Submerged ballast pumps

Installation of ballast pumps inside the double side ballast tanks  in combination with a submerged cargo pump in each cargo tank  make the pump room superfluous. This arrangement provides  a safer ship design and make more space available for carrying cargo. Submerged ballast pumps have become the standard arrangement in modern tankers and FPSOs.

Increase the cargo volume with submerged ballast pumps. Eliminate the pump room. The Framo ballast pump has a fail safe design with impeller always immersed in water.

Increased cargo volume

Normally installed inside two of the double side ballast tanks located aft of the manifold area, one in each side. On oil tankers, a fuel-oil tank can separate the engine room and cargo section.
•  No pump room required
•  Larger volume available for cargo

Submerged installation

The Framo submerged ballast pump is a centrifugal pump, designed for installation inside the ballast tanks.

The pump unit is mounted inside  the air separator and protected by a cofferdam. A fail-safe design ensures that impeller will always be immersed in water.

This is a compact design which saves space and makes the installation easy. An air ejector is connected to the pumps suction side. Automatic start and stop of the air ejector makes the pump self priming. The pump is manufactured from stainless steel with seawater resistant bronze impeller.

Design features

• Impeller always immersed in water
• Built-in self priming system
• Individual capacities of up to 3.000 m3/h
• Stepless capacity control
• Robust design with a short and rigid drive shaft
• Lubrication and cooling of motor and bearings by the hydraulic drive oil
• Cofferdam between ballast water and hydraulic section
• Concentric hydraulic pipes for maximum safety
• Easy to install, operate and maintain
• Can be connected to any ballast water treatment system