WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS

Over the last couple of hundred years, high rise buildings reflected the need to make the best
possible usage of a relatively small area of land in densely populated urban spaces across the
world.
Further, with the increase in density of population in Indian cities, there is an exponential
vertical development calling for high rise structures sprawling the city skylines.

SR. No. Building Storeys Height Limit Classification

1 Building up to 10 storey high Height up to 30 M Low
2 Buildings with 10 to 20 storeys Height up to 60 M Medium
3 Building above 20 storeys Height above 60 M High-rise

This equally poses a huge challenge when it comes to design of efficient water distribution
systems in these high-rise structures.

And while designing these distribution systems the challenge does not stop only with capacity
calculation and piping design, but also on the detailing of booster controls.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS

WATER DISTRIBUTION IN GENERAL

Tall Buildings generally receive insufficient pressure from mains that creates challenge for
water supply designers.

The general process is to store water in an under ground water tank then pump to overhead
water tank for evenly distribution to all residents.

The peak load flow might be greater than what is possible to supply from the mains is an
obvious fact to deal with.

Tall buildings where the height of the building prevents water from reaching the top floors. For
example, a mains pressure of 3.0 bar should, theoretically, be sufficient for a 30-m tall building,
but this is not the case. There must be sufficient surplus pressure to cover resistance in riser
pipes, single components such as shower heads, toilets and cooling towers.

Various systems of water supply practiced for high rise buildings are:
Down Take Pressure Reducer Valve System
Multiple Storage System
Break Pressure Tank System
Hydro-Pneumatic System
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS

Down Take Pressure Reducer Valve System

• Water storage tanks are provided on the
terrace

• The down take line from the tank is laid out

horizontally in a loop on the terrace

• The pressure in loop at peak demand should

not become negative

• Vertical down take are taken from the loop as

per the requirement and each down take is
then linked for a zone of four storeys at a time

• These down take are designed for the peak

demand it has to serve.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS

Down Take Pressure Reducer Valve System

• These down take are provided with
pressure reducing valve to limit the
head to a maximum of 25m.
• These PRVs should be installed in
easily accessible places like ducts etc.
• PRVs are regulated and adjusted by
means of adjustable screws.
• One down take branch is taken to
serve/ feed four floors only.
• Each PRV will be set according to
number of floors to be served

• The pressure settings on the down take

pipe should not be more than 2 Kg/SQ
CM
• One down take pipe can supply water
at a pressure of about 1 Kg/SQ CM to
the last floor.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS

Down Take Pressure Reducer Valve System = LOOP SYSTEM

WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS

Down Take Pressure Reducer Valve System

Contradictions to use of overhead tanks in high rise buildings:

Examples include
a) Higher capital costs due to the tank set-up

b) Greater structural requirements

c) High operating costs

d) Lack of pressure control

e) Difficulty in maintaining the overhead tank itself

f) In addition to serving as a storage device and creating pressure, roof-top tanks

unfortunately can also serve as breeding grounds for bacteria (legionella)
constituting a major health risk.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Multiple Storage System
• In this system the building is divided
into sub-zones of 8 to 10 floors by
introducing service floors.

• Domestic and flushing tanks are

provided for such zones independently
on the service floors.

• A suction tank with storage capacity of

one day’s requirement is designed.

• An individual or combined connection

to each zone is given and water is
lifted through single or a set of pumps

• These tanks serve to floors located

below.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Multiple Storage System
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Break Pressure Tank System
• In this system, as the name suggests,
the pressure is broken by introducing a
break tank at every 5 to 8 storeys.

• The entire building is conveniently

divided into suitable zones each of 5 to
8 storeys.
• The capacity of each break pressure
tank should not be less than 2000
litres each for flushing and other
domestic purposes separately.

• The total quantity of water is first

pumped to the overhead tank and
then break pressure tanks receives the
supply through down take system.

• Down take arrangement is made to

provide supply to the lower floors.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Break Pressure Tank System

• Preferable two down take branches are

taken for 8 floors, each branch serving
four floors
• Down take from upper tank serves as
an inlet for lower tank thus limiting
pressure head in the pipe to 25 meters

Advantages
Water always in stock.
Break tanks used on different floors in
high rise buildings, makes pipe sizing
easier compared to single boosting from
basement.

Disadvantages
Pressure in mains is not utilized.
Space is a scarce resource in modern high
rise buildings, making it difficult to have
the needed space allocated for break
tanks.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Hydro-Pneumatic System

• In this system, the water supply is

made through hydro-pneumatic
pressure tank fitted with accessories
like non-return valve and pressure
relief valves, on each zone.

• Each zone of height restricted to 7

storeys or 20 m height whichever is
less.
• The capacity of the pump selected to
cope up with peak demand required
• Usually, a set of three pumps named as
lead pump, supplementary pump and
stand by pump is provided.

• The hydro-pneumatic system

comprised of air tight vessel,
cylindrical in shape and fabricated
from mild steel plates.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Hydro-Pneumatic System

• The air compressor is also necessary to

feed air into the vessel to maintain
proper air-water ratio in the vessel.

