CFR

169.625—Compartments containing diesel machinery.

(a) Spaces containing machinery must be fitted with adequate dripproof ventilators, trunks, louvers, etc., to provide sufficient air for proper operation of the propulsion and auxiliary engines.

(b) Air-cooled propulsion and auxiliary engines installed below deck must be fitted with air intake ducts or piping from the weather deck. The ducts or piping must be arranged and supported to safely sustain stresses induced by weight and engine vibration and to minimize transfer of vibration to the supporting structure. Prior to installing ventilation for the engines, plans or sketches showing the machinery arrangement including air intakes, exhaust stack, method of attachment of ventilation ducts to the engine, location of spark arresting mufflers and capacity of ventilation blowers must be submitted to the OCMI for approval.

(c) Spaces containing machinery must be fitted with at least two ducts to furnish natural or mechanical supply and exhaust ventilation. One duct must extend to a point near the bottom of the compartment, and be installed so that the ordinary collection of water in the bilge will not trap the duct. Where forced ventilation is installed, the duct extending to the bottom of the compartment must be the exhaust. The total inlet area and the total outlet area of ventilation ducts must be not less than one square inch for each foot of beam of the vessel. These minimum areas must be increased when such ducts are considered part of the air supply to the engines.

(d) All ducts must be of rigid permanent noncombustible construction, properly fastened, supported, and reasonably gastight from end to end.

(e) All supply ducts for ventilation purposes must be provided with cowls or scoops having a free area not less than twice the required duct area. When the cowls or scoops are screened, the mouth area must be increased to compensate for the area of the screen wire. Dampers are prohibited in supply ducts. Cowls or scoops must be kept open at all times except when weather would endanger the vessel if the openings were not temporarily closed. Supply and exhaust openings must not be located where the natural flow of air is unduly obstructed, or adjacent to possible sources of vapor ignition, and must not be located where exhaust air may be taken into the supply vents.

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