1. Basics of Fire Sprinkler Design
K.S. “Buck” Collier

2. K.S. Collier
NICET Level III Fire Protection Engineering Technology/Water Based Systems Layout.
Have worked in industry 28 years.
January 1986 to December employed by Commonwealth Sprinkler Company
February 2000 to present employed by K & E Fire Sprinkler

3. Elements with Largest Impact on Sprinkler Design
Water Supply
Occupancy
Building Construction

4. 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
Some perform hydrant flow test
Some provide calculated information
Private- designs will include tank and pump

5. Water Supply The three elements of the water supply are:
Static Pressure
Residual Pressure
Water Flow

6. Water Supply
Static Pressure: The pressure available with no water flow
Residual Pressure: The pressure
available with a water flow
Flow: The amount of gallons per minute of the water flow
These three make up the Water Supply Curve

7. Water Supply Curve

9. 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)

10. 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

11. Design Criteria Water Density Coverage per Sprinkler
Spacing per Sprinkler
Remote Area

12. 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

13. Design Criteria
Coverage per Sprinkler (max. square footage) Light hazard= 225 sq. ft. Ordinary hazard= 130 sq. ft. Extra Hazard= 100 sq. ft.

14. Design Criteria
Spacing for a Standard Sprinkler (max.) Light hazard= 15’-0” Ordinary hazard= 15’-0” Extra Hazard= 12’-0”

15. 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.

16. Hazard Comparisons

18. Building Construction
Construction of Building Effects Design of Sprinkler System
Sloped Ceilings
Impact reaction time of sprinklers thus requiring an increase in remote area size by 30%.
1500 sq ft. +30% (450 sq. ft.) = 1950 sq. ft.
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%.

19. Building Construction
Example: seasonal restaurant seating area
Heated flat ceiling
1500 sq ft remote area
Unheated flat ceiling
1500 sq ft. +30% (450 sq. ft.) = 1950 sq. ft. remote area
Unheated sloped ceiling
1500 sq ft. +30% (450 sq. ft.) = 1950 sq. ft. +30% (585 sq. ft.) = 2535 sq. ft. remote area

21. ASCET Central Virginia Chapter
Thank you for allowing me to give this brief presentation on Basics of Fire Sprinkler Design
Sincerely,
K.S. “Buck” Collier
February 5, 2014