ASTM F1198-92(2002)
(Guide)Standard Guide for Shipboard Fire Detection Systems
Standard Guide for Shipboard Fire Detection Systems
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the selection, installation, maintenance, and testing of shipboard fire detection systems other than sprinkler systems.
1.2 This guide is intended for use by all persons planning, designing, installing or utilizing fire alarm systems onboard vessels. As it includes regulatory requirements, this guide addresses those vessels subject to regulations and ship classification rules. However, the principles stated herein are also suitable for unregulated commercial vessels, pleasure craft, military vessels, and similar vessels that are not required to meet regulations for fire detection and alarm systems.
1.3 Limitations -This guide does not constitute regulations or ship classification rules, which must be consulted when applicable.
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
An American National Standard
Designation: F 1198 – 92 (Reapproved 2002)
Standard Guide for
Shipboard Fire Detection Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1198; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope SOLAS II-2/13-1
SOLAS II-2/12
1.1 This guide covers the selection, installation, mainte-
nance, and testing of shipboard fire detection systems other
3. Terminology
than sprinkler systems.
3.1 Definitions:
1.2 This guide is intended for use by all persons planning,
3.1.1 accommodation space—those spaces used for public
designing, installing, or using fire alarm systems onboard
spaces, corridors, lavatories, cabins, bunkrooms, staterooms,
vessels. As it includes regulatory requirements, this guide
offices, hospitals, cinemas, game and hobby rooms, barber
addresses those vessels subject to regulations and ship classi-
shops, pantries containing no cooking appliances, and similar
fication rules. However, the principles stated herein are also
spaces.
suitable for unregulated commercial vessels, pleasure craft,
3.1.2 alarm signalling device—an audible or visual device
military vessels, and similar vessels that are not required to
such as a bell, horn, siren, strobe, flashing, or rotating light
meet regulations for fire detection and alarm systems.
used to warn of a fire condition.
1.3 Limitations—This guide does not constitute regulations
3.1.3 annunciator—an audible and visual signalling panel
or ship classification rules, which must be consulted when
that indicates and displays the alarm, trouble, and power
applicable.
conditions of the fire detection system.
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
3.1.4 approved—acceptable to the organization, office, or
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for
individual responsible for accepting equipment, an installation,
information only.
or a procedure.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.1.5 automated machinery space—a space containing ma-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
chinery that is automated to allow: (a) periodic unattended
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
operation by the crew; and (b) continuous manual supervision
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
by the crew from a central room (enclosed) or remote location.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
3.1.6 control panel—an electrical panel that monitors and
2. Referenced Documents controls all of the equipment associated with the fire detection
and alarm system.
2.1 Code of Federal Regulations:
3.1.7 control space—an enclosed space within which is
Title 46, Part 76.25
located a ship’s radio, main navigating equipment, emergency
Title 46, Part 76.30
source of power, or the centralized fire recording or fire control
Title 46, Part 76.33
equipment, but not including firefighting apparatus that must
Title 46, Part 161.002
3 be located in the cargo area or individual pieces of firefighting
2.2 NFPA Publications:
equipment.
NFPA 72E Standard on Automatic Fire Detectors
4 3.1.8 hazardous (classified location)—locations where fire
2.3 SOLAS Regulations:
or explosion hazards may exist due to flammable gases or
vapors, flammable or combustible liquids, combustible dust, or
ignitable fibers or flyings.
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F25 on Ships and
3.1.9 listings—equipment or materials included in a list
Marine Technology and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F25.10 on
Electrical. published by an organization certified to perform product
Current edition approved Jan. 15, 1992. Published September 1992. Originally
evaluations. This organization maintains periodic inspections
published as F 1198 – 89. Last previous edition F 1198 – 89.
of production of the listed equipment or materials. The listing
Available from Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
states either that the equipment or material meets appropriate
Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Available from National Fire Protection Association, One Batterymarch Park,
standards or has been tested and found suitable for use in a
Quincy, MA 02269-9101.
specified manner.
