CHAPTER 11
FIRE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS
OVERVIEW
Similar to plumbing, fire protection is a strictly code-governed branch of engineering. Most
automatic sprinkler system design and planning for large buildings is prepared by specialized
Fire Protection Contractors on a design-build basis. Code and Fire Protection consultants are
specialized in providing consultation to architects and owners on preliminary and final design of
automatic sprinkler systems. Insurance companies and code enforcing authorities require
contractor’s field installed and dimensioned drawings to indicate every sprinkler location before
they approve a building design.
Architects and M/E engineers must be thoroughly knowledgeable of the principles and
guidelines of fire suppression to provide ancillary services (water and power) and space needed.
In addition, automatic sprinkler layouts are needed before they can coordinate the design with
the reflected ceiling plans in each space as to the ceiling grid, location of lighting fixtures,
HVAC diffusers, etc.
There are two ways to design automatic sprinkler systems – pipe schedule method and hydraulic
method. The pipe schedule method is useful for smaller systems, say below 100 sprinkler heads.
The hydraulic method must be used for medium and large systems. This chapter introduces the
fundamental manual calculations or hydraulic calculations to illustrate the engineering principle
of calculations, but in practice, all hydraulic calculations are made by use of computer programs.
There are, of course, many more fire protection subsystems that must be planned in addition to
the sprinkler systems. These include: fire hose and standpipe systems, location of potable fire
extinguishers, fire alarm systems and controls, water supply and pumping systems, etc. When a
building is a high-rise, fire safety planning on smoke control becomes critical. This chapter
provides the basic concept for smoke control not found in most codes.
The material included in this chapter should take 6 to 8 class-hours to cover in the class. It can
also be taught in conjunction with Chapter 8: Plumbing Equipment and Systems as a separate 1-
credit hour course.
CHAPTER 11
FIRE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
11.1 What are the primary objectives of building fire protection systems?
11.2 Name one of the most important secondary objectives for building fire protection.
11.3 Name the major factors, which contribute to serious problems for fire fighting in
modern buildings.
11.4 What is the nominal range of fire protection system costs as a percentage of total
building construction cost?
11.5 What is smoke developed rating (SDR)?
11.6 What are the classes of flame spread rating (FSR)?
11.7 What are the codes governing fire protection in the United States?
11.8 What are the normal classifications of building occupancies?
11.9 What are the four classes of fire according to NFPA?
11.10 What are the three classes of fire hazard? What are the fire hazard classes of office
buildings, laboratories, and production facilities?
11.11 Name the operating sequence of a well-planned fire protection system.
A well-planned fire-protection system should include the following concurrent and
11.12 Name the ten fundamental criteria for fire safety planning.
The criteria for fire-safety planning are given in Section 11.3. Briefly:
1. Start with fire-resistant construction,
3. Minimize the length of travel to safety,
5. Provide safe enclosures for exits,
7. Seal off all vertical openings,
11. Coordination between the HVAC and fire protection system operations,
11.13 Does a single family dwelling require a fire alarm system?
11.14 What is the maximum distance to exit for a hospital protected with sprinklers? Not
protected with sprinklers?
11.15 Name the various detection devices in a fire protection system.
The fire detection devices include:
11.16 What is the operating principle of an ionization type smoke detector?
11.17 What is the pressure required for a sprinkler head during its rated flow?
11.18 Name the four types of media used in fire suppression systems.
11.19 What is the maximum floor area that can be served by a portable fire extinguisher
with 2-A rating for Class A fire hazard in an office building?
11.20 What is a Class III standpipe and hose system?
11.21 What is the required minimum water flow for standpipe systems?
11.22 Describe the basic automatic sprinkler system
Automatic sprinkler systems can be divided into two major classes – wet and dry. Some of
the popular systems include:
o Wet pipe system is the basic sprinkler system to be used in all buildings. The
11.23 What is a Siamese connection?
11.24 What is the building use group classification for an office building? If the building
contains a 15,000 sq ft health club on the second floor, is an automatic sprinkler
system required?
11.25 Determine the amount of water that can be delivered by a sprinkler head having a
1/2” orifice with a 5.5 K-factor, and installed on an automatic sprinkler system
having 36 psi residual pressure?
11.26 What is the maximum sprinkler protection area for a building classified as light
hazard?
11.27 If a room has a soffit 25 inches below the ceiling, what is the minimum distance that a
sprinkler can be installed? A beam 4 inches below the ceiling?
11.28 What is the difference between “Pipe Schedule Method” and “Hydraulic Method” in
sprinkler system design:
11.29 What is the maximum number of sprinklers that can be served by a 3-inch steel pipe
in a light hazard building by using the pipe schedule method?
11.30 Select an area of sprinkler operation (ASO) and the corresponding density demand
(DD) for an automatic sprinkler system classified as “ordinary hazard–2”. What is
the water demand for the sprinkler system with OVF = 1.1? If the hose stream
demand (HSD) for the standpipe system is 250 gpm, what is the total water demand
(TWD) for the combined standpipe and sprinkler system?
11.31 Can a domestic water system and fire protection system be combined in an on-site
water storage system? Which system has the priority and how is this assured?
11.32 Should smoke control be considered in fire protection system planning?
11.33 What is stack effect in a building?
11.34 How to overcome the stack effect of a high-rise building?
11.35Under what circumstances would a fire pump be included in a fire protection system?
11.36 What types of fire suppression system would be appropriate for a high value,
electrical equipment room?
11.37 What types of fire suppression system would be appropriate for an open-air loading
dock?
11.38 What types of fire suppression system would be appropriate for an underground
parking garage?