If a sprinkler system is to work properly, protecting the building around the clock, a fire pump of the correct size is a critically important component. Depending on the size of the building, Fire Protection in Bowling Green, KY must be chosen correctly, they must provide a certain pressure and a certain flow measured in gallons per minute.
Many large buildings cannot rely on the pressure and flow of the municipal water system to meet the design demand of the sprinkler system and standpipes. Under these conditions, fire pumps are required to boost the pressure.
Determining the pressure requirement of the fire pump:
The regulating agency in the United States is the NFPA, National Fire Protection Association. Sizing a fire pump is done in accordance with codes established by this agency. In the case of properly sizing a pump, there are two acceptable methods used by fire protection engineers; standpipe method and sprinkler area method.
Standpipe method: This method is considerably less complicated and is acceptable for smaller buildings that need protection. The calculations are based on the quantity of standpipes in the building. The maximum pressure is 1000gpm.
Sprinkler area method: This method of calculating the size of fire pumps is more complex but is far more accurate when designing a system for a large building. Before the pump can be sized the first step is defining the hazard level. The levels span from light to extra hazard. Typically, a hospital would be considered light hazard while a plastics processing plant for example would be considered extra hazardous.
There are different designs of fire pumps in Bowling Green, KY. The most common is a double suction design typically rated up to 5000gpm. Inline pump designs are more compact and are ideal for many installations.
It is extremely important that your fire protection system is ready to work on demand, to ensure this happens; a properly sized fire pump is a necessity. For complete information, sales, installation and service you are invited to contact Sonitrol or visit online web today.
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