Sprinkler system design

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. 

Dry-pipe Valve A valve in a dry-pipe sprinkler system designed so that moderate air pressure will hold back a much greater water pressure. 

Fire testing used to develop automatic sprinkler system design criteria has shown that other factors are important to determine the overall fire hazard of containerized liquids. These factors include the liquid properties, such as liquid burning rate, fire point, specific gravity, water solubility, and viscosity, as well as the container design and size. These important factors have been incorporated into the sprinkler system design tables in Section 4-8 of the 1996 edition of NFPA 30. 

Sprinkler system design criteria in standards published by the NFPA and FM were developed without the use of draft curtains and automatic heat and smoke vents. FM does not require heat and smoke vent installation. However, FM Loss Prevention Data Sheet 8-9, Storage of Class 1,2, 3, 4, and Plastic Commodities, recommends that heat and smoke vents be manually actuated in sprinklered warehouses, if installed. Conversely, IRI recommends automatic heat and smoke vents in sprinklered buildings except where early-suppression fast-response (ESFR) sprinkler systems are used. 

TABLE 7-3 Sprinkler System Design Criteria References ... 

BS EN 12845 Fixed fire-fighting systems. Automatic sprinkler systems Design, installation and maintenance... 

Design ventilation system to keep flammable concentration below lower flammable limit Provide on-line flammable gas detection and activation of inerting system Install automatic sprinkler system Install deflagration vents... 

Coupolet fittings are designed lor use in fire protection sprinkler systems and other low pressure piping applications. 

The term engineered safety covers the provision in the design of control systems, alarms, trips, pressure-relief devices, automatic shut-down systems, duplication of key equipment services and fire-fighting equipment, sprinkler systems and blast walls, to contain any fire or explosion. 

All codes that apply to the facility should be identified early in the design phase to ensure that all code requirements are included in the initial design, avoiding add-on costs of compliance. For example, if a sprinkler system is... 

The availability of pre-action systems depends heavily upon the availability of the associated independent detection system. To compensate for this, systems should be designed so that the valve can be opened manually, both locally and at a constantly attended location. In addition, because of the complex mechanical valve arrangement, pre-action systems are less reliable than wet and dry pipe sprinkler systems. 

The design criteria of the sprinkler system should be established by a fire protection engineer, whereas the design of sprinkler systems is generally performed by licensed sprinkler contractors. Design calculations and plan drawings should be reviewed by a competent individual. Some important highlights and exceptions to NFPA 13 are ... 

To ensure proper drainage, inspection personnel must examine overhead piping for proper pitch. Sprinkler systems are designed to drain back to the sprinkler riser, where a 2 in (5.1 cm) valve drain outlet is provided. When this is not possible and some piping is trapped, supplementary low point drain valves should be provided. Low-point drains should be shown on the system drawings. 

Facilities where EVs are charged or stored should be protected from fire. The same fire protection technologies used few conventional vehicles should be used for EVs. In charging facilities, sprinkler systems can be used because chargers are designed to withstand the water exposure that a sprinkler system would cause. Smoke alarms and ultraviolet/infrared detectors are recommended for EVs, just as they would be for conventional vehicles. 

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