The fire pump is a critical component of many buildings’ fire and life-safety systems. It is important to make sure the system is well designed and installed and that it meets all installation requirements set by national and local fire safety standards such as NFPA 20 and NFPA 25 (Standard for Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems). The building owner, architect, engineer, local fire marshal, and fire protection provider should all be involved in determining what type of pump and system is best for each facility.
A fire pump can be powered by diesel engines, electric motors, steam turbines, or even a backup generator. Its primary function is to increase the water pressure within a sprinkler system, usually up to the design demand of the sprinkler system itself. It can also operate as a standby pump to supply water in the event of an emergency, and it can also be used for fire suppression spray tests.
Fire pumps can be manually started by pushing a button switch or lever on the controller, but they are most often set to operate automatically either by a drop in system pressure in the sprinkler system, or by receiving a signal from another device such as a flow switch or deluge valve. Once triggered, the fire pump will run until stopped by a button on the controller or a timer.
The main difference between fire pumps and normal water-pressure systems is that fire pumps are able to provide much higher water pressures since they work at full power all the time. Typically, they are driven by diesel engines which convert mechanical energy to hydraulic energy. The engine and drive unit are specified by a fire pump manufacturer and sized for the required performance based on the NFPA 20 curves. The curves specify the required capacity in gallons per minute (Q) at various pressures, known as the duty point or primary rating point, which is used to select and specify the fire pump model and horsepower.
It is important to look at the factory-certified power curve to ensure that it peaks and then begins to fall. If it continues to rise after reaching the duty point, the motor is undersized and will not comply with UL and FM requirements.
Fire pumps should be inspected weekly and monthly by trained personnel on-site. In addition, the pump should undergo a comprehensive annual test that puts the entire fire system through its paces to ensure it will perform properly in an emergency. The annual test should be conducted by someone who has been certified to conduct these tests by a nationally recognized fire protection organization or by the local fire safety authority (AHJ). There are also IIoT remote monitoring solutions available that can provide valuable information about your fire pumps and other components in the system, which leads to safer and more informed fire systems.