 Anish in Marine SafetyOn May 19, 2019, 11:20 am

What is an Inert Gas or IG System on Ships?

Oil tankers carry oil of different grades and quality, having property to produce
flammable vapors and gases when loaded for transportation. Even with no cargo on
board, there can be harmful flammable gases present in the hold. When the vapor
produced by an oil cargo is mixed with certain concentration of air primarily
containing oxygen, it can result in explosion which results in damages to the property,
marine pollution and loss of life

For safety against such explosion, Inert gas system is used on board. It can be through
as a separate inert gas plant or flue gas produced by ship’s boiler.

What is Inert gas and Inert gas system?

Inert gas system is the most important integrated system for oil tankers for safe
operation of the ship.
Inert gas is the gas which contains insufficient oxygen (normally less then 8 %) to
suppress combustion of flammable hydrocarbon gases.

Inert gas system spreads the inert gas over the oil cargo hydrocarbon mixture which
increases the lower explosion limit LEL (lower concentration at which the vapors can
be ignited), simultaneously decreasing the Higher explosion limit HEL (Higher
concentration at which vapor explodes). When the concentration reaches around 10
%, an atmosphere is created inside tank in which hydrocarbon vapors cannot burn.
The concentration of inert gas is kept around 5% as a safety limit.
Components and description of IG system:
The following components are used in a typical inert gas system in oil tankers:

 1.  Exhaust gases source: inert gas source is taken from exhaust uptakes of boiler or
main engine as contains flue gases in it.

2.  Inert gas isolating valve: It serve as the supply valve from uptake to the rest of
the system isolating both the systems when not in use.

3.  Scrubbing tower: Flue gas enters the scrub tower from bottom and passes through
a series of water spray and baffle plates to cool, clean and moist the gases. The SO2
level decreases up to 90% and gas becomes clear of soot.

4.  Demister: Normally made of polypropylene, it is used to absorb moisture and

water from the treated flue gas.

5.  Gas Blower: Normally two types of fan blowers are used, a steam driven turbine
blower for I.G operation and an electrically driven blower for topping up purpose.

6. I.G pressure regulating valve: The pressure within the tanks varies with the
property of oil and atmospheric condition. To control this variation and to avoid
overheating of blower fan, a pressure regulator valve is attached after blower
discharge which re-circulates the excess gas back to scrubbing tower.
7.  Deck seal: Purpose of the deck seal is to stop the gases to return back which are
coming from the blower to cargo tanks. Normally wet type deck seals are used. A
demister is fitted to absorb the moisture carried away by the gases.

8.  Mechanical non return valve: It is an additional non return mechanical device

inline with deck seal.

9. Deck isolating valve: The engine room system can be isolated fully with the deck
system with the help of this valve.
10.  Pressure Vacuum (PV) breaker: The PV breaker helps in controlling the over
or under pressurization of cargo tanks. The PV breaker vent is fitted with flame trap to
avoid fire to ignite when loading or discharging operation is going on when in port.

11. Cargo tank isolating valves: A vessel has numbers of cargo holds and each hold
is provided with an isolating valve. The valve controls the flow of inert gas to hold
and is operated only by a responsible officer in the vessel.

12. Mast riser: Mast riser is used to maintain a positive pressure of inert gas at the
time of loading of cargo and during the loading time it is kept open to avoid
pressurization of cargo tank.

13. Safety and alarm system: The Inert gas plant is provided with various safety
features to safeguard the tank and its own machinery.

Following are various alarms (with Shutdown) incorporated in the Inert Gas plant on
board ship:

 High Level in scrubber leads to alarm and shutdown of blower and scrubber
tower
 Low pressure sea water supply (approx. 0.7 bar) to scrubber tower leads to
alarm and shutdown of blower
 Low pressure sea water supply (approx. 1.5 bar) to deck seal leads to alarm
and shutdown of blower
 High inert gas temperature (approx. 70 deg C) leads to alarm and shutdown of
blower
 Low pressure in line after blower (approx. 250mm wg) leads to alarm and
shutdown of blower
 Oxygen content high (8%) leads to alarm and shutdown of gas delivery to deck
  Low level in deck seal leads to alarm and shutdown of gas delivery to deck
 Power failure leads to alarm and shutdown of blower and scrubber tower
 Emergency stop leads to alarm and shutdown of blower and scrubber tower

Following are various alarms incorporated in the Inert Gas plant:

 Scrubber low level

 Deck seal High level
 Low O2 Content (1%)
 High O2 Content (5%)
 Low lube oil pressure alarm
Working of Inert Gas Plant
Image for representation purpose only. All rights reserved.

The basis of inert gas production in the IG plant is the flue gas generated from the
ship’s boiler. The high temperature gas mixture from the boiler uptake is treated in an
inert gas plant which cleans, cools and supplies the inert gas to the individual tanks
via PV valves and breakers to ensure safety of tank structure and atmosphere.

The system can be divided into two basic groups:

a) A production plant to produce inert gas and deliver it under pressure, by means of
blower(s), to the cargo tanks.

b) A distribution system to control the passage of inert gas into the appropriate cargo
tanks at the required time.
Image for representation purpose only. All rights reserved.

