Protected Sprinkler Head

A part of the truck could easily shear off a sprinkler head. Some locations have been known to hang streamers or noise-producing metal strips from pipes and other parts of the building that could easily be struck by equipment or an elevated load. Painting of the hazards or adding yellow and black striped tape also helps to identify the area. 

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Reflected ceiling plans are useful in controlling the design of the ceiling plane. Figure 38.19 shows that each element (lighting, HVAC, fire-protection sprinkler heads, special systems, and ceiling-mounted equipment) can be installed and operate properly. 

Under mezzanines, walkways, and within rackings, protective guards can be placed over sprinkler heads to protect them from damage. Figure 6-8 identifies a protected sprinkler head. It is important to keep any piece of powered equipment away from low ceilings or low walkways. 

Determine the fire water requirements (gpm, number of sprinkler heads, and pump horsepower) to protect an inside process area of2000 ft2. Assume that the sprinkler nozzles have a 0.5-in orifice and that the nozzle pressure is 75 psig. 

A deluge sprinkler system is a sprinkler system designed to NFPA 13 with open sprinkler heads. A water spray system is hydraulically designed with open spray heads to protect a specific hazard. Water spray systems are discussed in Section 7.4.8. 

Small wet pipe systems can be protected by an antifreeze solution. The extent of the system should be limited to 20 sprinkler heads or less. For systems over 20 sprinkler heads, a dry pipe system should be used. 

Sprinkler heads that are exposed to potential mechanical damage should be protected with guards. 

Deluge protection can be applied over the entire hazard area with open sprinkler heads located at various floor levels or fixed water spray systems can be applied specifically on the equipment to be protected. Specific water spray application is preferred because it provides better equipment cooling and reduces the water wasted due to wind and fire draft. 

Sterilizers/ovens are unloaded and items staged prior to transfer to the individual fill rooms. ISO 5 air is provided over the discharge area of ovens (and autoclaves if items are sterilized unwrapped) to provide protection until the items are ready for transfer. The heat loads in this room may be such that special high-temperature sprinkler heads may be necessary to avoid unintentional discharge when unloading hot materials. This room may not be separate from the corridor used to connect the fill rooms. It is ordinarily adjacent to any aseptic storage area. 

The water supply to B6596 consists of a 6-inch riser in the mechanical equipment room that supplies water to the fire protection wet-pipe sprinkler system. Sprinkler heads have internal fusible elements that open the sprinkler flow orifice at a temperature of 165°F. Fire alarm pull stations and fire extinguishers are located in both the main facility and the Chapel. 

Preaction Systems This is a special fonii of dry-pipe system. The piping may or may notbe under pressure. There are sensors in protected areas besides sensors at each sprinkler head. The special sensors detect a fire and open a valve to fiU the pipe with water. The special sensors operate before those in the sprinkler heads. This design reduces the delay found in a dry-pipe system. 

There are two methods for designing sprinkler systems. One is hydraulic design. The other works from tables, charts, and data provided in the code. The code specifies the water pressure required at each head. Achieving those pressures at each head will ensure the proper water flow rate at the heads. Selection of sprinkler heads helps get the water where needed and makes sure all areas or locations have protection. 

Fire Protection Systems Exits and exit routes properly marked Exit signs lighted Automatic doors operable Emergency lighting operable Extinguishers in place and operable Alarms in place and operable Sprinkler heads have clear space ... 

The System 80+ Standard Design is designed to preclude water spray from the fire protection system onto safety-related equipment. The sprinkler systems protecting the safety-related equipment is of the automatic sprinkler type. Actuation of these sprinkler systems requires the opening of the fusible link sprinkler heads and detection by combustible-products and/or heat detectors. In addition, the operator has the capability of isolating flow from the control room by isolating the Sub-sphere Building headers or, locally by manual isolation valves. 

Sprinkler heads should be fitted no closer than 75-100 mm below the ceiling or roof and a clear space of at least 750 mm should be maintained between the deflectors and the top of any product or goods being protected. The heads should have a minimum separation of 2 m and be spaced such that no part of the area beneath which needs to be protected remains un wetted. 

Are sprinkler heads protected by metal guards if exposed to potential physical damage ... 

The automatic sprinkler is the most important piece of automatic fire protection. The automatic sprinkler system is like having an experienced fireman wilhin 10 of anywhere a fire will start. Many people are worried about the loss that occur from water damage from a sprinkler system but it is nothing compared to the savings in a fire. Even when a sprinkler head operates, it operates much more efficiently than a fire department with a hose stream could ever operate. By the time a fire department arrives with hoses, the area is generally engulfed in smoke and it could be difficult to find the seat of a fire. Water is used much less efficiently and more water damage would occur when hose streams are applied. 

Workstations. All workstations must be installed with fire sprinkler protection. Workstations constructed of combustible materials containing HPMs must contain a sprinkler head within four feet of the exhaust duct connection. Sprinkler coverage of the horizontal surface at any workstation shall not be obstructed. NFPA 318, in addition to requiring automatic sprinkler protection of the horizontal surface, requires sprinkler protection in the exhaust transition piece of combustible workstations (Paragraph 2-1.2.8.1). A sprinkler shall be installed within the exhaust duct cormection of workstations of combustible construction. 

Roof drenchers - roof drenchers have a deflector rather similar to that of a sprinkler head. From the roof ridge they throw a curtain of water upwards which then runs down the roof (Fig. 9.63). All parts of the roof and any skylights, windows or other openings must be protected. 

The deluge system. This system permits all sprinkler heads to open and discharge water at the same time. A detection system in the protected area allows for water to flow through the pipes. This a good system for areas of storage for highly flammable materials. 

When the concrete-block fire wall between the two building sections collapsed, the sprinkler system, now nearly forty years old, was triggered. Fifteen sprinkler heads created a water curtain that protected the structure until firefighters arrived. The loss to the unprotected part of the warehouse totaled 1.2 million. 

The preaction system. In libraries, museums, or other locations where special contents may be housed, the preaction sprinkler system must be used. Any operation of the sprinkler system in the absence of fire would be devastating to the building contents. Most fire safety professionals identify two events that must take place in order to activate the system. First, the heat of a fire will melt the fusible link in the sealed sprinkler heads. Second, a detector must open the deluge valve to admit the water. In the absence of either of these two events, the sprinkler system will not function. The biggest disadvantage of this system is the cost. However, when contents of great value must be protected, the expense of a preaction system may not be restrictive. 

If another level of storage is added by stacking higher or adding racks, more protection may be needed. More combustible material has been added to the space. Three feet of clearance is needed between the top of storage and sprinkler heads for effective spray distribution. 

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