1. FIREFIGHTING NOZZLES and FIRE HYDRAULICS
Task Force Tips, Inc.
Firefighting Nozzles
and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
FIREFIGHTING NOZZLES and FIRE HYDRAULICS
presented by:
Task Force Tips / KK Products
Task Force Tips is a manufacture of the world’s best fire suppression equipment. Chief Clyde McMillan designed and developed the world’s first automatic pressure regulating nozzle. From that beginning, the guiding philosophy of Task Force Tips has been, and continues to be, education.
This educational program is divided into several sections. Each section presents facts pertaining to a particular type or group of nozzles, or to a particular concept.
Upon completion of all sections, the student will be able to demonstrate proper selection, use and application of various types of fire stream delivery equipment.
Although it is encouraged that every section be presented, a basic understanding of the individual sections should increase the students awareness level of the items covered in that individual section.
drm

2. FIREFIGHTING NOZZLES and FIRE HYDRAULICS
Task Force Tips, Inc.
Firefighting Nozzles
and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
FIREFIGHTING NOZZLES and FIRE HYDRAULICS
An overview of basic nozzle design and the production of effective fire streams.
The goal of the presentation is to raise the awareness level of the student by providing;
an overview of various nozzle types;
an explaination of how they function;
the advantages and disadvantages of a particular design;
how to use formulas and techniques to develop effective streams;
how to choose the proper stream using fireground formulas;
proper utilization of foam streams.
drm

3. Task Force Tips, Inc. Firefighting Nozzles and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
Today’s Fire Service...
Providing more diverse services
Less personnel
Training demands increased
Fire streams training less frequent
Foam training considered costly
10% of fires results in 90% of losses
Fire streams training is still needed
Why do we need to learn or re-learn about fire streams and nozzles?
Because the fire service isn’t just the fire service any more.
To justify their existence, fire departments have expanded the customer services they provide, including medical services.
With this increase in service demands, more time is spent training in the other areas.
More demands to meet standards from outside agencies, i.e. OSHA, NFPA, ISO, with reduced resources.
Because of decrease in fire runs, less attention has been given to fire fighting basics, including fire streams.
There is a need to refocus on fire streams training, due to the dynamic and aggressive nature of fire.
Foam training does not necessarily have to be costly, with the use of Class A foams and training foams.
All of this, and staffing levels have been reduced in most areas.
drm

4. FIREFIGHTING NOZZLES and FIRE HYDRAULICS
Task Force Tips, Inc.
Firefighting Nozzles
and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
FIREFIGHTING NOZZLES and FIRE HYDRAULICS
Hand Held Stream Evolution
Fixed & Selectable Flow Nozzles
Automatic Nozzles
Valve Design
Fire Ground Hydraulics
Nozzle Pressure
Shaping the Fire Stream
Fog Tooth Design
Smooth Bore vs. Combination
Fire vs. Water Flow
Achieving Maximum Flows
Nozzles & Foam
Master Stream Nozzles
The program is separated into sections.
When presented in order, and completely, the students will have a better understanding of developing effective fire streams.
drm

5. Task Force Tips, Inc. Firefighting Nozzles and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
A Fire Stream is...
A stream of water or other water-based extinguishing agent, after it leaves the nozzle until it reaches the desired target
What is a Fire Stream?
A stream of water or other water-based extinguishing agent, after it leaves the nozzle until it reaches the desired target.
It is important to understand that many factors effect the fire stream.
By understanding the history of nozzles and hand-held streams, it should be easier to understand what is involved with developing effective streams.
drm

6. Hand Held Stream Evolution
Task Force Tips, Inc.
Firefighting Nozzles
and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
Hand Held Stream Evolution
This section covers the history and development of hand held nozzles through the 1970’s.
drm

7. Hand Held Stream Evolution...
Task Force Tips, Inc.
Firefighting Nozzles
and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
Hand Held Stream Evolution...
early 1800’s
Water moved from source to fire manually
No hose capabilities
No pumping capability and therefore no pressure
The Fire Service in America began in the 1600’s with many volunteers fighting fires using bucket brigades. Water was moved from the source to the fire manually. There were no pumps, no hoses and many times the fire raged on until everything in its path was consumed.
The syringe shown here was filled by drawing water from the buckets and aiming it at the fire and “injecting” the water at the fire. Very crude, but an improvement over throwing the water from the buckets.
You might say this was the first attempt at pressurizing the water to make it reach farther and be more effective.
drm

8. Hand Held Stream Evolution...
Task Force Tips, Inc.
Firefighting Nozzles
and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
Hand Held Stream Evolution...
Early 1800’s
Hand pumps
Sewn leather or riveted hose
Very limited pressure capabilities
Appliances/nozzles of cast copper or brass
The early 1800’s brought about the development of machinery to do some of the work.
Using human power, the hand-type pumper would draft the water from a water source such as a cistern and pressurize it to move it through leather hoses.
The nozzles were made of cast brass or copper and resembled a smooth bore nozzle. By forcing the water through a hole smaller than the hose and inlet of the nozzle, pressure was created to project the stream to hopefully hit the target.
As you can see this operation was very manpower intensive and was limited on how much pressure could be developed and contained within the hoselines.
drm

9. Hand Held Stream Evolution...
Task Force Tips, Inc.
Firefighting Nozzles
and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
Hand Held Stream Evolution...
Late 1800’s
Cotton woven hose developed
More Power - The Age of Steam
Mechanical means for developing pressure not based on human power
Pressure now easily available
As the mechanized age advanced through the 1800’s, steam power was harnessed, better quality woven cotton hoses were developed and now pressure for a fire stream was more easily attainable.
Nozzles still didn’t progress much. They were still made of heavy brass and still resembled smooth bore nozzles.
drm

10. Task Force Tips, Inc. Firefighting Nozzles and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
Basic Water Moving Capabilities of the Fire Pumper Have Not Changed in 100 Years!
GPM
PSI Pressure easily created
Additional capacity has increased only as overall truck power has increased
Basic water moving capabilities today, are much the same as they were with the use of steam power.
Additional capacity has increased with larger, more powerful engines available today.
Hose construction has changed over the years, but the sizes used for fire attack remain relatively unchanged.
Nozzles, on the other hand, have gone through a significant change over this time period.
drm

11. Hand Held Stream Evolution...
Task Force Tips, Inc.
Firefighting Nozzles
and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
Hand Held Stream Evolution...
1900’s
Large variety of nozzles, playpipes and appliances made, all based on fixed “hole size”
Problem of coordination between pump operator and nozzle operator
Limited to only one correct flow, calculated by pump operator
During the early 1900’s, most nozzles were still the smooth bore variety. Valves were added to turn them on and off.
The concept was the same: a single hole size to create pressure to project the stream.
Changeable tips were made to change the hole size, therefore changing the flow.
Any time the tip was changed, the pump operator would need to change the discharge pressure manually to ensure an effective stream.
To change tips, the nozzle or the line would have to be shut down.
drm

12. Task Force Tips, Inc. Firefighting Nozzles and Fire Hydraulics
January, 1997
The purpose of any nozzle is to restrict flow to build pressure. This creates a usable velocity to project the water stream.
The purpose of the nozzle is to restrict the flow to build pressure. This is to create a usable velocity to project the stream to reach the target.
You can easily relate this to putting your thumb over the end of a garden hose to project the stream.
drm