What does a bilge pump do?

What does a bilge pump do?

Before moving on to topics such as what the bilge pump does, how the bilge pump works, what is the bilge, where is the bilge in the ship, what does it mean to throw a bilge, and so on, let’s start our article. Let’s talk briefly about what bilge means. Bilge is the name given to the interior of a boat below the waterline. It remains under the floor and hold deck of the part of the ship where the machinery and boilers are located. The bottom part of the ship, where the oil leaking from the engine and boiler rooms is stored, is called the bilge area. All the dirty wastes are collected in the tank with the help of a pump from the area called the bilge. These collected expenses are unloaded to the freighters that are waiting at the ports. The bilge waters, which are separated into layers by chemical and physical methods, are then purified and released back into the sea, free from microbes and dirt. Solid pieces of scum are usually incinerated. All the wastes collected by the bilge pump are completely cleaned and after the chemical processes they see, they are poured into the sea in a completely purified way. It is forbidden by law to leave the bilge waters to the sea as it is, and if the ships break this rule, they will be tied up by the port and fined. When everything is purified and cleaned, then it can be allowed to be released into the sea.

What are the bilge emptying rules?

If the bilge unloading rules are not followed, the ships are tied to the ports and fines are imposed, but even fines cannot compensate for some damages. The biggest of those damages is marine pollution. Bilge wastes released into the sea without complying with the bilge discharge rules are the nightmare of the seas. According to the regulations, it is forbidden to directly and/or indirectly release the bilge wastes into the marine environment. Waste from ships should be given to “waste reception facilities” and “waste receiving ships”, temporarily stored and purified from all elements that may threaten human health. Ships are obliged to deliver the wastes defined within the scope of this regulation to waste reception facilities or waste receiving ships in accordance with the provisions. Otherwise, there are penalties and this situation goes up to the mooring of the ship. When it comes to bilge waste, it draws all the arrows on the “bilge pump” because it is an important gear in the waste-to-storage cycle. So what is a bilge pump and what does a bilge pump do?

What is a bilge pump?

As we mentioned above, the bilge is the name given to the section at the bottom of the ship. Water leaking from ships or wastes such as oil are collected in this area. Bilge pump; It is a type of pump used for evacuation of water and oil collected in marine vehicles such as ships, fishing boats, yachts. It is an important equipment for the operation of the ship both in daily use and in emergency situations. When cleaning inside the engine room, water or other liquids may mix with the bilge wells; The bilge pump has an important function here because the accumulated in the wells is discharged by the bilge pump. Let’s continue with the answer to the question of what the bilge pump does. The bilge pump is equipment designed to relieve water shortages, so it is important that it always works correctly. Bilge pumps on ships are usually piston pumps or centrifugal pumps. It is positioned below sea level and the appropriate bilge pump is selected according to the size of the ship.