Available from International Maritime Organization, 4 Albert Embankment,
3.1.10 machinery spaces of Category A—those spaces and
London, England SE1 7SR.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
F 1198
trunks to such spaces which contain: (a) internal combustion to assure complete and effective systems or to incorporate good
machinery used for main propulsion; or (b) internal combus- industry practices are stated as recommendations.
tion machinery used for purposes other than main propulsion
DESIGN AND APPLICATION
where such machinery has, in the aggregate, a total power
output of not less than 500 hp (375 kW); or (c) any oil-fired
5. System Types
boiler or oil fuel unit.
5.1 Fire detection and alarm systems used on vessels are
3.1.11 main vertical zones—those sections, the mean length
typically of the following types:
of which does not, in general, exceed 131 ft (40 m) on any one
5.1.1 Electrical automatic fire detection and alarm systems
deck, into which the hull, superstructure, and deck houses are
consist of a control panel, various types of fire detectors,
required to be divided by fire-resisting bulkheads.
manually actuated fire alarm boxes, audible and visual alarms,
3.1.12 manually activated fire alarm box—a box containing
and appropriate power supplies. The control panel monitors the
an electrical switch which, when manually operated, sends an
fire detection and alarm circuits and generates appropriate
alarm signal to the control panel (referred to as “Manually
signals when an automatic fire detector or manual fire alarm
Operated Call Points’’ by SOLAS).
box is activated.
3.1.13 RO/RO cargo space (roll on/roll off cargo spaces)—a
5.1.2 A similar system without automatic fire detectors is
space not normally subdivided in any way and extending to
referred to as a manual fire alarm system but is otherwise
either a substantial length or the entire length of the ship in
identical. Operation is initiated by individuals who activate a
which cargo, including packaged cargo, in or on rail or road
manually actuated fire alarm box that incorporates an electrical
cars, vehicles (including road or rail tankers), trailers, contain-
switch. This guide is primarily concerned with electrically
ers, pallets, or demountable tanks (in or on similar stowage
operated automatic and manual fire detection and alarm sys-
units or other receptacles), can be loaded and unloaded
tems.
normally in a horizontal direction.
5.1.3 Pneumatic fire detection systems consist of a closed
3.1.14 self restoring—the ability of a device to reset itself
length of pneumatic tubing attached to a control unit. Air
automatically after being activated.
chambers called heat actuated devices (HADs) are often
3.1.15 service space—those spaces used for galleys, pan-
attached to the tubing in the protected area to increase the
tries containing cooking appliances, lockers, mail, and specie
volume and thus the sensitivity of the system. As temperature
rooms, store rooms, workshops other than those forming part
builds up in a fire, the air in the tubing expands, moving a
of the machinery spaces, and similar spaces as well as trunks to
diaphragm in the control unit. A small calibrated vent compen-
such spaces.
sates for normal changes in ambient temperature. The dia-
3.1.16 special category space—an enclosed space above or
phragm activates a release mechanism or a set of contacts.
below the bulkhead deck intended for the carriage of motor
Because pneumatic fire detection systems are self-contained
vehicles with fuel in their tanks for their own propulsion, into
(that is, independent of outside sources of power), they are
and from which such vehicles can be driven and to which
often used to activate small automatic fire extinguishing
passengers have access.
systems such as are installed in paint lockers and emergency
3.1.17 supervised—describes an electronic method of moni-
generator enclosures. U.S. Coast Guard Requirements for
toring the electrical continuity of the circuits and devices of a
pneumatic fire detection systems may be found in Title 46,
fire detection and alarm system. This is normally accomplished
Code of Federal Regulations, Part 76.30.
by constantly passing a small current through the circuits and
5.1.4 Sample extraction smoke detection systems consist of
devices.
a piping system connected to a control unit with a suction
4. Significance and Use
blower. These systems continually draw samples from the
4.1 The purpose of a shipboard fire detection system is to protected spaces to the control unit where a light source and
provide warning so as to reduce the life safety threat from fire photocell monitor the sample for smoke. Sample extraction
and to minimize the fire threat to the operation of the ship. smoke detection systems are often used in cargo holds because
Given that few ships are identical either in size or layout, it they are less likely than individual spot-type smoke detectors to
follows that the fire detection system will have to be custom operate from dust or localized sources of smoke such as vehicle
designed accordingly. A well-designed system provides a exhausts. Also, the more delicate electronics and control
equipment can be located remote from the harsh environment
reasonable substitute to having crew members on constant fire
watch in every protected space where a fire might occur. of a cargo hold. These systems are often combined with a
carbon dioxide extinguishing system, using the carbon dioxide
4.2 The basic function of the fire detection system is to
automatically and reliably indicate a fire condition as quickly distribution piping to draw samples from the protected areas.
