Updates to NFPA 13 What’s New in the 2013 Edition Kenneth E. Isman, P.E., F.S.F.P.E. For the European Fire Sprinkler Network’s Fire Sprinkler International Conference May 21, 2014

Sprinkler System Definition An integrated network of piping designed in accordance with fire protection engineering standards that includes a water supply source, a water control valve, a water flow alarm, and a drain... 2

Floor Control requires a floor control valve, check valve, main drain, and flow switch for each floor of a building Exception for buildings where the total area of all floors combined does not exceed: – 4831 m 2 (52,000 ft 2 ) for light and ordinary hazard – 3716 m 2 (40,000 ft 2 ) for extra hazard and high- piled storage 3

Re-Inserting Used Sprinklers Once a sprinkler has been removed, it must be replaced 4

Antifreeze Any new systems will have to use a listed fluid As of right now, there are no listed fluids 5

Soffits 6 24 inch max 18 inch minimum No maximum ½ S No sprinkler required underneath (8.6, 8.8 and 8.10)

Dry Sprinklers Need minimum space for the barrel in a heated space 7

Dry Sprinklers 8

HVLS Fans Criteria added for fans up to 24 ft in diameter – Center the fans between 4 sprinklers – Keep the fan 36 inches below the sprinklers – Shut down the fan within 90 seconds of waterflow 9

Encapsulated Storage Discharge criteria for palletized and solid piled storage over 15 ft up to 20 ft – Class I – 18.7 mm/min over 186m 2 (0.46 gpm per ft 2 over 2000 ft 2 ) – Class II – 21.7 mm/min over 186m 2 (0.53 gpm per ft 2 over 2000 ft 2 ) – Class III and Class IV – 24.5 mm/min over 186m 2 (0.6 gpm per ft 2 over 2000 ft 2 ) 10

Solid Shelves and ESFR Sprinklers In 2010 and previous editions, ESFR sprinklers have been prohibited for use to protect solid shelves 2013 edition will allow solid shelves with ESFR if in-rack sprinklers are installed below every horizontal barrier or shelf below the ESFR sprinklers 11

Open Top Containers Criteria in the standard does not apply to protection of open top containers Open tops collect water, which does not get down to control the fire Open top containers can be used at the bottom tier of storage Otherwise, protection is outside the scope of the standard 12

Exposed Unexpanded Plastics on Racks The criteria in the standard for protection of plastics under 25 ft has never been for exposed plastics New rules for standard proposed from old FM rules 13

C-Factor for Galvanized Pipe Use C=100 for all steel pipe in dry-pipe systems, regardless of whether the pipe is galvanized 14

Recycled or Reclaimed Water Collected rainwater is okay for sprinkler systems (like using ponds or rivers) But recycled and reclaimed water could be a problem Need to know what’s in the water – Could be combustible – Could have something that reacts with sprinkler components or gums up the works 15

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