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Basics of Fire Sprinkler Design: K.S. "Buck" Collier
Basics of Fire Sprinkler Design: K.S. "Buck" Collier
Design
K.S. Buck Collier
K.S. Collier
NICET
Supply
Occupancy
Building Construction
Water Supply
Basic Definition- The water that is available
to the building/job site. The design of the
sprinkler system is based on this available
water
Varies from project to project
Can be public or private
Public- Locality provides water flow data
Water Supply
The
Water Supply
Static
Occupancy
Occupancy Determines Hazard Classification
Light Hazard
(Schools, Office Buildings, Restaurant Seating Areas, Hospitals)
Ordinary Hazard
Group I (Parking deck, restaurant service area, beverage
manufacturing)
Group 2 (Repair garages, mercantile, barns, chemical plants,
piers, wood shop)
Extra Hazard
Group 1 (Aircraft hangers, printing, saw mills,)
Group 2 (Flammable liquid spraying, Manufactured home
assemblies, plastic processing)
Occupancy
The Fire Hazards are based on fuel load
Each Fire Hazard has its own design criteria
Design Criteria are the requirements to which
the sprinkler system design is based
Design Criteria
Water Density
Coverage per Sprinkler
Spacing per Sprinkler
Remote Area
Design Criteria
Water Density= Gallons per minute (GPM)
per sq. ft. covered by the sprinkler
Light hazard= .10 gpm per sq. ft.
Ordinary hazard
Group 1= .15 gpm per sq. ft.
Group 2 =.20 gpm per sq. ft.
Extra Hazard
Group 1 = .30 gpm per sq. ft.
Group 2 = .40 gpm per sq. ft
Design Criteria
Coverage per Sprinkler (max. square
footage)
Light hazard= 225 sq. ft.
Ordinary hazard= 130 sq. ft.
Extra Hazard= 100 sq. ft.
Design Criteria
Spacing for a Standard Sprinkler (max.)
Light hazard= 15-0
Ordinary hazard= 15-0
Extra Hazard= 12-0
Design Critera
Remote Area- The area that must be
proven, by hydraulic calculations, that if all
sprinklers activate, the piping and supply
can provide the required pressure and gpm
Light Hazard- minimum of 1500 sq. ft
Ordinary Hazard- minimum of 1500 sq. ft
Extra Hazard- minimum of 2500 sq. ft.
Hazard Comparisons
Building Construction
Unconditioned Spaces
Dry System required for unconditioned spaces
Dry Systems impact reaction time of sprinklers thus
requiring and increase in remote area size by 30%.
1500 sq ft. +30% (450 sq. ft.) = 1950 sq. ft.
Building Construction
Sincerely,
K.S. Buck Collier
February 5, 2014