Fire Pump Essentials - Derek Thompson

8/14/2019 Fire Pump Essentials - Derek Thompson

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FIRE PUMP ESSENTIALS

Chamco Industries


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FOUR TYPES/STYLES OF FIRE PUMPS

Horizontal, split case. (250 usgpm - 5000 usgpm)

Vertical Turbine. ( 250 usgpm - 5000 usgpm )

End Suction. ( commercial )

Vertical Inline. ( commercial )

THE FIRE PUMPS


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FIRE PUMP TYPES

ELECTRIC DRIVEN HORIZONTAL

DIESEL DRIVEN HORIZONTAL


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FIRE PUMP TYPES

JOCKEY PUMP

VERTICAL TURBINE FIRE PUMP & ENGINE


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ENGINES

Engines are UL or FM approved for Fire Service,

and built by:

Caterpillar ( full range, mostly above 200hp ) Cummins ( limited range, 100 - 300hp ) Clarke Engine ( best range, 50 - 700 hp )


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RIGHT ANGLE GEAR DRIVES

Right Angle Gear Drives are FM approved for

Fire Service, and built by:

Randolph Manufacturing Amarillo Gear Johnson Gear


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FIRE PUMP CONTROLLERS

Pump Control panels, for Electric and Diesel

drives are UL or FM or ULC approved for Fire

Service, and built by:

Cutler Hammer Firetrol Metron


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FIRE PUMP CONTROLLERS

Control panels for Diesel drives and Jockey Pumps:


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NFPA 20 Does not specify when or if a

fire pump must be installed

Specifies: How, Components,

Equipment, Power Sourceare acceptable to use

Provides the minimum

requirements needed for

satisfactory operation of

listed fire pumps NFPA 20 covers every type of

listed fire pump

Most common is centrifugal


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Equivalency

1.5 1.5.2

NFPA 20 is not intended to prevent the use of

systems, methods, or devices of equivalent or

superior quality, strength, fire resistance,

effectiveness, durability, and safety over those

prescribed in this standard.

AHJ has the final call


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NFPA 20 Terms Shall

Mandatory requirement

Should

Indicates a

recommendation that is

advised but not required


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What Makes a Pump a Fire Pump

4.2

Stationary pumps shall be selected based on the

conditions under which they are to be installed and

used

Capacities are based on calculated system demand, and

pressures are based on available pressure from the water

supply


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What Makes a Pump a Fire Pump 4.4.1 Unit Responsibility

One supplier for pump, driver, controls

Typically falls on the pump manufacturer

SHOULDwas used not Shall Recommendation, having unit responsibility helps ensure that all

components are compatible

4.5 Certified Shop Test Needs to be furnished from the pump manufacturer to the

purchaser, and must include head capacity and BHP

Why? To verify that the fire pump was tested by themanufacturer prior to shipment and met the conditions.


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What Makes a Pump a Fire Pump

4.6.5 Head

The Head available from a water supply shall be

figured on the basis of a flow for 150% rated

capacity. (EG: 1000GPM pump shall be able to reach

a capacity of 1500GPM)


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What Makes a Pump a Fire Pump 4.7 Pumps, Drivers, and Controllers

4.7.3

A Pump shall not be equipped with more than one driver

4.7.4

Each pump shall have its own dedicated driver

4.7.5

Each driver shall have its own dedicated controller


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What Makes a Pump a Fire Pump 4.7.7 Maximum Pressure for Centrifugal Pumps

4.7.7.1 The net pump shutoff pressure plus the maximum static

suction pressure adjusted for elevation shall not exceed the

pressure for which the system components are rated Ex: 1000Gpm @ 145psi, shut off pressure is 168psi, and suction

pressure is 30psi. You need to have 250# fittings on the

discharge side of the system.

Dont over design the pump and use a throttle device to

regulate pressure!!


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NFPA 204.8 Centrifugal Pump Capacities

Ref.: Copyright 2006 National Fire Protection Association. All Rights Reserved.


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Automatic (circulation) Relief Valve

4.11.1.3 The valve shall provide flow of sufficient water to

prevent the pump form overheating when operating at shutoff. Up to

2500GPM the nominal size shall be 3000GPM and higher shall be1



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Devices in Suction Piping

4.14.9 Devices in Suction Piping.

4.14.9.1 No device or assembly, unless identified in 4.14.9.2 that will stop,

restrict the starting, or restrict the discharge of a fire pump or pump

driver shall be installed in the suction piping. The purpose is to prohibit anything in the

suction that would cause excess turbulence, friciton loss, or cut off the flow to the pump

while running at 150% capacity. Cutting off the supply would cause catastrophic failure to the

pump.



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Water Flow Test DevicesEvery fire pump needs a method for performing the acceptance test.

1) Test Header Flows readings are usually taken with a Pitot tube

3) Flowmeter A special pipe is run for the discharge back to the water

supply with a flowmeter, control valve, and check valve in the line.

4.20.1.1 A fire pump installation shall be arranged to allow the test of the pump

at its rated conditions as well as the suction supply at the maximum

flow available from the fire pump.

Two objectives:

1) To make sure the pump itself will function correctly

2) Make sure the water supply can deliver the correct amount

Under no circumstance may a fire pump be placed into service without an

acceptance test!!!



