FIRE PUMP ESSENTIALS

Chamco Industries
 THE FIRE PUMPS

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 )
 FIRE PUMP TYPES

DIESEL DRIVEN HORIZONTAL

ELECTRIC DRIVEN HORIZONTAL

 FIRE PUMP TYPES

JOCKEY PUMP

VERTICAL TURBINE FIRE PUMP & ENGINE

 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 )
 RIGHT ANGLE GEAR DRIVES

Right Angle Gear Drives are FM approved for

Fire Service, and built by:

• Randolph Manufacturing
• Amarillo Gear
• Johnson Gear
 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
 FIRE PUMP CONTROLLERS

Control panels for Diesel drives and Jockey Pumps:

NFPA 20
• Does not specify when or if a
fire pump must be installed
• Specifies: How, Components,
Equipment, Power Source
are 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
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
NFPA 20 Terms
• Shall
– Mandatory requirement
• Should
– Indicates a
recommendation that is
advised but not required
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
What Makes a Pump a Fire Pump
• 4.4.1 Unit Responsibility
– One supplier for pump, driver, controls
• Typically falls on the pump manufacturer
• SHOULD was 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 the
manufacturer prior to shipment and met the conditions.
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)
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 it’s own dedicated driver
• 4.7.5
– Each driver shall have it’s own dedicated controller
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.
• Don’t over design the pump and use a throttle device to
regulate pressure!!
 NFPA 20
4.8 Centrifugal Pump Capacities

Ref.: Copyright © 2006 National Fire Protection Association. All Rights Reserved.
 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 ¾” 3000GPM and higher shall be
1”

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

Ref.: Copyright © 2006 National Fire Protection Association. All Rights Reserved.
 Water Flow Test Devices
Every 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!!!
Ref.: Copyright © 2006 National Fire Protection Association. All Rights Reserved.
 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!

Ref.: Copyright © 2006 National Fire Protection Association. All Rights Reserved.
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
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
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
TESTING METHODS
Courtesy of Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati, OH
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 residual
pressure reading (while water is flowing).
 P UM P
A “CHUR N ” “ RATED”

.
P ressure B 100 %
FLOW
.

.
. .
“R ATED
C 150 %
100% FLOW
FLOW“
H
ACTUAL CI TY
E W ATER FROM
A FLOW TEST

FLOW IN GPM
PUMP FLOW
DETERMINATION
WITH ( UL / FM )
FLOW METER
PUM P FLOW
DETER M I NATI ON

WITH NOZZLE ( UL / FM )
PLAY PIPE and PITOT TUBE
<FM> Short Play Pipe

1 1/8 ” Nozzle

Pitot
1 ¾ ” Nozzle Tube

1¾”
Underwriters Play Pipe Nozzle
Maintenance
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.
Review ALL Required Weekly/Annual Maintenance

NOTE: Clean Grease Check For

Forced out of the Excess
Grease
Drain hole with
PLUG REMOVED !!
Annual
Alignment
Check

AFTER alignment has

been re-checked
(ANNUALLY) the
coupling should be
lubricated and re-
assembled. Be sure
to check the set
screws for tightness
EMERGENCY
MANUAL CUMMINS
STARTING
PROCEDURE
(11.6.6)
SET at 120 % of
Rated RPM **

NOTE !

#1 #2
BE SURE THAT YOU
KNOW WHERE THE
OVERSPEED RESET
C OOLI NG F UEL
IS ON EVERY TYPE
OF ENGINE THAT
W ATER YOU SELL !!

#3
C RANK
Develop a check list
of your own for
both “electric” and
“diesel” Fire
Pumps.
-OR-

Make a copy of
NFPA 25, Chapter 8
for use as a guide
for weekly checks.
HAVE
THESE
FOLKS
BEEN
PROPERLY
TRAINED?
 ?
This is the ONLY “WM” case relief valve
on record, that always had a tight shut off
with “NO” nuisance leakage - until the fire
pump overheated and was destroyed !!
Vertical Turbine Fire Pump
NFPA 20 (7. 1)
 Motor HP and current
limits, multiplied by
the service factor,
must not be exceeded
under any condition of
pump load . CHECK
!
NFPA 20 (9.5.2)*

NOTE: Automatic air release

NFPA 20 (7.3.5.2.3) “SHALL BE”
Located between the fire pump and
the discharge check valve. *
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) *
NFPA 20 (7.6.2.3)
ACCESS FOR REMOVAL ?**
NFP A 20 ( 7.4.3.7.2 )
I – beam s m ust be parallel
to the engine !*
NFPA 20
( 7.4.3.7.2 )
One degree of off-set is the preferred
angle, per drive shaft manufacturers!!
NFPA 20 (7.5.1.8.2)*
NFPA 20 (7.6.1.3)*

Top Shaft Nut is

used to raise
shaft and
impellers
approximately
1/8 “ inch. (see
instruction
book)
NFPA 20 2007

Screen openings equal to 1

sq. in. for every GPM
(pump capacity at 150%)

#12
(at LOWEST Water LEVEL)
NFPA 20 (5.14.8)*

Water Vel, Confirm proper

2’/sec Max submergence
(Pump Length) *

* (7.2.2.2)

Water Vel.
1’/sec Max

NFPA 20 (A.7.2.2.2) (5.14.8)

Removable screens NFPA 20 (5.14.8.3)
Intake size NFPA 20 (5.14.8.4)*
With a vertical turbine fire
pump a plugged screen will
affect the water level in the
sump and a plugged basket
strainer on the bottom of the
pump will reduce the total
pump performance as the
flow increases.

NFPA 20 2003
Zebra Mussel Infestation
(5.14.8.12)
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 ?
 Pond
Maintenance
-OR-
Lack of !!!