Bulksafe water ingress detection and alarm system editorial

One of the eventual outcomes of the inquiry into the loss of the OBO carrier Derbyshire was a requirement for bulk carriers to be fitted with a system to record water entering a hold or other space, particularly at the forward end of the hull, where such a threatening event may not normally be noticed. One of a number of companies promoting such equipment is PSM Instrumentation Ltd, of Haywards heath, UK, which markets the BulkSafe monitoring system. This is said to be an 'intelligent' device, using solid-state components offering constant on-line monitoring. A typical package consists principally of water-detecting sensors (in numbers according to the size and arrangement of the hull) with a central monitoring and alarm system; however, other optional elements are repeater displays, remote sounder, remote beacon, zener barriers, cable penetration glands, cable junction/interface boxes, and sensor mounting adaptors/brackets.
The sensor is a solid-state RF-admittance probe in 316 stainless steel and UHMW polyethylene; it is said to prevent clogging by sticky powders such as cement, and will disregard any build-up. Water will be detected even without direct contact with the sensor. No wash-down or build-up cleaning is said to be required, and routine calibration is carried out automatically at the start of each voyage. Normally, two sensors are fitted in each hold, typically one at 0.5m from the hold bottom (pre-alarm) and the second at 2m height (main alarm). Other dry spaces require one sensor. When a hold or space is empty, the BulkSafe sensors send out a continuous signal of 5mA; when the hold is loaded, the signal output increases to a value representative of the actual cargo. When all holds are loaded, the officer is on the bridge runs an intialisation routine by pressing a dedicated button on the monitoring console, which logs the actual mA value, which then becomes the normal condition for that voyage. Should water enter any hold, the sensor will immediately detect this and will increase signal output to 20mA; this is detected by the monitor and an alarm is triggered. An internal diagnostic arrangement continually checks the systems operating health.

visit our dedicated website
http://www.bulksafe.org

	THE NAVAL ARCHITECT - SEPT 2003 Editorial

	One of the eventual outcomes of the inquiry into the loss of the OBO carrier Derbyshire was a requirement for bulk carriers to be fitted with a system to record water entering a hold or other space, particularly at the forward end of the hull, where such a threatening event may not normally be noticed. One of a number of companies promoting such equipment is PSM Instrumentation Ltd, of Haywards heath, UK, which markets the BulkSafe monitoring system. This is said to be an 'intelligent' device, using solid-state components offering constant on-line monitoring. A typical package consists principally of water-detecting sensors (in numbers according to the size and arrangement of the hull) with a central monitoring and alarm system; however, other optional elements are repeater displays, remote sounder, remote beacon, zener barriers, cable penetration glands, cable junction/interface boxes, and sensor mounting adaptors/brackets. The sensor is a solid-state RF-admittance probe in 316 stainless steel and UHMW polyethylene; it is said to prevent clogging by sticky powders such as cement, and will disregard any build-up. Water will be detected even without direct contact with the sensor. No wash-down or build-up cleaning is said to be required, and routine calibration is carried out automatically at the start of each voyage. Normally, two sensors are fitted in each hold, typically one at 0.5m from the hold bottom (pre-alarm) and the second at 2m height (main alarm). Other dry spaces require one sensor. When a hold or space is empty, the BulkSafe sensors send out a continuous signal of 5mA; when the hold is loaded, the signal output increases to a value representative of the actual cargo. When all holds are loaded, the officer is on the bridge runs an intialisation routine by pressing a dedicated button on the monitoring console, which logs the actual mA value, which then becomes the normal condition for that voyage. Should water enter any hold, the sensor will immediately detect this and will increase signal output to 20mA; this is detected by the monitor and an alarm is triggered. An internal diagnostic arrangement continually checks the systems operating health. visit our dedicated website http://www.bulksafe.org