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Automatic Air Release

6.3.3 Automatic Air Release.

6.3.3.1 Unless the requirements of 6.3.3.2 are met, pumps that are

automatically controlled shall be provided with a listed float-operated

air release valve having a normal 0.50 in. (12.7 mm) minimum

diameter discharge to atmosphere.

Air in the impeller can cause cavitation, dmage the impeller, and negatively

impact pump perfomance!



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Listed Fire Pump Controllers

10.1.2.1

All controllers and transfer switches shall be

specifically listed for electric motor driven Fire

Pump Service

12.1.3.1

All controllers shall be specifically listed for diesel

engine-driven fire pump


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Field Acceptance Testing 14.2.4 .1

A copy of the manufacturers certified pump test

characteristics curve shall be available for comparison of the

results of the field acceptance test

14.2.5.2.1

The fire pump shall perform at minimum, rated, and peak loads

without objectionable overheating of any component


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NFPA 20

14.5.2.1

Whenever a critical path component in a piece of

centrifugal pump equipment is replaced, changed,

or modified, a field/on-site retest shall be

performed

Table 14.5.2.4


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TESTING METHODS


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Courtesy of Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH


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Two hydrants are normally required to

conduct a flow test of the water supply.

This is the flow hydrant, the second hydrant

will only have a pressure gauge and will be

used to obtain a static (no flow) and residualpressure reading (while water is flowing).


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PUMP FLOWDETERMINATION

WITH ( UL / FM )

FLOW METER


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Short Play Pipe

Underwriters Play Pipe

1 Nozzle

1 1/8 Nozzle

PitotTube

1

Nozzle


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Maintenance


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Owner / Operators trained in required

maintenance, weekly operation, required

testing, and record keeping ?

Did the pump distrbutor provide the required

instruction manuals and a weekly check list for the

required weekly testing, maintenance, and

inspections of the pump, driver, and controller ?

NFPA 20 14.3 NFPA 25 4.1 - 4.3

If not, he is not doing his job!!!Weekly Check list should include those items required

by NFPA 25 Chapter 8.


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Review ALL Required Weekly/Annual Maintenance


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NOTE: Clean GreaseForced out of theDrain hole with

PLUG REMOVED !!

Check ForExcessGrease

Review ALL Required Weekly/Annual Maintenance

Annual


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AFTER alignment hasbeen re-checked(ANNUALLY) thecoupling should belubricated and re-assembled. Be sureto check the setscrews for tightness

AnnualAlignment

Check

EMERGENCY


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# 1 C OOL IN G

W A TE R

# 2F UEL# 3

C R A N K

NOTE !

SET at 120 % ofRated RPM **

EMERGENCYMANUALSTARTINGPROCEDURE

(11.6.6)

BE SURE THAT YOUKNOW WHERE THEOVERSPEED RESETIS ON EVERY TYPEOF ENGINE THAT

YOU SELL !!

CUMMINS


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Develop a check listof your own forboth electric anddiesel Fire

Pumps.-OR-

Make a copy of

NFPA 25, Chapter 8for use as a guideforweekly checks.


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HAVE

THESEFOLKS

BEEN

PROPERLYTRAINED?


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?This is the ONLY WM case relief valveon record, that always had a tight shut offwith NO nuisance leakage - until the fire

pump overheated and was destroyed !!


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Motor HP and current

li it lti li d b


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NOTE: Automatic air release

NFPA 20 (7.3.5.2.3) SHALL BE Located between the fire pump andthe discharge check valve. *

limits, multiplied by

the service factor,

must not be exceeded

under any condition of

pump load . CHECK

!

NFPA 20 (9.5.2)*


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NOTE: Automatic air release SHALL BE

Located in the highest point in the discharge

line, between the fire pump and the discharge

check valve. NFPA 20 (7.3.5.2.3) *


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NFPA 20( 7.4.3.7.2 )


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One degree of off-set is the preferredangle, per drive shaft manufacturers!!

NFPA 20 (7.5.1.8.2)*


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NFPA 20 (7.6.1.3)*


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Top Shaft Nut is

used to raise

shaft and

impellers

approximately

1/8 inch. (seeinstruction

book)

NFPA 20 (7.6.1.3)

NFPA 20 2007


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Water Vel,2/sec Max

Water Vel.

1/sec Max

Screen openings equal to 1sq. in. for every GPM(pump capacity at 150%)(at LOWEST Water LEVEL)NFPA 20 (5.14.8)*

Confirm propersubmergence(Pump Length) *

(7.2.2.2)

NFPA 20 (A.7.2.2.2) (5.14.8)

#12*


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Removable screens NFPA 20 (5.14.8.3)

Intake size NFPA 20 (5.14.8.4)*

With a vertical turbine fire


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NFPA 20 2003

Zebra Mussel Infestation

(5.14.8.12)

pump a plugged screen will

affect the water level in the

sump and a plugged basket

strainer on the bottom of thepump will reduce the total

pump performance as the

flow increases.


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VTFP INTAKE

PROBLEMS..

Removable screens NFPA 20 (5.14.8.3)Intake size ??? NFPA 20 (5.14.8.4)

2 ft/sec and 1

Sq. Inch per

GPM at 150%

Flow ?


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Pond

Maintenance

-OR-Lack of !!!


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Documents

Fire Pump Essentials - Derek Thompson