If 32 FPS is good, and 20 FPS better- Let's regulate it down to BEST- ZERO FPS There would be no friction loss. Pipe sizes would be standardized on most systems to all being 8". Bids would all be based on this- so bids would be more even. We'd win coordination battles since now we're not the smallest piping in the area, hence easiest to move. And fly-by-night sprinkler contractors would go away since they don't have the tools for 8".
Great idea ! I doubt the committee will, absent any engineering data, limit velocities in the future. And there's a lot more to bidding than velocity and pipe sizes- I could Bid a 30' high spec building for .4/2000 so they could store a reasonable amount of rack storage in their building, and if the supply is strong, be 50 FPS. My competitor could bid it OH2 and limit storage to 12' (although tenant won't) and be 20 FPS but still win- since he's using 400 sf/head ECOH sprinklers. It's been some time since we worried about velocity, and I don't think we're experiencing anarchy and chaos. George Church Rowe Sprinkler -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Garth W. Warren Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2007 11:09 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: max velocity Mario - I think to make the leap from water velocity in a sprinkler system piping to anarchy and chaos might be pushing the ticket a tad. As far as "For the same job if a contractor calculates the pipe with 20 fps , other contractor calculates with 30 fps and another with 50 fps; the contractor with 50 fps will win the bid. Is that correct? is that fair?" the answer is YES and YES. The only way the design velocity will be reached is if all the sprinklers in the design area operate and discharge. Have you ever been to a fire scene where the remote area sprinklers - all of them by the way - have actually been the sprinklers which controlled or extinguished the fire? >From what I have heard on here, fast velocity causes excess friction loss and is self-regulating. If you have data that shows a poor sprinkler system response to a fire was caused by the velocity of the water, sharing that data would convert many that do not share your passion at this time. Until then, adhering to all of the current requirements, and basing your design on those requirements, should be considered admirable. Garth ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2007 10:11 AM Subject: Re: max velocity > Mark, > Several years ago I wrote several e-mails to the Forum on this subject; they may be in the Archives. In the past 20 fps was indicated in NFPA 13; slowly thru the years that 20 fps was taken out; if a limit is not given then anarchy , chaos will happen. I have reviewed plans with 56 fps and the contractor is right ,nfpa 13 says no limits in velocity. The statement about good design , conservative design, prudent design is not read. > For the same job if a contractor calculates the pipe with 20 fps , other contractor calculates with 30 fps and another with 50 fps; the contractor with 50 fps will win the bid. Is that correct? is that fair? > Mario Berrios,P.E. > _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum
