10/27/23, 3:41 PM Submarine Air Systems - Chapter 3

About Education Events USS Pampanito Support Visit

3
THE 600-POUND MAIN BALLAST TANK
BLOWING SYSTEM
A. GENERAL DESCRIPTION

3A1. Introduction. The main ballast the one does not supply enough air or in
tanks are normally filled with sea water case of failure, the other hammer valves
when the submarine is submerged. can be used. The group stop check valves
These tanks cannot be pumped; permit the blowing of tanks by groups.
therefore, when the submarine is The manifold is protected by a sentinel
surfacing, compressed air must be used valve and two relief valves (Figures 4-8
to blow the water out through the flood and 4-9) set to blow when the pressure in
ports to the sea. the 600-pound system reaches 750 psi.
The sentinel valve is set to blow at a
Two separate systems are provided to pressure of 610 psi. When the sentinel
blow the main ballast tanks. This valve opens, it acts as a relief valve for
chapter deals with the first of these, the comparatively small rises in pressure and
600-pound MBT (main ballast tank) gives notice of excess pressure in the
blowing system. The second system, system.
the 10-pound MBT blowing system, is
used only when the ship is surfaced. It To supply air to the 600-pound MBT
is discussed in Chapter 5. blowing system, one of the hammer
valves is opened. The valve permits air
Figure 3-1 shows the location of the from the 3000 pound manifold to enter
lines and component parts of the 600- the MBT blow manifold at a reduced
pound MBT blowing system. The pressure. The pressure gage of the MBT
system is inside the pressure hull and blow manifold is closely watched, to
extends from the MBT blowing guard against the pressure exceeding 600
manifold in the control room fore and psi.
aft along the starboard side to the main
ballast tanks and fuel ballast tanks. 3A3. Operation. The depth at which the
submarine is operating will have a direct
The MBT blowing manifold, described effect on the resistance offered to the air
in Section 3B, is the distribution control in blowing the main ballast tanks and
unit of the system. It is located on the therefore will build up the pressure
starboard side of the control room with within the system more rapidly at greater
its pressure gage next to it. The piping depths than it will on the surface. Since
mounted directly above the manifold the hammer valve regulates the volume
connects the MBT blowing manifold of air entering the 600-pound MBT
with the high-pressure air manifold, blowing system, while the resistance
through two hammer valves. offered to this air varies with submerged
depth, it follows that when submerged at
The maximum working pressure of the great depths, the hammer valve must be
600-pound main ballast tank blowing opened cautiously, otherwise the pressure
system is 600 psi. It is tested within the system will build up rapidly
hydrostatically to a pressure of 1000 and exceed the safe working pressure.

https://maritime.org/doc/fleetsub/air/chap3.php 1/4
10/27/23, 3:41 PM Submarine Air Systems - Chapter 3

psi, or 166 percent of the maximum When the gage indicates that the pressure
working pressure. is dropping, the hammer valve is opened
wider to maintain the required pressure.
3A2. Hammer valves. Air at bank When blowing is finished, the hammer
pressure (1500 to 3000 psi) passes valve is shut.
through two manually operated hammer
valves and two group stop check valves Blow lines extend from the forward
to the 600-pound MBT blowing section of the 600-pound MBT blow
manifold. The flow of the air is manifold to tanks No. 1 MBT, Nos. 2B
regulated by the hammer valves so that and 2D MBT, Nos. 2A and 2C MBT, and
it is delivered at the required pressure. Nos. 3A and 3B
Normally only one hammer valve is
used for blowing; in case

12

Figure 3-1. THE 600-POUND MAIN BALLAST TANK BLOWING SYSTEM.

FBT. From the after section of the the 600-pound MBT blow manifold on
manifold, blow lines to tanks Nos. 4A the distributing manifold are open.
and 4B FBT, Nos. 5A and 5B FBT,
Nos. 6B and 6D MBT, Nos. 6A and 6C To operate the 600-pound MBT blow
MBT, and No. 7 MBT. Any tank, or any system, the hammer valve is opened and
combination of tanks, can be blown by air is admitted to the blow manifold,
opening the required individual tank from which it is directed to the main
valve, or valves, the group valves, and ballast tanks by the lines of the system.
finally the hammer valves.
At the point where each blow line enters
When the submarine is rigged for the tank, it is provided with a regulator
diving, all the blow valves on the valve. The regulator valve acts as a
manifold, except the fuel ballast tank combination stop and check valve and is
valves, are open, as are the two group equipped for securing the stop in any
stock check valves. (See Section 3B.) position required to equalize the flow of
The individual regulator valves at the air into the tanks.
main ballast tanks are open, while the
MBT blow hammer valves on the 600- Detailed instructions for blowing specific
pound manifold are shut. The two tanks or combination of tanks are given
supply valves to in Chapter 8.

B. THE 600-POUND MAIN BALLAST TANK BLOW MANIFOLD

3B1. Description. The 600-pound Both sections of the 600-pound MBT

MBT blow manifold directs the flow of blow manifold, as well as the lines
air within the 600-pound MBT blowing carrying the 600-pound air, are capable
system. It is located on the starboard of withstanding depth pressure.
side of the control room, adjacent to
and aft of the low-pressure (225-pound) High-pressure air, controlled* by one or
manifold, with the connecting piping both manually operated hammer valves,
directly above it (see Figure 3-2). passes through the group stop check
valves into the two sections of the 600-
The 600-pound MBT blow manifold is pound MBT blow manifold. From there
made up of two parts, the forward it is directed by the blow valves into the

https://maritime.org/doc/fleetsub/air/chap3.php 2/4
10/27/23, 3:41 PM Submarine Air Systems - Chapter 3

section and the after section. The upperblow lines connecting with the main
half of Figure 3-2 shows the ballast tanks. When all the tanks are to be
construction of the forward section of blown simultaneously, the tank blow
the manifold. The after section is of valves on the manifold, the two group
similar construction (lower half of stop check valves, and a hammer valve
Figure 3-2) except that it contains one are opened in the order given. When the
additional blow valve. The forward tanks in either the forward or the after
section has four blow valves and the group are to be blown, the blow valves,
after section of the manifold has five the group stop check valve for that group,
blow valves. and the hammer valve are opened. When
the tanks are to be blown separately, the
The blow valves and the two group stop individual tank blow valves, the
check valves have no permanently corresponding group stop check valve or
attached handles, but are provided with valves, and the hammer valve are opened
square-ended stems. A double-handled in the order given.
socket wrench is supplied to fit these
stems, and the valves are opened and When the ship is rigged for diving, all
shut by applying the valve wrench to individual tank blow valves on the 600-
one stem at a time. This lessens the pound MBT blow manifold, as well as
possibility of accidentally opening or the two group stop check valves, are
shutting the wrong valve. open.

The stems of the blow valves for the Detailed instructions for main ballast
fuel ballast tanks are furnished with tank blowing operations are given in
chain-attached locking caps and Chapter 8.
padlocks as a safe guard against
accidental blowing of the tanks when *Hammer valves are not automatic
they contain fuel oil. reducers. They control air pressure only
by regulating the volume of air admitted
to the system.

13

https://maritime.org/doc/fleetsub/air/chap3.php 3/4
10/27/23, 3:41 PM Submarine Air Systems - Chapter 3

Figure 3-2. The 600-pound MBT blow manifold.

14

Previous Sub Air Home Next chapter

Chapter Page

Copyright © 2013, Maritime Park Association

All Rights Reserved
Legal Notices and Privacy Policy
Version 1.10, 22 Oct 04

https://maritime.org/doc/fleetsub/air/chap3.php 4/4