Emergency Electrical Power - Group 1

From: Transport Canada

Transport Publication TP 127 E

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S1.1. Emergency Electrical Distribution System Configuration

S1.1.1 The emergency electrical distribution systems for all vessels Groups 1 through and including 5 (b) shall be considered standard as follows:

  1. Alternating Current Systems:
    1. 3-phase, 3-wire insulated system;
    2. single phase, 2 wired insulated system,
  2. For Direct Current Systems, 2 wire insulated systems.

S1.2 Emergency Electrical Power in Ships of Group 1

S1.2.1

  1. Every ship of Group 1 shall be provided with a self-contained emergency source of electrical power:
  2. the emergency source of power, associated transforming equipment, if any, the transitional source of emergency power and the emergency switchboard shall be located above the upper-most continuous deck and shall be readily accessible from an open deck; they shall not be forward of the collision bulkhead;
  3. the location of the emergency source of power, associated transforming equipment, if any, the transitional source of emergency power, and the emergency switchboard in relation to the main source(s) of electrical power shall be such that a fire, or other casualty, in the space containing the main source(s) of electrical power or in any machinery space of Category A will not interfere with the supply or distribution of emergency power; as far as practicable, the space containing the emergency source of power, the transitional source of emergency power, and emergency switchboard shall not be contiguous to the boundaries of machinery spaces of Category A or those spaces containing the main source(s) of electrical power; and
  4. provided that suitable measures are taken for safeguarding independent emergency operation under all circumstances, the emergency generator may be used exceptionally, and for short periods, to supply non-emergency circuits.

S1.2.2 The power available shall be sufficient to supply all those services that are essential for safety in an emergency, due regard being paid to such services as may have to be operated simultaneously; the emergency source of power shall be capable, having regard to starting currents and the transitory nature of certain loads, of supplying simultaneously at least the following services for the periods specified hereinafter, if they depend upon an electrical source for their operation:

  1. for a period of 36 hours, emergency lighting at every muster and embarkation station on deck and over sides and in alleyways, stairways and exits giving access to the muster and embarkation stations,
  2. for a period of 36 hours, emergency lighting:
    1. in all service and accommodation alleyways, stairways and exits, personnel elevators,
    2. in the machinery spaces and main generating stations including their control positions,
    3. in all control stations, and in all machinery control rooms, radio rooms/stations and at each main and emergency switchboard;
    4. at the stowage position(s) for firemen's outfits;
    5. at the steering gear; and
    6. at the sprinkler pump, at the fire pump, at the emergency bilge pump, and at the starting positions of their motors;
  3. for a period of 36 hours:
    1. the alternate system of navigation lights and other lights required by the Collision Regulations; and
    2. the VHF , MF , MF/HF radio installations and the ship earth station required by the Ship Station Radio Regulations.
  4. for a period of 36 hours:
    1. all internal communication equipment that is required in an emergency;
    2. shipborne navigational equipment as required by the Navigating Appliances and Equipment Regulations;
    3. fire detection and its alarm system, and fire door holding, indication and release system; and
    4. intermittent operation of the daylight-signalling lamp, the ship's whistle, the manual fire alarms and all internal signals that are required in an emergency, unless they have an independent supply from an accumulator battery suitably located for use in an emergency and sufficient for the period of 36 hours;
  5. for a period of 36 hours one of the fire pumps;
  6. for a period of 36 hours the automatic sprinkler pump, if any;
  7. for a period of 36 hours the emergency bilge pump and all equipment essential for the operation of electrically powered remote controlled bilge valves;
  8. the operation of the steering gear for a period of time required by Schedule (VII) of the Marine Machinery Regulations;
  9. for a period of half an hour the watertight doors which are required to be power operated together with their indicators and warning signals; where sequential operation of the doors is provided all doors shall be closed within 60 seconds; and
  10. for a period of half an hour the emergency arrangements that will cause the elevator(s) to deck for the escape of passengers or crew; sequential emergency decking of the passenger elevator(s) is permitted.

