| 摘要 |
An apparatus and method for ballasting and de-ballasting a vessel having a hull with several watertight ballast compartments. In a first embodiment, a pressure tank is isolatably and fluidly coupled to a common sea chest, to th e atmosphere, to ballast compartments via a distribution manifold, and to a source of compressed gas. The pressure tank is first vented and filled with water from the sea chest, then isolated. The filled tank is then coupled to a ballast tank and the source of compressed gas, which displaces water from th e tank to the ballast compartment. In other embodiments, ballasting is by venting and flooding compartments using individual sea chests located within the ballast compartments or a firewater system. For de-ballasting, compresse d gas displaces ballast water through overboard discharges, through the common sea chest via the pressure tank, or through individual sea chests located within the ballast compartments. |
