Preliminary design considerations for a shipboard damage control monitoring system.

Abstract

At present ships are monitored for fire, flooding, and other casualties by watches such as the Sounding and Security Watch, but casualties still cause millions of dollars of damage each year. The need for a damage control monitoring system is discussed in detail and the design requirements for a system are identified. A number of alternatives for a monitoring system are examined, and one of these alternatives is recommended for implementation and prototype testing. The proposed system, which uses a network of fire and flooding detectors in individual compartments connected via a power line carrier to a central processor, can be developed at exceptionally low risk using existing technology and at a price that can be afforded. The system would provide comprehensive damage control monitoring, and could be adapted to include equipment monitoring, record keeping, and analysis functions.