Visit us on-line at

www.armstrongpumps.com
to subscribe to our e-newsletters
CODE UPDATE
The 2003 Edition of NFPA20 now allows the installation of "variable speed pressure limiting control
devices". These devices are an option for systems with static pressures close to the maximum
working pressure of the system. Such devices are available for both diesel and electric driven pump.
It is recommended to contact an expert when applying such a device to ensure proper co-ordination
of equipment. For more information, visit the link below, or read more about the application in PM
Engineer Magazine's February 2004 Issue.
INDUSTRY NEWS
The Loss Prevention Certification Board has published a standard on diesel engines for fire pump
service. Such engines are now required by code on any LPCB certified sprinkler system. The product
is available and the rules went into effect on April 1st of 2004.
HIGH-RISE FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM DESIGN: ZONING & SERIES PUMPING
This article is the first of a series of articles on high-rise fire protection system design.
Anyone who lives in an urban center these days understands the drawbacks of traditional urban
planning. As cities around the world grow, traffic jams add hours to commuting times, thus
degrading the quality of urban life. Green space is paved over to make way for parking garages and
commercial construction. More and more, municipalities and urban planners are working together to
manage urban sprawl. Though public transit provides one facet to the solution, another
consideration is building more vertically to better utilize precious space.
Traditionally, high-rise buildings were a rarity in most metropolitan areas. A lack of experience in
building design presents a challenge to engineers around the world. Many hard-earned lessons in
designing high-rise buildings can be learned by studying cities which have always had the urban
sprawl problem - such cities have experienced the problem of building high-rises for decades.
High-rise buildings present especially difficult challenges for fire protection:
Rapid and safe egress from the building in the event of a fire
Integrated alarm systems to alert occupants of an emergency
Entry to the building for the fire department
Distribution of adequate water flow where it is needed under the right pressure
Taking a traditional approach to water distribution for fire systems can be impractical, costly, and
decrease system reliability. The traditional water distribution system in a building involves
designing around a single zone piping system. Doing so results in many design challenges, the most
serious of which is pressure regulation in the system.
Why zone the fire protection system?
Prior to 2003, fire protection engineers had little to go by in assisting in high-rise standpipe system
design other than a very good, but often overlooked diagram in the Appendix of NFPA14. Chapter 7
of NFPA14 2003 was greatly expanded to better explain how to design zoned standpipe systems for
high-rise buildings. Zoned systems are recommended in high-rises due to the fact that zoning
allows design of a system where the maximum static pressure in most of the system is lower than
175psi. What are the benefits of this design? They are numerous.
Taken from NFPA14: The Standard for the Installation of Standpipe
and Hose Systems - 2003 Edition
Before going into the benefits of zoned system design, we must examine the requirements for
standpipe systems. NFPA14 sets constraints on the maximum static and minimum residual pressure
at the most hydraulically remote hose connection. These constraints are based on whether the hoses
are for occupant use (1.5" hoses) or for fire department use (2.5" hoses). In the past, standpipe
systems generally had one or the other type of hoses, and were classified as Class II and Class I
standpipe systems, respectively. Most high-rise commercial or residential buildings today are
designed with a Class III standpipe system. The Class III system is characterized by hose cabinets
containing one 1.5" hose connection with 50 feet of hose and one 2.5" valve with no hose. NFPA14's
design pressure range for 1.5" valves is 65psi to 100psi. For 2.5" valves, 100psi to 175psi is the
constraint. The reason for these constraints is to give occupants and fire fighters a relatively safe to
operate 100gpm hose stream to attack a fire with. For more challenging fires, the fire department
has access to a 250gpm hose stream under higher pressure at the 2.5" connections.
It is not difficult to see that the Class III standpipe system in a high-rise is going to require a large
number of pressure regulating devices in order to maintain adequate water flow and pressure
without endangering the operators of the equipment.
By zoning the system, a large number of pressure regulating devices can be eliminated in the
system. This has broad-reaching implications for installers, designers, building owners, building
occupants, and ultimately, the fire department.
1. First Cost: Apart from eliminating the actual pressure regulating devices, every standpipe with
pressure regulating devices is required to have a drain riser. By zoning the system, the drain riser
and test plumbing can be eliminated for the cost of adding an express riser for the high zone water
supply.
2. Reliability: Elimination of restricting or regulating devices removes a potential failure mode of
the system. There is no concern for valve failure - the water supply has a "straight shot" to the hose
connection in use during the fire.
3. Redundancy: With the zoned system, there are two sets of distribution piping to service the
building. If one zone becomes inoperable due to over-pressurization or a mechanical failure of a
valve or pump, there is a second set of piping to distribute water for the fire department.
4. Maintenance: Elimination of pressure regulating devices reduces the maintenance requirements
for the system. Each pressure regulating device must be inspected quarterly. Further, each valve
requires a full flow test every 5 years.
5. Function: The final question becomes quite simply, "Who's standpipe is this anyway?". In the
design mode, engineers generally consider the water distribution piping to be a means for meeting
code requirements and to service automatic sprinkler needs. Though the water distribution piping
does service the automatic fire system, the main purpose of the standpipe system is to give the fire
department water, be it from an automatic fire pump, or from the hydrants and pumper trucks on
the street. The standpipe belongs to the fire department as much as it belongs to the building
owner. When designing the system, redundancy and reduction in potential failure modes should be
the major cause for concern. We should primarily consider the reliability of the distribution system
for the fire department itself. A zoned system can guarantee adequate water flow and pressure
without endangering fire fighters by supplying water under too high pressure, leaky piping, or (in
the worst case) no water at all. The zoned system fits the bill for this design.
The next issue of this newsletter will examine a zoned system design and look at sizing of fire
pumps for high-rise buildings.
FIRE PUMP TIPS
Question: What is the purpose of a casing relief valve on a fire pump?
Answer: NFPA20 requires a listed casing relief valve on any electric fire pump. Water cooled diesel
engine driven fire pumps do not require this valve. The cooling water supplied to the diesel serves
the same purpose as a casing relief valve on electric pumps. The reason for installing a casing relief
valve is that a fire pump running at no-flow conditions very rapidly heats the water in the pump
casing. This is due to a number of factors: low hydraulic efficiency when operating at shut-off, small
casing water volume, and the relatively high horsepower being applied to the pump. Where a casing
relief valve is not installed or is set improperly, it is not unusual for a pump to boil the water in the
pump casing resulting in steam burning the packing, destroying gaskets and o-rings, and damaging
the bearings.
The casing relief valve should installed between the pump discharge flange and discharge check
valve. It should be set such that it is closed when the fire pump is not running and open when the
pump is running. Typically, about 1% or less of the fire pump rated flow is enough to prevent the
water in the casing from boiling. Flow through the packing also contributes to cooling. It is
recommended to set the casing relief valve with the pump running at no-flow such that the
discharge water temperature stays below 40 degrees C (104 degrees F). There is no need to
measure this temperature to set the casing relief valve. After running the pump with water flow
through the casing relief valve, the discharge (waste) pipe should feel warm to the touch but not
hot when the proper flow is discharging from the valve.
NEW FROM ARMSTRONG
Check out Armstrong's new range of LPCB approved end suction pumps rated up to 9000lpm at
pressures up to 10 bar. For more information, contact Armstrong Pumps Ltd. at Tel: 01206-579491
/ Fax: 01206-760532.