S1.2.3 In the case of ships engaged regularly on voyages of short duration, a lesser period than the 36 hour period specified will be permitted provided that:

  1. in no case is it less than 12 hours;
  2. the level of safety is maintained and;
  3. information in respect of the vessel, its voyage and the life saving and fire fighting equipment it carries is submitted to the Board for inspection.

S1.2.4 The emergency source of power may be either a generator or an accumulator battery:

  1. where the emergency source of power is a generator it shall be:
    1. driven by a suitable prime-mover with an independent supply of fuel having a flashpoint of not less than 43° C ; and equipped with a starting arrangement as per Part 1 Section 1 (1.6 to 1.10) of this standard; or
    2. started automatically upon failure of the electrical supply from the main power source(s) and shall be automatically connected to the emergency switchboard; those services referred to in paragraph shall then be transferred automatically to the emergency generator; the automatic starting system and the characteristic of the prime-mover shall be such as to permit the emergency generator to carry its full rated load as quickly as is safe and practicable, but in no more than 45 seconds; and
    3. provided with a transitional source of emergency power according to subsection S1.2.5 of this Standard.
  2. where the emergency source of power is an accumulator battery it shall be capable of:
    1. carrying the emergency load without recharging whilst maintaining the voltage of the battery throughout the discharge period within plus or minus 12 per cent of its nominal voltage;
    2. automatically connecting to the emergency switchboard in the event of failure of the main power supply; and
    3. immediately supplying at least those services specified in subsection S1.2.5.

S1.2.5 The transitional source of emergency power required by subparagraph S1.2.4 (a) (iii) shall consist of an accumulator battery suitably located for use in an emergency which shall operate without recharging whilst maintaining the voltage of the battery throughout the discharge period within plus or minus 12 per cent of its nominal voltage and be of sufficient capacity and so arranged as to automatically supply in the event of failure of either the main or emergency source of power at least the following services, if they depend upon an electrical source for their operation:

  1. for half an hour:
    1. the lighting required by paragraphs S1.2.2 (a), (b) and (c);
    2. all essential internal communication equipment, fire detecting and its alarm system, and the fire door holding and release equipment required by S1.2.2 (d) (i) and (iii); and
    3. intermittent operation of the services required by subparagraph S1.2.2 (d) (iv); unless, in respect of (ii) and (iii) above, they have an independent supply from an accumulator battery suitably located for use in an emergency and sufficient for the period specified;
  2. power to close the watertight doors but not necessarily to close them all simultaneously;
  3. the indicators which show whether power-operated water-tight doors are open or closed; and
  4. the sound signals which give warning that the power-operated watertight doors have begun to close.

S1.2.6 The emergency switchboard shall be installed as near as is practicable to the emergency source of power.

S1.2.7 Where the emergency source of power is a generator, the emergency switchboard shall be located in the same space unless the operation of the emergency switchboard would thereby be impaired.

S1.2.8 No accumulator battery fitted in accordance with this Standard shall be installed in the same space as the emergency switchboard; an indicator shall be mounted in a suitable place on the main switchboard or in the machinery control room to indicate when the batteries constituting either the emergency source of power or the transitional source of power referred to in paragraph S1.2.4 (b) or subsection S1.2.5 are being discharged.

S1.2.9 The emergency switch board is to be supplied in normal operation from the main switchboard by an interconnector feeder which is to be adequately protected at the main switchboard against overload and short circuit, the arrangement at the emergency switchboard shall be such that the interconnector feeder is disconnected automatically at the emergency switchboard upon failure of the main power supply; where the system is arranged for feedback operation, the interconnector feeder is also to be protected at the emergency switchboard at least against short circuit.

S1.2.10 In order to ensure ready availability of emergency supplies, arrangements shall be made where necessary to disconnect automatically non-emergency circuits from the emergency switchboard to ensure that power shall be available to the emergency circuits.

S1.2.11 The emergency generator and its prime-mover and any emergency accumulator battery shall be so arranged as to ensure that it will function at full rated power when it is upright and when inclined at any angle of list up to and including 22½ degrees either way or up to and including 10 degrees inclination either way in the fore and aft direction, or is in any combination of angles within those limits.

S1.2.12 Provision shall be made for the periodic testing of the complete emergency system and shall include the testing of automatic starting arrangements.

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