Brief working procedure

1. Boiler uptake gases are drawn to the scrubber unit via flue gas isolating
valve(s) to the scrubber unit.
2. In the scrubber unit the gas is cooled, cleaned and dried before being supplied
in to the tanks.
3. Motor driven inert gas blowers supplies the treated gas from scrubber tower
to the tanks through . They are mounted on rubber vibration absorbers and
isolated from the piping by rubber expansion bellows.
4. Regulation of gas quantity delivered to deck is taken care of by the gas control
valves and the deck pressure is managed by pressure controller. If the deck
pressure is lower than the set point the output signal will be raised to open
the valve more, and vice versa if the deck pressure is lower than the set-point.
These valves will then work in cooperation to keep both the deck pressure /
blower pressure at their respective set point without starving or overfeeding
the circuit.
5. Before entering the deck line, the gas passes through the deck water seal
which also acts as non-return valve automatically preventing the back-flow of
explosive gases from the cargo tanks.
6. After the deck seal the inert gas relief is mounted to balance built-up deck
water seal pressure when the system is shut down. In case of a failure of both
the deck seal and the non-return valve, the relief valve will vent the gases
flowing from the cargo tank into the atmosphere
7. The oxygen analyser which is fitted after the blower separates the
“production” and “distribution” components of the plant and analyzes the
oxygen content of the gas and if it is more than 8%, it alarms and shut downs
the plant
  

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View Comments (24)

samir louan says:

May 17, 2019 at 8:21 am

HI , Is it a condition that the water chiller cooler must be running to pass on “aeration mode “?
thanks

tanveer riaz says:

April 28, 2019 at 3:34 pm

 NITROGEN (N2) BASED INERT GAS SYSTEM ALONGWITH ACCESSORIES
dear sir plas giv e the compititive price of the following

Azra Ali says:

December 26, 2018 at 1:21 pm

Hi Anish, Is there is any difference between the PV valve and PV breaker?

Anish says:

January 4, 2019 at 12:13 pm

@Azra: Pressure vacuum valve or PV valve in the ventilation system will prevent either PV
valve cover or under pressure. They are set usually so that tank pressure of about 0.14 bar
will lift the main valve (The smaller valve will lift along with it) and release excess pressure.
PV valve operates overtime when there is a change in the tank pressure.
PV breaker is used to release abnormal rise or drop of Pressure in Cargo Tanks. Will operate
only when there is an abnormal deviation in the pressure.
 PV Breaker is like the last line of defense if PV Valves doesn’t work. They are normally
separated or programmed to operate at different Pressure. PV Valves are set at 200mbar when
overpressure and the PV Breaker is set to 230mbars overpressure.

Will says:

December 15, 2018 at 7:21 pm

Hi our inert gas system don't seem to be working properly on our vessel.When we go in to a
empty tank the system takes up to 4 to 5 hours to get the tank up to 30 m/b. when you check the
oxygen content at that time, its still anywhere between 18 to 21% in the tank.
what kind of volume should you be getting from the system on start up in to an empty tank.
Thank you in advance for your help.

Dhananjay kumar says:

May 11, 2018 at 3:11 am

What are the safeties associated with this system?

 o

Anish says:

May 16, 2018 at 9:06 am

@Dhananjay: Request you to please post this query in our

forums- https://forums.marineinsight.com/

César Gouveia says:

December 19, 2017 at 8:02 pm

Is it possible to have soot blowed away in seawater around the vessel, if I have any problem with
the non return valve or anyother component of the system?

sweetiezack says:
 November 14, 2017 at 3:43 pm

What precautions to be taken to ensure that no moisture and/or water from Inert Gas entered the
cargo tanks

Anish says:

November 23, 2017 at 9:40 am

@Sweetiezack: Demister is used which is made of polypropylene. It is used to absorb

moisture and water from the treated flue gas.

darshan patil says:

October 21, 2017 at 5:35 pm

why we need to maintain o2 contain more than 1% in ig system ? what happen if it is less?


yan says:

October 2, 2017 at 2:28 am

what type of system you would expect to find on a VLCC built after 2000 if it is not fitted with
an inert gas system?

GLADSON says:

September 8, 2017 at 10:29 am

how many pv valves are required in a tanker.

Dagoberto Castro says:
 September 1, 2017 at 9:09 am

RESOLUTION MSC.365(93)
(adopted on 22 May 2014)
AMENDMENTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
FOR THE SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA, 1974, AS AMENDED
5.5.1.2 For tankers of 8,000 tonnes deadweight and upwards constructed on or
after 1 January 2016 when carrying cargoes described in regulation 1.6.1 or 1.6.2,
the protection of the cargo tanks shall be achieved by a fixed inert gas system
in accordance with the requirements of the Fire Safety Systems Code, except that
the Administration may accept other equivalent systems or arrangements, as
described in paragraph 5.5.4.

kamarrul aidi says:

June 22, 2017 at 11:25 am

why IGG shutdown after delivery..Now cargo tank empty


 Rajendra says:

January 26, 2017 at 3:30 pm

What is the purpose of sealing air in Inert Gas plant.

 mehran says:

January 6, 2016 at 5:12 pm

what is the different between the mast riser & the pv\v
thanks & best regard

o Anish says:

January 18, 2016 at 12:30 pm

This question has recently been answered in our

forums: http://forums.marineinsight.com/forum/marine-engineering/2298-what-are-at-the-
major-difference-between-mast-riser-and-pv-valve
Please ask further queries in the forum for speedy and multiple replies.

 Rafael Uzcategui says:

November 29, 2015 at 7:12 am

It would be good to see some pictures about each component of de inert gas system, as the
Pressure Vacuum (PV) breaker, Cargo tank isolating valves, Scrubbing tower. if anyone has
pictures send it to me! Thanks!!
 LEAVE A COMMENT

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