(1) Capacity. The capacity, arrangement and number of compressors shall be sufficient to maintain the necessary pressure without overloading the equipment and to assure maintenance of such pressure in the working chamber during periods of breakdown or other emergency. The compressor installation shall be capable of delivering not less than 50 cubic feet per minute of ventilating air for each man in the working chamber at the prevailing working chamber pressure. Additional stand-by compressor units shall be installed in accordance with the following tabulation:
Normal installation at 50 C.F./Man/Min. units | Stand-by units | Total units | Percent rated total capacity of stand-by units divided by normal units |
1 | 1 | 2 | 100 | |
2 | 2 | 4 | 100 | |
3 | 2 | 5 | 67 | |
4 | 2 | 6 | 50 | |
5 | 2 | 7 | 40 | |
(2) Sources of power. Where the power is generated on the job there shall be a sufficient number of power units to maintain the necessary compressor operation.
(3) Power feeders. Where power is obtained from a public utility there shall be at least two feeders to the compressor plant. Each feeder shall have a capacity sufficient to carry the entire load and normal overload. The feeders shall run over separate routes in such a way that a breakdown of one feeder will not cause any interruption of power from the other feeder. Each feeder or service extension shall enter the compressor plant through a separate and independent opening.
(4) Bus bar connections. There shall be duplicate feeder bus bars at the compressor plant. Feeder connections to the bus bar shall be such that either feeder can feed to each bus bar separately or simultaneously to both bus bars. The electrical connections from the bus bars to the compressor shall be arranged in such a way as to insure continuous operation of the compressor plant, in spite of any breakdown of an individual feeder, bus bar or compressor unit.
(5) Alternate sources of power. Any combination of power either generated at the job or generated off the job as set forth above, and which complies with the above requirements is permitted.
(6) Maintenance. All equipment including reserve sources of power and reserve compressor equipment used to maintain pressure in working areas shall at all times be maintained in good repair and ready for use. All reserve equipment shall be periodically inspected and shall be operated for a period of one hour or more at least once in every week, except where there is danger of sudden flooding, in which case reserve equipment shall be operated at least one hour in every 24 hours. An ample supply of spare parts shall be kept on hand.