Bilge Pumps Article
A bilge pump is used to empty the bilge tank located in the lowest part of the ship. A bilge tank is essentially the waste run off tank for the ship collecting any fluid or particles that leak into drainage channels. Fluids which enter the bilge tank include seawater, oils and chemicals which may drip from joints, overflows from tanks, and leaks from pipework.
A bilge pump will be used to empty this tank but it can not discharge the contents directly overboard due to the potentially harmful oils and chemicals which may be in the fluids. The bilge pump must feed the tank contents directly to an oily water separator where the contents are filtered through a coalescer measuring the contents of the fluid which must be below a certain PPM before being discharged overboard. Such bilge pumps should ideally have dry run protection if a positive displacement type to ensure the entire tank contents are emptied and not ran dry causing damage.
