Book 8 "Fire pumps" Flashcards
Fire pumps are required in buildings that have
Combination or Combined Standpipe Systems
The primary water supply is from _____ which feed directly to the building fire pump or from _____ which supplies the fire pump
City water mains / Internal tanks (onsite water supply)
FDC’s to a combination or combined sprinkler standpipe system may be considered a ___
second source of water.
FDC’s are plumbed into the ____ of the fire pump
discharge side
Shut off valves are not permitted between ___ and there ___
the FDC’s / connections to the standpipe system
A required check valve in this piping will ____
prevent the fire pump pressure from reaching the FDC’s
FDC’s are located at the base of the building and may be grouped with ___
test outlet valves
In newer buildings the test valves are in a ____
different location (sometimes in the pump room)
Purpose of the test valves is to permit a period test of building fire pump which is required to pump _____ of it rated capacity
150%
Test valves can be identified by their
male threads
A centrifugal pump with the shaft normally in a horizontal position.
Horizontal Pump
A centrifugal pump with one or more impellers discharging into one or more bowls with a vertical eductor or column pipe used to connect the bowls to the discharge head. They are particularly suitable for fire pump service when the water source is located below ground and where it would be difficult to install any other type of pump below the minimum water level.
Vertical shaft turbine pump
These type of pumps are used to maintain a uniform, relatively high pressure on the fire protection system.
Pressure Maintenance Pumps (Jockey or make-up pumps)
A jockey pump should be sized to make up the allowable hourly leakage rate within _____ or ____ whichever is larger.
10 minutes or 1 gpm
A centrifugal type pressure maintenance pump is
preferable
The jockey pump should be set to operate at a pressure of
5 to 10 psi higher than the main pumps start pressure.
Automatic air release valve
to automatically release air from the pump
Located between the pump and the pump discharge check valve, to operate if the pressure exceeds the pressure for which the system components are rated. Water being discharged from the relief valve has to be readily visible or easily detectable by the pump operator.
Circulation Relief Valve
A pressure gauge shall be connected near the ___ and a ____ shall be connected to the suction pipe near the pump
discharge casting / a compound pressure and vacuum gauge
A compound pressure and vacuum gauge is not required on a
Vertical Shaft pump
A water measuring device shall be provided to test the pump.
Metering Device
Prior to 1974, generally there was only _____ and ____
one fire pump and it was electrical
Since 1974 buildings over 275’ are required to have _____ pumps, ______
three fire pumps, one electrical and two diesel
Electric Motor; power shall be supplied by one or more of the following sources =
Utility service, Single power station, Emergency Generator.
Emergency power was not required in buildings built between _____
1960 and 1974
Diesel Engine: Governors: Must be provided with a governor capable of regulating the engine speed within a range of ____ between the shutoff and maximum load condition of the pump.
10%
Diesel Engine: Overspeed shutdown device: It shall shut down the engine at a speed approximately ____ above rated engine speed and must be ____
20% / manually reset after overspeed shutdown
Components: tachometer/ oil pressure gauge/ temperature gauge
Diesel Engine: Batteries: Each engine shall be provided with _____ . Each battery unit shall have the capacity to maintain cranking speed throughout a _____
two storage battery units / six minute cycle
example: 15 seconds of cranking and 15 seconds of rest in 12 consecutive cycles
Diesel Engine: Fuel supply: There must be a separate ____ and separate ____ (day tank) for each engine.
fuel line / fuel supply tank
Diesel Engine: Fuel supply: There shall be a minimum ___ (new post 1974) and _______ (existing 60-74) supply of fuel
8 hour / 4 hour
Engine Drive Controllers; Basic function of a fire pump controller is to _____ or allow manual starting in case of a problem with the automatic system.
start the engine automatically upon a drop in pressure in the riser
Engine Drive Controllers: the controller should be located as ______ and always within sight of the engine.
as close as practical to the engine it controls
Engine Drive Controllers: The controller will start the engine when there is a drop in the water line pressure. This is done by a
Mercoid pressure switch, which is independently adjusted to a high (stop) and low (start) setting.
The policy in LA for the STOP pressure is set _____ and start pressure is set _____
10 PSI below system pressure / 50 PSI below system pressure
The run-out timer is used to keep the pump from
constantly starting and stopping
The run-out timer is normally set for _____ for electric driven fire pumps and _____ for diesel driven fire pumps
seven to ten minutes / 30 minutes
Run out timers can be set ___
manually
Four-Position Selector Switch. Test:
This momentarily drops the water pressure, closing the pressure (mercoid) switch, thus starting the engine.
Four-Position Selector Switch. Auto:
Puts the controller in the standby mode. All the automatic functions are ready for operation.
Four-Position Selector Switch. Manual: There are ____ for manually cranking the engine from either set of batteries.
two manual start push buttons
Four-Position Selector Switch. Manual: In the event of low battery condition, _____ may be depressed simultaneously, increasing the battery potential to the start.
Both switch
Failure Alarm on the Controller: Overcrank lamp. If the engine fails to start at the _______ (six 15-second crank periods separated by five 15-second rest periods) the overcrank lamp will be lit and the audible alarm will sound.
end of the six crank attempts
Failure Alarm on the Controller: Overspeed: This is an alarm and will also shut down the engine. Overspeed is the only problem that will ____
automatically shut down the engine
Failure Alarm on the Controller: Loss of battery charger output. The loss of ___ results in the loss of charger output
115 volts
Status lights: There are ____ on the controller that indicate battery power is available from ____. The third lamp indicates that the control is in _____ position
three green lights / battery one and battery two / AUTO
Sequential Starting: The controller for each multiple pump unit shall incorporate a sequential timing device to prevent any combination of engines from ____
Starting simultaneously
Sequential Starting: If water requirements call for more than one pumping unit to operate, the units shall start at intervals of _____
five to ten seconds
Sequential Starting: If the pressure in the system stays at the START pressure setting of the mercoid pressure switch for ______ the second pump will start
four to six seconds
Sequential Starting: if the pressure stays there for ____ the third pump will start. Failure of a leading engine to start will not prevent the subsequent engine from starting.
six to eight seconds
The National Fire Protection Association requires that when the pump room is not constantly attended, an _____
audible or visual alarm, powered by a reliable source, be provided at a point of constant attendance.
Acceptance Test: Fire pump controllers shall perform not ____ during the acceptance test and shall be operated for a period of at least ____ during each of the tests.
less than 10 automatic and 10 manual operations / five minutes at full speed during each of the tests.
Fire pumps are required to pump ___ of rated capacity and at a pressure of not less than ____ of it rated pressure for a minimum of ____
150% / 65% / 15 minutes
Vane type water flow switches are used on wet sprinkler systems to
detect water flow
Vane type water flow switch: In high-rise structures they will be found in the ____ where the sprinkler pipe comes off the standpipe.
Stairshafts
Vane type water flow switch: The minimum flow rate for alarm is ____ (equal to one sprinkler head) and operates in ____
4 to 10 gpm / 20 to 60 seconds
