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Hi,

I'm trying to select a packaged diesel fire pump to provide flow to a hydrant on a
site. The facility is connected to the city's fire water line, but does not have enough
pressure. If a fire hydrant is required to have 1500 gpm at 20 psig, does one select
a pump for 1000 gpm or 1500 gpm?
I think NFPA 20 mentions something about the fire pump being able to handle 150%
of its rated capacity. Can I say that my pump "rated capacity" is 1000 gpm, and
therefore, 150% of my rated capacity is 1500 gpm, and would meet the fire hydrant
flow requirement? Or do I select a pump for 1500 gpm + 50% = 2250 gpm?
If the facility has a fire hydrant (1500 gpm) and 2 buildings (bldg A: 225 gpm and
bldg B: 300 gpm) that require fire sprinkler system. Does one size the fire pump for
a fire hydrant + bldg B = 1800 gpm, or just the worst case (1500 gpm)?
TravisMack (Mechanical)22 Jun 10 22:03
I typically see engineers specify 1000 gpm pumps for what you are doing. When a
fire pump is to meet both site fire flow and sprinkler system demand (separate
requirements), you typically get the gpm from the site fire flow requirements and
the pressure from the sprinkler system calcs.
Example: you may only need 20 psi at 1500 gpm for the hydrant, but you need 300
gpm @ 65 psi for the sprinkler system.
Travis,
The 1000 gpm for fire pump selection, is that up to the engineer then to decide
what he/she wants to use? Does NFPA allow that? Any ideas what the 150% of
rated capacity is meant for?
I understand what you are saying about fire hydrant flow and sprinkler system
demand. So it is not a combined flow, but rather use the higher flow and make sure
pressures are adequate. Does NFPA mention about using the higher flow in the
code somewhere?

First of all your main concern is a Fire Hydrant so lets leave the sprinkler system out
side this discussion unless you are required to meet that criteria as well. However
like Travis Mack said typically a 1000 GPM fire pump is the rule of thumb unless you
are supplying water to high rise or you have horrible water pressure to supply both
hydrant and sprinklers.

In my opinion you should contact the AHJ to ensure that the Hydrant will be the only
suppression device that will be required to meet the required water flow. If there is a
sprinkler system in that building you should suggest to the client to purchase a
pump package that will meet both.

stookeyfpe (Specifier/Regulator)22 Jun 10 23:52


I'm going to ask a different question: Can your water supply pressure and demand
support installing sprinklers rather than the expense of a fire pump? I ask this
because it sounds like you have a fire flow problem and a code official is somewhat
unwavering in their enforcement. If you sprinkler the building, I would consider
waiving fire flow, with some conditions.
Or, is less expensive to install a larger diameter fire line - or - is it more reliable to
install a larger diameter fire line and offset the cost with the increased reliability?
stookeyfpe,
The facility is required to have both fire sprinkler systems in the buildings and fire
hydrants on site, and is connected to city water, which provides enough flow, but
not enough pressure due to the difference in elevation. So fire pump is needed.
NJ1,
I just wanted to see how this 1000 gpm is determined and if NFPA has any
requirements. Given enough flow, but not enough pressure at the site and that a
fire pump is needed, why would one select a pump for 1000 gpm when a fire
hydrant requires 1500 gpm? and in doing so, does that still comply with NFPA 20?
Or maybe NFPA doesn't care as long as you can get 1500 gpm out of the fire
hydrant?
The requirements here is that I have to meet NFPA 13 and 20. The problem with my
facility is the pressure due to elevation difference (~100' higher than point of
connection). There is enough flow. Whether the fire pump will work depends on
what flow is used. If my rated flow is 1000 gpm, then per my calculations, the
suction pressure at the fire pump is positive (NFPA 5.14.3.1). This works!! But if my
rated flow is 1500 gpm, then I'm getting a negative suction pressure at the fire
pump. So hence my question... does using 1000 gpm meet NFPA requirements, if
any?
Hope that makes sense.
Reference

NFPA 20-5.14.3.1 - Unless the requirements of 5.14.3.2 are met, the size of the
suction pipe for a single pump or of the suction header pipe for multiple pumps
(operating together) shall be such that, with all pumps operating at 150 percent of
rated capacity, the gauge pressure at the pump suction flanges shall be 0 psi (0
bar) or higher.
My other question about if the fire flows should be combined or select the higher
flow was to hopefully that someone here who is more familiar with NFPA can point
out where in the code dictates what to use. I thought I remember somewhere in
some code or someone told me that if you have more than 1 buildings on the site,
use the highest fire flow for a building as the design flow. It is assumed that you
won't have more than 1 buildings on fire at the same time.

TravisMack (Mechanical)23 Jun 10 10:32


The use of 1000 gpm pump comes from the idea that a fire pump is required to
perform at 65% of rated pressure while flowing 150% of rated capacity. Since a
1000 gpm pump can be used to get 1500 gpm, then you can go with the less
expensive 1000 gpm pump. That does meet NFPA 20.
You will have to be able to test the fire pump at 1500 gpm. If you are getting
negative suction pressures at 1500 gpm, then you are going to be looking at a
storage tank, or putting the pump lower on the facility if possible.
Thanks Travis. That's good to know. Selecting a 1000 gpm pump will work at this
facility, even at 150% flow, but will not work for a 1500 gpm pump when testing at
150%.
Now only if I can convince my other engineers to use the fire hydrant flow and not
use combined flows of hydrant and building. You wouldn't happen to know where
this verbiage is in NFPA would you?
TravisMack (Mechanical)23 Jun 10 12:58
I don't know where the exact wording is. But, you just treat them as separate
systems. For example, a standpipe system is designed to meet NFPA 14 flow
requirements. You don't design it to meet NFPA 13 and 14. NFPA 13 requires a hose
allowance for supplemental hose streams. Do they expect you to include that when
trying to add to your fire flow.
They are just simply independent systems when calculating. It was explained to me
a long time ago that if you have a car fire in the parking lot and are using the
hydrants, then you would not need to figure the fire sprinklers flowing. If you have

