Supply and Exhaust Ventilation
Ventilation ducts and exhaust ventilation outlets to
and from magazines provide forced-air ventilation, Air
is forced through the ducts by electric fans installed
within the duct work. Standard covers maintain
watertightness and prevent the entrance of flames from
hits on the ship during combat. Always close these
covers during combat (general quarters) conditions,
unless otherwise directed. If you inhale fumes from
some types of ammunition, you might get slightly
intoxicated. However, this should not appreciably
reduce your work efficiency. Generally, there is
sufficient air volume in large, sealed magazines and
handling rooms to provide a safe working atmosphere
for approximately 5 hours. Magazines that are
continuously occupied by personnel are blown through
or ventilated a minimum of once every 5 hours.
Magazine Vent Check Valves
Sometimes, it is necessary to operate the sprinkler
system in magazines while the ventilation valves are
secured When this happens, the magazine must be
vented by an air escape to ensure that the pressure within
the magazine doesn’t build up beyond the allowed
pressure limits of its watertight boundaries. Magazine
check valves allow air and water to escape from the
magazine into one of the ventilation ducts or through an
independent air escape.
Exhaust Vents
Aboard ship, most magazines, particularly missile
magazines, are vented to the atmosphere. When missile
motors burn, they rapidly produce large volumes of
smoke and gas. To avoid spreading smoke and gas to
other areas of the ship if a missile motor in a magazine
accidentally ignites, the exhaust ducts are vented to the
atmosphere.
The area on the weather deck in the
vicinity of an exhaust vent is potentially hazardous, and
it is marked to warn personnel not to loiter (hang around)
in this area.
SPRINKLER AND ALARM SYSTEMS
Primary and missile magazines, ammunition
handling rooms, and most ready-service magazines are
fitted with sprinkler systems. Sprinkler systems consist
of spray heads or sprinkler-head valves arranged to dash
water directly on the munitions and completely cover
the magazine’s interior. Sprinkler systems for spaces
located below the damage control deck (second deck on
aircraft carriers) are arranged for local control at the
valve and for remote control from the damage control
deck (fig. 11-6) On aircraft carriers, the remote controls
are normally divided into two groups—forward
A1.
A2.
A3.
A4.
A5.
A6.
A7.
A8.
REVIEW NUMBER 1 ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS Q1. THROUGH Q8.
NAVSEASYSCOM develops and approves specifications for construction of Navy
ships.
A ship's primary magazines are usually located below the waterline.
Ready-service magazines are located close to the area to be served.
The purpose of modular stowage is to give the greatest versatility and to minimize
ammunition handling.
The two areas that the IRRP created improved handling are rearming and
weapons assembly.
Squadron personnel use a HLU-196B/E hoist for preloaded IMERS and ITERS.
Generally, magazines aboard ship are designated to hold a single type of
ammunition.
Authority for stowing mixed types of ammunition in a magazine rest with
NAVAIRSYSCOM.
11-12
