At its best, firefighting is a hazardous business. And without a well-designed fire protection system and a fire booster pump, it becomes even more dangerous to save assets and lives. A fire pump is an important part of your sprinkler system and is essential in buildings with levels higher than 400-500 ft.
Especially
in high-rise structures, fire pumps and systems are critical in distributing water through sprinklers. This is true
where water pressure from water mains can’t reach the sprinkler system. It
usually happens when the fire pump intake is either connected to the public
water supply or a static water source like a tank, reservoir, lake, etc.
·
What does a Fire Booster Pump do?
The role of
the fire pump is to provide water flow to the sprinkler risers and hose
standpipes at a higher flow. It starts when the water pressure in the fire
protection system drops below a certain threshold.
The fire
pump is powered either by an electric motor or a diesel engine. If a building
code requires power that is free from the local electric power grid, you will
need an electric motor connected via a listed transfer switch and the installation
of an emergency generator.
·
When do You Need a Fire Pump?
To determine
whether you need a fire booster pump, compare
the fire suppression system demands with the available water supply. If the
supply cannot meet the demands, you will need a fire pump. Conversely, if the water supply meets the pressure demands,
you don’t need a fire pump.
·
What are the Standards Governing Fire
Pumps?
Code-compliant
fire pumps and systems for
commercial and industrial buildings begin with the standards governing fire
pumps. According to the US-based National Fire Protection Association - NFPA, the standard for installing
stationary pumps is the most widely accepted standard. NFPA 20 is considered
the leading code, with its many safety measures that are designed to account
for all conceivable scenarios and ensure maximum fire protection.
NFPA 20 addresses everything from the fire
pump room to the water source itself. The standard provides installers,
designers, and manufacturers with minimum requirements for the design,
manufacture, installation, and testing. It ensures that each of the individual
components would perform as a whole when the system is active.
·
How Often Should You Inspect/Test
Your Fire Pump?
It is likely
that your building contains a sprinkler system and a fire booster pump as part of your fire protection equipment. These are
automatic systems that act as the first line of defense when a fire breaks out.
A vital part of your fire safety plan is to inspect your fire pump so that it can
perform optimally. You may wonder how often you should inspect and test your
fire pump. Well, this can be done regularly, weekly, monthly, and yearly.
·
Why You Should Install a Jockey Pump
in the Fire System
Fire pumps
and sprinkler systems are designed to put out fires as quickly as possible.
This is done by a set of sprinklers connected to each other and to the water
source. When the sprinkler system is active, it will take only a few seconds
for the sprinkler to release water.
However,
there is a need to maintain pressure in the pipes, so each fire sprinkler loses
a small amount of pressure when it turns on. When a fire breaks out and a
sprinkler turns on, there must be enough pressure in the pipes to activate the
next sprinkler.
Here,
installing a jockey pump could save your day. It is designed for this purpose and
will turn on whenever it senses a certain amount of pressure drop in the fire
protection system. It will maintain water pressure to help the fire booster pump operate without any
delay.
The Bottom Line
Without a fire booster pump, your fire
sprinkler system will only work until there is a prolonged water supply and
pressure. This means that the system won’t be able to reach every corner of
your building and put out an entire fire by itself. So, rest easy knowing that
having a sensing line for fire pumps
would help you ensure fire safety 24/7.
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