a fire in the building, the sprinklers are going and you just have supplemental help
from the fire dept, so you don't need to figure the full site fire flow adding to the
sprinkler system. That explanation may be entirely wrong, but it at least made
sense at the time.
pipesnpumps (Mechanical)23 Jun 10 13:12
I have only one more thing to add to the excellent advice posted above..
If the pump is drawing from a potable water main, make sure the pressure in the
underground suction piping supplying 1500 gpm (1000 gpm pump @ 150%) does
not drop below 20 psig. NFPA 20 will let it go down to 0 psig, but the
environmental/AWWA regs just about anywhere in the US prohibit that. If it is less
than 20 psig make darn sure you do an exhaustive code search for this location and
confer with the AHJ.
TravisMack (Mechanical)23 Jun 10 13:27
Great addition PnP! I had just assumed he was working with 20 psi as the minimum
set point. I guess we know what happens when you assume something
Nooooo.... I did not know this. My civil guys did not let me know about this
requirement by AWWA. The residual pressure at the POC is 57 psig @ 1500 gpm.
Going through the suction piping and backflow preventer, I'm left with 1.7 psig at
the fire pump.... barely meeting NFPA requirements.
Is this 20 psig pressure to ensure that the pump won't cavitate or is this to ensure
that the underground piping won't get crushed?
Arsnman - Isn't the backflow preventer already doing that?
pnp - Thanks for point that out. I just asked our civil guys for the test reports, and it
indicates that the agency's standard specifications prohibit water pressure below 20
psi at any location in the system.
So what does one do when we don't have the required minimum 20 psig? Install a
storage tank in the suction piping? I noticed NFPA calls this a "Break Tank". It's
going to be 15 minutes x 1500 gpm = 22,500 gallons.
pipesnpumps (Mechanical)23 Jun 10 18:34
I would try putting the backflow preventor underground as far upstream as
possible.. in a pit if it has to be... And then run the calcs to show that the piping
upstream of the BFP is >20 psig..
Downstream of the BFP it can be any pressure at all, as long as the suction of the
pump is at 0 psig or above. In other words I think you can go negative.. but more
than likely your pump will be higher than the UG line so it will always be positive.

pnp - I see what you are saying now. My civil engineer also said that the 20 psig is
from city water POC to BFP, which I do have. What a relief. Well thank you ALL for
your help.
On another topic, just found out yesterday that heat tape will be allowed under
NFPA 2010 edition. Guess I can start specifying wet pipe system.
The city of Augusta will allow 15 psi but not sure how that squares with the state
EPA.
Page 11 "3. Booster pumps installed on the service line to or within any premises,
must be approved and permitted by the City of Augusta, Georgia Utilities
Department. Such permitted pumps shall be equipped with a low pressure cut- off
device designed to shut off the booster pump when the pressure in the suction line
of the service side of the pump drops to 15 psi or below. It shall be the duty of the
water consumer to maintain the low-pressure cut-off device in proper working order
at all times and to certify to the City of Augusta, Georgia Utilities Department, at
least once per year that the device is operable."
I do know the State Fire Marshal absolutely requires 20 psi with the pump operating
at 150% measured at the pump suction downstream any backflow prevention
assemblies.
From experience I know Ohio and Kentucky have the 20 psi @ 150% requirements.

I've found minimum suction pressure is nearly always addressed somewhere... it


may be the state fire marshal but more likely it could be the state EPA so serious
research is indicated.
SprinklerDesigner2 (Mechanical)25 Jun 10 10:11
"On another topic, just found out yesterday that heat tape will be allowed under
NFPA 2010 edition. Guess I can start specifying wet pipe system."
Read the listing for heat tape it's really not the answer. Be careful with this!
Heat tape works for very small runs line passing through an unheated space but not
intended to heat entire system.
"Heat tape works for very small runs line passing through an unheated space but
not intended to heat entire system."
Really? Going through Tyco (Raychem), it seems that it would be ok as long as your
circuit breaker and transformer is sized for it.

How do you guys deal with piping (domestic water and fire sprinkler) installed in the
attic where insulation is at the ceiling and your design temperature is in the 20's
F ... or even in the 30's? Dry-pipe or glycol system?
I've been reviewing other people's submitted plans for about 1 year, and have yet
to see a glycol system. The typical method is a dry riser off the lead-in, or could
even be off a wet feed or cross main, even a branch, as allowed by code, but this
would put the compressor somewhere else in the building..
I believe I read somewhere that with the cost of dry pipe systems now they are the
preferred method, but I don't know much about the cost side of things yet, only
engineering/code side.
That is a good question though, I hope you get some good answers.. I'd like to
know too.
TravisMack (Mechanical)25 Jun 10 15:26
It depends on the project. I have seen some rather large anti-freeze systems. You
now have to use the DW method for calcs. I have found that it can make quite a
large swing in demands and therefore pipe sizing when you factor in solution
density and viscosity. AF is typically chosen when doing residential projects and we
can use tyco attic heads and keep everything as CPVC. If we are using steel, then
typically just do a dry system.

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