| Although there were several portable blowers used
for desmoking, the most commonly used onboard ships was
the red devil blower. A reliable piece of equipment, it
was required on all Navy surface ships. A minimum of
two, with four vent ducts each, were provided on hull
and repair locker allowances for each DC repair locker.
The power source for the red devil blower was 110 volt.
The unit was outfitted with a 50-foot electrical cord
with a 3-pronged connector. The capacity of the fan,
using 3 lengths of 8-inch hose and with 15 feet of
ventilation ducting attached, was 500 cubic feet per
minute (cfm). The blower’s motor, when assembled at the
factory, was explosion proof. The explosion-proof
quality, however, was not necessarily present after
overhaul of a motor. As an alternative in an explosive
atmosphere or where there was the possibility of
explosive vapors being present, either the pneumatic
(air turbine driven) blower or the Lamb air mover were
used. Planned maintenance (PM) was conducted by
electricians; when the maintenance of the blower
rendered it NOT explosion proof, the inside and the fan
were painted yellow. |
