How Important Are Hydraulic Calculations in Sprinkler System Design?

A fire inside an establishment is a significant problem everywhere in the world. The first line of defense in this circumstance is your installed fire sprinklers. This invention has been saving lives ever since. These firefighting machines are not built only to spray water when activated. These gadgets need an effective sprinkler system design to be at their full potential so that office fires will be no problem.     

There are two ways to design a sound sprinkler system: pipe scheduling and hydraulic calculation.      

Establishments use the automatic sprinkler system because of its effectiveness. These automatic sprinklers respond to heat inside an establishment. Also, quench any active flame that might spread throughout the area, spraying only the site where the sprinkler detected heat.      

When building and installing a fire sprinkler, how can you ensure the fire sprinkler will provide the right amount of water? Especially during a fire in an establishment? This situation is where hydraulic calculation comes in.     

Hydraulic calculations are essential when designing fire protection systems. This calculation ensures the piping on your sprinkler delivers enough water to extinguish any fire. Too much or lacking water in your sprinkler will escalate the fire or even give rise to another problem.      

Using the hydraulic calculation method, design engineers can determine the optimal piping diameters for a fire sprinkler system.     

Fire protection engineers have a common problem. That is ensuring the automatic sprinkler system releases right amount of water and suitable pressure in the system. The pipe scheduling method uses large pipes and expensive pumps as reasonable solutions. Still, it will increase the cost of the sprinkler system. This will take up too much space because of its oversized features.  

The pipe schedule method is the most used design for fire sprinkler systems. Though as stated above, it takes up too much space and increases your installation costs.      

The hydraulic calculation system is what you want in these kinds of problems. This system can reduce installation costs, provide more space, and promote safety. Also meeting local building codes and the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards.     

Is the water supply enough?

The fire protection engineer must do a water test to start the hydraulic calculation for your sprinkler system design. But you need to know first the two types of water sources.  

One open sources, that is lakes, ponds, and rivers.  

The other is close source. the fire hydrants, underground, above-the-ground, and elevated water tanks.     

This test involves testing the pressure of your water source, the fire hydrant. But when the fire hydrant is not enough as a source, other sources can be useful such as lakes, ponds, and rivers. In the case of a lake or a buried tank, the calculation must add extra pressure.    

Using the hydraulic calculation system will have its advantages. You can indeed reduce installation costs with this system.      

The pipe schedule method uses piping diameter based on tables. The pipe schedule method is easy with simple calculations. Though take too much space because these pipes are bigger. With the hydraulic calculation system, fire protection engineers can see a lot. Including the optimal diameters of cross mains branch lines and risers, reducing system costs without affecting performance. Using this calculation system also extends to the labor as you will use smaller pipes in the installation.     

The hydraulic calculation system requires more complex calculations than the pipe schedule method. But you get reliable fire protection at a lower cost. Modern fire protection systems have computerized measures. This allows you to change and recalculate with a snap of a finger.  

Don’t worry that this system might confuse you. With a little work, you will understand the hydraulic calculation system in no time.   

Also, don’t forget to install weather-resistant steel exterior access doors  in your establishment. This access door protects your electrical wires from getting drenched in water. If the sprinklers activate, preventing more damage to your establishment.  

Final Thoughts   

In installing fire prevention systems, you need hydraulic calculation for your fire sprinklers. Not only does it save installation costs, also gives you exceptional fire protection.