• These tanks should be designed that at

maximum pressure desired the air
occupies about one third of the
volume of the tank

• To prevent the development of

dangerously high pressure, pressure
relief valve should be provided.
• Also, vacuum relief valve is to be
provided to avoid collapse of the tank
• The disadvantages of such tanks are
that only about 3/4th to 2/3rd of the
tank capacity is available for storing
water, the rest being occupied by
compressed air.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Hydro-Pneumatic System
This is an automatic system and works on air vessels.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
The most important elements of booster system are described briefly with respect to the
functionality and role in the booster application in general.
1) Booster Pumps:
Water distribution to buildings is vital for several reasons and people who live in multi-story
buildings always need sufficient water. Therefore, high-quality pumps are crucial in booster
systems.

What counts for all though, is the way the core of the pump is designed. Multi-stage pumps
for boosters are all in-line multi-stage pumps.

2) Risers and Branches:

A building supply system is normally divided into risers and branches.

In the risers, total height has been incorporated, and then water is distributed to different
floors through branches to each tap point.

The branches are often joined into main branches using pressure reduction valves (PRV),
creating a zone for each PRV to reduce the required number of PRVs.
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
The most important elements of booster system are described briefly with respect to the
functionality and role in the booster application in general.

3) Pressure reduction valves (PRV):

To equalize pressure on all floors, PRVs are often used in multi-story buildings.

The pressure is mechanically reduced directly by the spring, making it possible to adjust the
pressure precisely for each floor.

The PRV is a rather simple way of controlling the pressure throughout a tall building.

However, there are some disadvantages when using PRVs:

 The PRVs also need maintenance and therefore they need to be placed at an accessible
place
 Each PRV represents a loss, because of the energy consumed by creating higher pressure is
wasted
 Risk of pipe damage and flooding if a PRV fails and lets high pressure into a lower graded
pipe net
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
3) Pressure reduction valves (PRV):
Water under pressure enters the valve through the inlet port. It then goes through an
adjustable orifice which is designed to have the minimum possible response to forward
pressure.
The diaphragm moves in response to the pressure on the outlet side of the adjustable
orifice valve. Spring “A” at the top in the above illustration transmits pressure from the
adjusting screw to the diaphragm and moving valve component.

Spring “B” at the bottom in the

above illustration counteracts
the movement of the diaphragm
and the moving valve
component.
As the pressure in the chamber
behind the diaphragm
increases, the diaphragm
moves upward to reduce the
size of the orifice thereby
restricting flow and reducing the
outlet pressure
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Booster systems may be designed in several different ways with the help of elements
described above.

Single booster system:

 A single booster system is perhaps the simplest booster
system available.
 It relies on a single set of pumps supplying pressure
boosting from the basement to the point farthest away
from the booster system. Basically, such systems may
be configured with or without initial break tanks

Advantages:
Only one riser needed (simple design)
No space required on upper floors
Disadvantages:
Excess pressure gets develop, on lower floors in buildings
exceeding ten floors (which again requires more PRVs and
high pressure graded pipes
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Booster systems may be designed in several different ways with the help of elements
described above.
Zone-divided booster systems:
 The building is divided into pressure zones of ten floors
or less with a booster supplying each zone from the
basement though dedicated risers.

Advantages:
Manageable pressure zones.
Increased flexibility and security due to zoning
No space required on upper floors
Low-cost operation due to no residual pressure

Disadvantages:
Higher initial cost than single-zone systems
Higher static pressure in upper zones (which requires high
pressure graded pipes)
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Booster systems may be designed in several different ways with the help of elements
described above.
Overhead tanks with terrace booster system:
 The solution requires pressure reduction valves on each
floor if the building exceeds approximately 15 stories, to
avoid unwanted high static pressure at the taps in the lower
floors.
 It also requires a terrace booster to provide the top floors
with the required pressure, as static pressure there will be
too low due to insufficient geodetic height at the overhead
tank.
Advantages:
Mature Technology
Small booster power due to roof tank working as buffer
Reserve capacity in roof tank
Disadvantages:
Higher initial cost than single-zone systems
High static pressure in upper zones (high-pressure graded pipes)
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Booster systems may be designed in several different ways with the help of elements
described above.

Series-connected systems with intermediate break tanks:

 Series-connected systems with intermediate break tanks
draw on several other systems, utilizing centrally-placed
break tanks to supply both the taps, the tank’s own
boosting zone and all the zones above it.
 With this system, a building is divided into smaller and
more manageable pressure zones.
 Every zone is then served by its own booster set.
Advantages:
Low pressure in each zone
Manageable pressure zones
Easy to size because each zone has its own supply tank
Disadvantages:
Higher initial cost than single-zone systems
Space required for booster sets and tank on service floors
WATER SUPPLY- HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
Booster systems may be designed in several different ways with the help of elements
described above.
Series-connected systems without intermediate break tanks
 A series-connected system operates on the same principles as the
previously mentioned system, but without the intermediate break
tanks.
 This enables an effective usage of power as the water is only
pumped to the part of the zone where it is used and not past it.
 However, complete control is very important.
Advantages:
Low pressure in each zone
Manageable pressure zones
No space required for tanks
Less excess boosting (low operation costs)
Disadvantages:
Higher initial cost than single-zone systems
Space required for booster sets and tank on service floors
Complex control