Approval Standard

for
Automatic and Open
Water-Spray Nozzles for
Installation in Permanently
Piped Systems

Class Number 2021 and 2025

February 1966

2002 FM Approvals LLC. All rights reserved.

 Foreword
The FM Approvals certification mark is intended to verify that the products and services described
will meet FM Approvals stated conditions of performance, safety and quality useful to the ends of
property conservation. The purpose of Approval Standards is to present the criteria for FM Approval
of various types of products and services, as guidance for FM Approvals personnel, manufacturers,
users and authorities having jurisdiction.

Products submitted for certification by FM Approvals shall demonstrate that they meet the intent of
the Approval Standard, and that quality control in manufacturing shall ensure a consistently uniform
and reliable product. Approval Standards strive to be performance-oriented. They are intended to
facilitate technological development.

For examining equipment, materials and services, Approval Standards:

a) must be useful to the ends of property conservation by preventing, limiting or not

causing damage under the conditions stated by the Approval listing; and

b) must be readily identifiable.

Continuance of Approval and listing depends on compliance with the Approval Agreement,
satisfactory performance in the field, on successful re-examinations of equipment, materials, and
services as appropriate, and on periodic follow-up audits of the manufacturing facility.

FM Approvals LLC reserves the right in its sole judgment to change or revise its standards, criteria,
methods, or procedures.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 FM Approval ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1
II DESIGN ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
2.1 Mechanical Qualities .......................................................................................................................................................... 1
2.2 Flow vs Pressure Nominal Size ...................................................................................................................................... 1
2.3 Water Passages .................................................................................................................................................................... 1
2.4 Discharge Pattern and Angle of Spray .............................................................................................................................. 2
III TESTS ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
3.1 Flow vs Pressure Nominal Size (see Appendix) ............................................................................................................ 2
3.2 Water Passage ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2
3.3 Spray Pattern ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2
3.4 Spray Angle ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2
3.5 Spray Range ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3
3.6 Fire Tests ............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
IV MARKING ................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
February 1966 2021, 2025

I INTRODUCTION

1.1 Scope

1.1.1 Automatic and open water-spray nozzles installed in a permanently piped system are intended to protect
a hazard which cannot adequately be protected by a conventional sprinkler system.

1.1.2 Each system is designed and calculated for the hazard, and each nozzle is chosen for its specific discharge
capacity and spray angle.

1.1.3 In order to maintain a constant spray pattern from nozzles pointing in different directions, the water
particles must have high velocity.

1.2 FM Approval

1.2.1 FM Approval is based on examination and test of production samples, inspection of the manufacturing or
quality control facilities, and satisfactory use experience. Particularly considered are functional suitability,
adequacy of design and workmanship, uniformity, and dependability of production, and effectiveness of
quality control.

1.2.2 These requirements are primarily guides. Different characteristics are possible and may be considered. If
shown to produce equal, or superior performance, Approval may be granted. Similarly, mere conformity
does not assure Approval; other factors may dominate and Approval may be withheld.

II DESIGN

2.1 Mechanical Qualities

2.1.1 Automatic spray nozzles shall comply with the current FM Approval Standard The Mechanical Qualities
of Automatic Sprinklers with word sprinkler interpreted to mean nozzle.

2.1.2 Open spray nozzles shall comply with the same standard as applicable.

2.2 Flow vs Pressure Nominal Size

2.2.1 Nozzles shall have a nominal size designation to the nearest 116 in. in accordance with the Appendix.

2.3 Water Passages

2.3.1 Nozzles with water passages less than 38 in. diameter shall be supplied with either individual strainers or
with a main-line water strainer in each system.

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2.4 Discharge Pattern and Angle of Spray

2.4.1 The discharge pattern shall be a cone with well defined contour. The cone shall be filled with spray and
have no hollow spaces.

2.4.2 The cone angle shall be close to constant for all practical discharge pressures and shall be between 60 and
180F.

2.4.3 The range of the spray from a horizontal nozzle shall not decrease with increased pressure.

2.4.4 Within the same size-class and at same pressures, a wider angle nozzle is allowed a shorter range than a
narrower angle nozzle.

