I beg to differ my friend. SOMETIMES it's not worth the effort but SOMETIMES it is. Perhaps it's no big deal in a large industrial site with multiple fire pumps. Which I think is your typical business. When dealing with 50 psi statics shaving a few gpm here and there saves a lot of fire pumps where they are otherwise not needed. OK maybe not a lot but certainly some. That's some big $$$$ saving with the difference of not throwing away water using smaller k's. Then there is main size saving potentially. A little balancing as allowed can cut 100 gpm off the flows in situations like these. Might even be the difference in a tank size or an extra tank when dealing with multiples. 50 psi would be more typical in these parts of the country.
So throw in a sometimes and I'll go along with most of what you said. Except the clogging part. It's the RTI and linkage moving out of the way that would be the problem with paint build up. I don't see orifice size being a factor here. Chris Cahill, P.E. Fire Protection Engineer Sentry Fire Protection, Inc. 763-658-4483 763-658-4921 fax Email: [email protected] Mail: P.O. Box 69 Waverly, MN 55390 Location: 4439 Hwy 12 SW Waverly, MN 55390 -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 1:41 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Mixing k-factors in paintspray booths If you're trying to save a few gpm by going with the smaller orifice, it's really not worth the effort. Plus unless you're bagging the heads, smaller orifice is more likely to get clogged sooner than larger orifice from the spraying effort. In addition, depending on the hazard you're protecting, a little cushion on the discharge side may not be a bad thing. No need to shave the hydraulics that close. When heads get covered and need to be replaced, the smaller orifice probably won't be noticed and the head will be replaced with a standard 5.6 anyway. Keep it simple. What is the key material being sprayed? Craig L. Prahl, CET Fire Protection Specialist Mechanical Department CH2MHILL Lockwood Greene 1500 International Drive PO Box 491, Spartanburg, SC 29304-0491 Direct - 864.599.4102 Fax - 864.599.8439 [email protected] http://www.ch2m.com -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Randy Knutson Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 1:42 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Mixing k-factors in paintspray booths Forum Members, Can I use a smaller k-factor sprinkler in the pit and exhaust plenum of a paint spray booth? Due to the geometry of the pit and exhaust plenum. The sprinklers in there are covering about 36 square feet per sprinkler. Any insight would be appreciated. Randy Knutson Shilo Automatic Sprinkler, Inc. _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
