MEBS6021 Fire Services Design I

Worked Example Drencher System (Fully Hydraulic Calculation)

The refuge floor (70m above ground level) of the building is protected by a drencher system.
The horizontal piping arrangement is shown. The performance chart of the nozzle is given.
The water supply is fed by a drencher tank and pumps which is at the roof level which is 50m
above the refuge floor.
(a) Determine the pressure and flowrate requirement of the most remote drencher nozzle.
(b) By using full hydraulic calculation, determine the design flowrate and pressure
requirement at Point A of the system.
(c) Determine the pressure and flow requirement of the drencher pump, and the effective
volume of the drencher tank.

Worked Solution
(a) Pressure and Flow requirement of the most remote drencher nozzle
From the layout, each drencher nozzle is designed to cover 2m(W) x 1.5m(H) of open area.
(one opening is 4m wide and is protected by 2 nozzles).
From the performance chart of the drencher nozzle, the relative position of the window and
the area served by one nozzle is shown below.

It is shown that the pressure required per nozzle = 0.35bar.

Consider the pressure and flow characteristics of the nozzle (consider the nozzle has a k value
= 80 for 15mm orifice)
Q = k P , Q = 80 0.35 = 47 L/min
The area to be served by one nozzle = 2m x 1.5m = 3m2,
Thus the density
= 47 / 3 = 15.7 L/min/m2 (which satisfy the CoP FSI requirement 10 L/min/m2)
(b) Design flowrate and pressure requirement at Pt. A
Consider the hydraulically most unfavorable location, i.e. at Pt. G
P(G) = 0.35bar at 47 L/min
Accordingly,
P(F) = 0.35bar + 0.01bar (loss of 32mm pipe at 47 L/min) = 0.36 bar
For nozzle at Pt. F,
Q = 80 0.36 = 48 L/min

Q(EF) = (47 + 48) L/min = 95 L/min

At junction Pt. E,
P(E) = 0.36bar + 0.04bar = 0.4 bar
Q(DE) = 2 x Q(EF) = 190 L/min (symmetrical)

P(D) = 0.4 bar + 0.01 bar = 0.41bar

Consider the other branch at DHJ,
Assume
P(J) = 0.35bar at 47 L/min (use the same condition as pt.G as a starting point)
P(H) = 0.35bar + 0.005bar = 0.36 bar
Q(DH) = 2 x 47 L/min = 94 L/min
P(D) = 0.36 bar + 0.02bar = 0.38bar
Comparing the first route DEFG, where P(D) = 0.41bar > 0.38bar, thus the flowrate is
adjusted using the relationship:
P Q2
P(D) adjusted from 0.38 bar to 0.41 bar, thus Q(DH) = 109 L/min
Adding up the two branches
Q(CD) = Q(DH) + Q(DE) = 109 L/min + 190 L/min = 299 L/min
P(C) = 0.41bar + 0.02bar = 0.43 bar
Q(BC) =2 x Q(CD) = 598 L/min (symmetrical)
P(B) = 0.43bar + 0.02bar = 0.45bar
Q(AB) = 2 x Q(BC) = 1196 L/min (say 1200 L/min) (symmetrical)
P(A) = 0.45bar + 0.03bar = 0.48 bar (say 0.5 bar)
(c) Pressure and flow requirement of the drencher / intermediate pump, and the effective
volume of the drencher tank
Based on the configuration of the system, a draft schematic line diagram is sketched as
follows:

Water is stored in the drencher tank at the roof where the drencher pump is also located.
Since the drencher deluge valve and the drencher inlet has to be located at ground level for
fireman access, a vertical downpipe is connected from the drencher pump to ground level,
then directed upwards along the riser to the drencher distribution pipework at refuge floor.
The pipe sizes for the downpipe and riser are 100mm (this is to align with the main
distribution pipe of the drencher layout. Moreover, the head loss of 0.08mH/m and flow
velocity of 2.5m/s at 1200L/min are reasonable figures)
The design flow of the drencher pump = 1200 L/min
Pipe run from water tank to top of riser (Pt. A) along the drencher system
= 120m (downpipe to G/F) + 70m (upfeed to refuge floor) = 190m
Using Hazen Williams formula, pressure loss from water tank to Pt.A = 1.5 bar (100mm
main pipe, 1200L/min) + other fitting losses (neglected in this calculation)
Pressure requirement = 0.5 bar at Pt. A (from (b)),
thus total head loss from drencher tank to the system = 0.5 + 1.5 = 2.0 bar
The drencher tank is 50m above the refuge floor, a 5 bar static head gain is available,
Considering the required pressure in the system, no drencher pump is needed (in this case,
all fitting losses are neglected)
As the refuge floor is 70m above the drencher inlet, an intermediate booster pump should be
installed for the system.
The available pressure at the downstream of the drencher inlet
= 800kPa (from fire engine) 100kPa (head loss of drencher inlet) [this is estimated based on
the flowrate = 1200L/min. A normal FS Inlet has a flow of only 900 L/min]
= 700kPa (7 bar)
Thus the drencher intermediate booster pump head
= 0.5 bar (at Pt. A) + 0.5 bar (riser head loss) + 7 bar (static head) - 7 bar (after drencher
inlet)
= 1 bar
Thus, the pump head of the intermediate booster pump = 1.1 bar @ 1200L/min
The tank sizing is based on 30 minute operation, thus
Tank size = 1200L/min x 30 min = 36000 L (36m3)