2.4.5 Within the same angle-class and at same pressures, a wider angle nozzle is allowed a shorter range than
a larger nozzle.

III TESTS

3.1 Flow vs Pressure Nominal Size (see Appendix)

3.1.1 When calibrating the nozzle, the gage should be located so that it will record total pressures. If the gage
should be located so net pressures are recorded, the velocity head shall be added.

3.2 Water Passage

3.2.1 The water passage of 38 in. diameter nozzles will be gaged with a 1132 in. diameter steel ball to determine
the need for a strainer.

3.3 Spray Pattern

3.3.1 The nozzle will be installed pendent 48 in. above a row of ten adjacent 1 1 ft open-face pans mounted
on a horizontal turntable. The nozzle will be located on the vertical axis of the first pan. The table will
rotate horizontally around the same axis at a speed of 4 rpm.

3.3.2 Water collection will be recorded in gpm per sq ft for each pan for flows produced by 25 and 50 psig total
nozzle discharge pressures.

3.4 Spray Angle

3.4.1 The spray angle will be determined trigonometrically by the 48 in. distance from nozzle to top of pans and
the radius of solid coverage on the turntable.

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3.5 Spray Range

3.5.1 The effective range of spray will be measured from the nozzle to the point on the axis where continuity
of the spray pattern is judged to cease.

3.5.2 The effective range will be measured with the nozzle in horizontal position.

3.6 Fire Tests

3.6.1 FM Approvals recommended locations and discharge pressures for automatic and open pendent spray
nozzles are given on Table 1.

Table 1
Nozzle Location, Size, and Discharge Pressure

Recommended Dist. Discharge Pressure to Extinguish (psig)

Orifice Size and Nozzle to Hazard Liquids Similar to
Discharge at Spray Cone Kerosene Quench or Transil
50 psig Angle (deg) Indoor Outdoor Nozzle Spacing Nozzle Spacing
min max max 44 66 88 44 66 88
160-180 5 14 7 35 40 20 20
12
in. 125-140 6 14 7 45 50 20 20
37-42 gpm 90-110 7 16 8 60 65 30 30
60-80 9 18 12 75 75 30 30

38
in. 160-180 4 12 6 30 40 50 20 20 20
20-24 gpm 125-140 5 13 612 40 50 50 20 20 20
90-110 6 14 7 50 65 75 20 30 30
60-80 8 16 11 65 75 90 30 30 30

160-180 2 8 4 40 60 75 20 30 30
14in. 125-140 3 8 4 50 70 90 30 30 30
8-12 gpm 90-110 5 10 5 75 80 30 30
60-80 6 12 8 90 30

3.6.2 If fire testing is considered necessary, nozzles under examination will be installed over a 6 ft 8 ft
(48 sq ft) 1 ft deep tank in accordance with Table 1, and subjected to one or more fire tests.

3.6.3 A 4 in. freeboard will be maintained between the surface of the fuel and the top of the tank by an overflow
drain. The tank will be partially filled with water. One inch (30 gal) of kerosene will float on the water.
Wall and roof openings shall provide sufficient oxygen and adequate smoke venting.

3.6.4 With test prepared, one quart of gasoline will be added to one corner of the tank and immediately ignited.
Time to operations of automatic nozzles and to extinguish the fire will be recorded. When testing open
nozzles, the kerosene will be allowed one minute preburn before water is turned on.

3.6.5 Time to extinguish shall not exceed 5 minutes from operation of the first nozzle.

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IV MARKING
All nozzles shall be plainly and permanently marked with:
1. Manufacturers name and/or trade name.
2. Manufacturers model or type number or letter.
3. Nominal nozzle size.
4. Spray angle.
In addition, automatic nozzles shall be marked with:
5. Year of manufacture.
7. Color code for temperature rating.

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APPENDIX

FM APPROVALS 5