as is practical and to alert responsible individuals of a fire’s Detailed requirements for sample extraction smoke detection
existence and location. This system design and application systems are contained in proposed SOLAS Regulation II-2/
guide addresses the individual steps in the layout of the system 13-1 and in U.S. Coast Guard regulations found in Title 46,
as well as an overview of the information needed to design a Code of Federal Regulations Parts 76.33 and 161.002.
system. 5.1.5 Automatic sprinkler systems that are constantly pres-
4.3 The U.S. Coast Guard and the International Convention surized and connected to a continuous supply of water and
for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations have been fitted with a suitable means for automatically giving visual and
stated as requirements within this guide. Additional guidelines audible alarm signals may also be considered to be fire (heat)
F 1198
detection and alarm systems. Detailed requirements are found 6.6.2 Photoelectric smoke detectors use a light source and
in SOLAS Regulation II-2/12 and U.S. Coast Guard Regula- photocell to detect the presence of smoke. Several types may
tions, Part 76.25. be used on ships:
6.6.2.1 In the light obscuration type of detector, smoke
6. Classification of Fire Detectors
particles that enter between the light source and the photocell
6.1 Heat detectors are devices that sense a fixed temperature
reduce the amount of light reaching the photocell, causing the
or rate of temperature rise. Heat detectors work on one of the
detector to activate. Projected linear beam smoke detectors are
three operating principles outlined in 6.2, 6.3, and 6.4.
light obscuration smoke detectors. The light source and pho-
6.2 A fixed temperature detector is a device that responds
tocell are separately housed, and the light beam is projected
when its operating element becomes heated to a predetermined
across the protected area. The alignment between transmitter
level. Because of the time required to heat the mass of element
and receiver is critical for proper operation of this device.
to its preset level, there is usually a lag time, referred to as the
Shipboard vibration and flexing may affect proper alignment.
“thermal lag,” between the time the surrounding air reaches the
6.6.2.2 In a photoelectric light-scattering smoke detector,
operating temperature and the time the operating element
the components are arranged so that light does not normally
reaches its preset operating temperature. There are seven
reach the photocell. When smoke particles enter the chamber,
temperature classification ranges. In locations where the ceil-
they reflect or scatter some of the light onto the photocell,
ing temperature does not exceed 100°F (38°C), detectors with
activating the detector.
an operating range of 135 to 174°F (57.2 to 78.9°C) should be
6.6.3 Sample extraction smoke detection systems as de-
used. These are termed “ordinary” temperature classifications.
scribed in 5.1.3 operate on one of the principles covered in
Several types of temperature sensitive operating elements are
6.6.2.1 and 6.6.2.2.
used such as:
6.7 Flame detectors are devices that detect infrared (IR),
6.2.1 Bimetallic elements consist of two metal strips with
ultraviolet (UV), or visible light produced by a fire. To avoid
different coefficients of expansion fused together so that
activation by sources or radiation other than fires such as
heating will cause the element to deflect, making electrical
welding, sunlight, and so forth, flame detectors are usually
contact.
designed to sense light modulated at a rate characteristic of the
6.2.2 Electrical conductivity elements are devices whose
flicker rate of flames, or to detect certain bands of IR or UV or
electrical resistance varies as a function of temperature.
visible radiation characteristic of flames, or some combination
6.2.3 Certain automatic heat detectors use fusible alloy
of these features. A combination of these features is used in
elements or liquid expansion elements that operate at a fixed
some applications to reduce the probability of false alarms.
temperature. These devices are nonrestorable and are prohib-
6.8 Other classifications of fire detectors include: (a) gas
ited by SOLAS.
detectors that sense gases produced by burning substances; (b)
6.3 A rate-of-rise detector is a device that operates when the
resistance bridge smoke detectors that sense change in conduc-
temperature rises at a faster than predetermined rate. Since
tivity when smoke particles and moisture from fire are depos-
operation does not depend on having reached a fixed tempera-
ited on an electrical grid; (c) cloud chamber smoke detectors in
ture level, it responds to a ra
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