.
Theabovesootfiresarecalledsmallornormalsootfirebecausetheheatenergyisconductedaway
bythecirculatingboilerwaterandsteam.Alsothesparksremaininsidethefunnelordiminishwhile
passingthroughtheflamearrestorinthefunneltop.
Stage2:HydrogenFire
HydrogenfireinaEGBoccurswhenthechemicalreactionofdissociationofwatertakesplaceata
temperatureabove1000deg.C.ThisleadstoformationofHydrogen(H2)andCarbonmonooxide
(CO)whicharebothcombustibleinnature.
2H2O=2H2+O2(DissociationofwaterLeadingtoformationofhydrogenH2)
H2O+C=H2+CO(Reactionofwaterwithcarbondepositleadingtoformationofcarbon
monoxideCO)

Stage3:IronFire
Atthisstage,thechainreactionofoxidationofironmetalstartsatahightemperatureof1100deg.C
whichmeansatsuchhightemperaturethetubewillstartburningitself,leadingtocompletemeltdown
oftubestacks.
2Fe+O22=FeO+heat
Itisstrictlyadvisablenottousewaterorsteamatthisstagetofightthefirebecausetheoverheated
ironwillreactwithwatertocontinuethisreaction.
Fe+H2O=FeO+H2+heat
StepsforPreventionofFire
Avoidslowsteamingofmainengine
Ensuregoodfuelcombustioninthemainengine
Ensurefuelistreatedandisofgoodqualitywhilesupplyingtotheengine
Doregularsootblowofboilertubes
Dowaterwashinginportsatregularinterval
Ensuredesignofexhausttrunktobesuchtoprovideuniformheattocompletetubestack
Preheatedcirculatingwatertobesuppliedtoboilermainlyatthetimeofstartup
Circulatingpumpshouldnotbeturnoffatanytimewhilemainengineisrunning
Donotstopcirculatingpumpforatleasttwohoursafterthemainengineisstopped
Startcirculatingpumppriorto2hoursbeforestartingthemainengine

HowtoTackleEGBFire?
TheresponsefortackingEGBfirewillbedifferentfordifferentstages.
Whenthereisstage1fire,i.e.normalsootfire:
a)Stopthemainengine,andtherebytheoxygensupplytothefire
b)Continueoperatingthewatercirculatingpump.Neverstopthepump
c)NeverusesootblowersforfirefightingwhatevertypeitisSteamorAirasbothwillacceleratethe
effectoffire
d)EnsurealltheexhaustvalvesinthestoppedMainengineareinclosedpositionsoastocutany
chanceofairsupplytothesootfire
e)Coverthefilterofturbocharger
f)Waterwashing,iffitted,maybeusedtoextinguishthefire.Thisisnormallyconnectedtotheships
firefightingwatersystem
g)Externalboundarycoolingcanbedone
ForMajorFire:
a)Stopthemainengine,ifitisnotstoppedalready
b)Stopthecirculatingwaterpump.
c)Shutalltheinletandoutletvalvesonthewatercirculationline
d)Dischargethe(remaining)waterfromtheexhaustgasboilersectionsbydraining
e)Cooldownwithplentyofsplashwaterdirectlyontheheartofthefire(Takecarenottosplashwater
inotherpartsaswatercanacceleratethereaction)