The SAS Outeniqua was launched as the Alexandr Sledzuk, a RoRo cargo/general cargo/icebreaker vessel, in the Kherson Shipyard in the Ukraine on 6 September 1991. She was completed on 3 April 1992.
Originally built as an Arctic supply vessel, the ship has an ice breaking capability on 1 m ice at a constant speed of 1,5 knots and can operate in temperature ranging from +58 to -40°C.
In May last year the Outeniqua was commissioned to the dry dock for major replenishment. In June, Armscor awarded Security & Fire Projects the contract for the upgrade of the existing Russian-manufactured fire detection. The contract period was six months in which SFP had to strip the existing equipment and install new detectors controlled by a new Marine & Lloyds-approved fire control panel. The ship also underwent major changes to her internal layout where additional zones had to be added, originally from 54 to 61 zones.
The equipment had to be purchased from overseas suppliers due to the marine specifications. The equipment was purchased from Thorn Security in the UK.
System overview
The addressable fire detection and alarm control panel is an 80-zone unit designed for marine applications. The panel range was designed to interface addressable and conventional equipment making use of designed hardware modules, thus ensuring maximum compatibility within associated equipment.
The panel complies with the requirements of BS5839 Part 1 & 4 (1998) and the marine version requirements of S.O.L.A.S. and Marine Classification Societies.
The panel interfaces to the conventional devices installed throughout the SAS Outeniqua via DM520 conventional detector modules installed on the fire detection rack on DEK 06 of the bridge. The conventional detector interface module DM520 monitors one zone, each up to 20 conventional detectors using a single loop address. The panel provides for 80 zones, for this application 61 zones are wired providing total coverage onboard.
The addressable conventional detector interface modules provide facility to monitor the detector zones for open or short-circuit and transmit the necessary fault signal to the fire alarm panel. The conventional detector interface module provides a red LED to indicate the detectors in the zone is in alarm.
Within the SAS Outeniqua there are four display mimic panels and one remote display repeater panel. The mimics and repeater panels communicate making use of RS485 protocol driven from the T890 fire alarm panel. These panels are installed within the following control areas:
Field devices
Various types of detectors have been installed within the ship providing various types of protection coverage.
The range of detectors used onboard the SAS Outeniqua is as follows:
* 154x MR601M optical conventional smoke detectors.
* 168x MD601 rate of rise and fixed heat detectors.
* 66x CP230 manual call point.
* 16x MS302 infrared optical flame detector.
* 69x MR301EX intrinsically safe optical smoke detector.
* 12x CP220 i ntrinsically safe manual call point.
Mimic panels
The mimic panels are tested in conjunction with the fire alarm panel. During the detection tests each detector is tested. All of the detectors are assigned to a zone and on activation of the detectors the appropriate zone LEDs are lit.
On activation of these zones the information is verified with the main fire alarm control panel information. This process is carried out until all detectors to all the zones have been tested. In addition purpose-made test sheets are provided.
For more details, contact SFP, (011) 496 1701.
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