BUILDING SOLUTIONS

FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY

By Tracey Foster, SET, CFPS, Dewberry, Raleigh, North Carolina

NFPA 20:
Fire pump design
When designing a fire pump, there are a number of factors
to keep in mind, particularly NFPA 20

N
FPA 20: Standard for the Installation for each additional standpipe, up to a maximum
of Stationary Pumps for Fire Pro- of 1,000 gpm for wet systems or 1,250 gpm for dry
tection protects life and property by systems.
providing requirements for the instal- For nonhigh-rise buildings, the most demand-
lation of fire pumps to ensure that ing area could be any number of different hazards.
systems will work as intended to deliver adequate Though the IBC requires buildings with a highest
and reliable water supplies in a fire emergency. finished floor located more than 30 feet above the
A fire sprinkler system is a critical component of lowest fire department vehicle access to be equipped
life safety in a building. The International Building with Class III standpipes or Class I if the building is
Code grants a number of exceptions when a build- fully sprinklered, NFPA 14: Standard for the Instal-
ing is “fully sprinklered,” such as reductions in rated lation of Standpipe and Hose Systems allows the
separations, reductions in fire hydrant flow demands, standpipes to be manual type with the necessary
increased egress travel distances and pressure provided by the fire department pumper

L Learning increased building heights and areas.

These exceptions are permitted with
truck through the fire department connection (2013
NFPA 14, Section 5.4.1.1), thus eliminating the
OBJECTIVES an expectation that, in the event of standpipe demand from consideration. It is impor-
• Learn how to properly size a fire a fire, the sprinkler system will sup- tant to perform a hazard analysis of the building
pump. press the fire to a sufficient degree before attempting to size the fire pump.
• Understand the differences that occupants can safely evacuate the For example, a new sprinkler system might be
between various styles of fire
building and the growth of the fire will installed in a five-story medical office building with a
pumps.
be controlled until the fire department partial basement (overall building height of 69 feet).
• Know how to design fire
arrives to fully extinguish it. The building construction is noncombustible, Type
pump piping to meet NFPA 20
requirements. Often, the municipal water sys- II-B and each floor is approximately 18,000 square
tem has sufficient pressure to oper- feet. The basement level contains electrical rooms,
• Appreciate cost variations
between different pump styles ate the sprinkler system. A fire pump general storage rooms, a small oxygen storage room
and controller options. is required when the available water (250 square feet) enclosed by a two-hour fire rating
source does not have adequate pres- and a covered exterior loading dock.
sure. When a sprinkler system relies on a fire pump, Floors one through four are comprised of offic-
the performance of the system is dependent on the es, exam rooms and outpatient procedure rooms.
pressure created by the pump. The fifth floor is a large mechanical penthouse with a
Because of the critical importance of the fire roof slope of 3:12. The center core areas on levels zero
pump, careful consideration should be employed through four contain elevator lobbies, public corridors
when selecting and designing a fire pump. and public restrooms. The building is equipped with a
Class I wet manual standpipe system.
Sizing a fire pump The predominate hazard classification for the
A fire pump’s size is dictated by the most hydrau- overall building is that of light hazard occupancy,
lically demanding area of the fire protection system. however, the building contains spaces that warrant
In many high-rise buildings, this can be the automat- higher hazard designations. While the oxygen stor-
ic fire standpipe system demand which requires 500 age room requires the highest density (0.30 gpm for
gallons per minute at 100 pounds per square inch at extra hazard occupancy), this space is not the most
the top of the most remote standpipe, plus 250 gpm hydraulically demanding. The two-hour rated enclo-

32 • November 2019 consulting-specifying engineer www.csemag.com

 Figure 1: A vertical inline fire pump is equipped
with a flowmeter bypass and a low suction
throttling valve. Courtesy: Dewberry

sure provides an effective barrier to prevent fire

spread outside of the room. For this reason, the cal-
culated area need only extend to the perimeter walls
of the room (NFPA 13-2013, Section 11.2.3.3).
The exterior loading dock requires the sec-
ond highest density: 0.20 gpm for ordinary hazard
group 2. It also requires a 30% increase to the remote
area size because the system type must be dry due
to exposure to freezing conditions (NFPA 13-2013,
Section 11.2.3.2.5). The estimated flow demand for
this area is approximately 507 gpm (0.20 gpm x 1,950
square feet = 390 gpm + 30% for sprinkler head over-
flow = 507 gpm). A preliminary hydraulic calcula-
tion for this area indicates a required system pressure
of 65 psi.
The most hydraulically demanding area in this
example is the level five mechanical room. Though
the density for this remote area is only 0.15 gpm
(ordinary hazard group 1), the top floor location
requires additional pressure to overcome the head
loss from elevation. The remote area size is increased
to 1,950 square feet due to a 30% increase for slopes
exceeding 2:12 (NFPA 13-2013, Section 11.2.3.2.4).

‘Because of the critical impor-

tance of the fire pump, care-
ful consideration should be
employed when selecting and

’
designing a fire pump.

The estimated flow demand for this area is approx-

imately 380 gpm (0.15 gpm x 1,950 square feet =
292.5 gpm + 30% for sprinkler head overflow = 380
gpm). A preliminary hydraulic calculation indicates
a required system pressure of 90 psi.
Once a hazard analysis and preliminary hydraulic
calculations have established the fire flow and pres-
sure required to meet the standpipe or sprinkler sys-
tem demand, a review of a recent water flow test can
identify if a fire pump is necessary. The water flow
test used to size the fire pump is required to have
been completed within the last 12 months (NFPA
20-2013, Section 4.6.1.2).
In the example scenario, the water flow test indi-
cates pressures of 54 psi static, 48 psi residual, flow-
ing at 940 gpm. When the required outside hose
demand is added to the system flow demand (380
gpm + 250 hose = 630 gpm) and plotted on a graph, Figure 2: Correct and incorrect orientation of fittings
the available city water pressure is approximately 49 are depicted in the suction line of a horizontal split-case
psi when flowing at 630 gpm. pump. Courtesy: Dewberry

www.csemag.com consulting-specifying engineer November 2019 • 33

BUILDING SOLUTIONS
FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY

Typically, a minimum safety factor of 10 psi is power to supply an electric motor, a diesel fire pump
required. To meet the demand, the fire pump size may be utilized. A fuel storage tank with the capacity
should be at least 400 gpm rated at 51 psi (100 psi to hold 1 gallon of fuel per horsepower plus an addi-
– 49 psi city pressure = 51 psi). Fire pumps are typ-
tional volume to provide room for thermal expan-
ically sized by pressure range, therefore a 400 gpm sion is required. A dike must be provided beneath the
pump with a revolutions per minute speed of 3,550 fuel storage tank to contain any potential fuel spills.
can deliver a rated pressure from 40 to 56 psi without
Often, a pressure-relief valve is required on the dis-
increasing the size of the pump. Because there is nocharge side of the pump to relieve excess pressure in
cost difference between the rated pressure of 51 andthe event the engine revs out of control or if a com-
56 psi, and high pressure is not a concern, the 400 bination of suction pressure and pump pressure rise
gpm pump rated at 56 psi is acceptable. Fire pump above a certain threshold. The diesel motor exhaust
pressures will be explored in further detail later. must be routed through a muffler to the outside.
For exceptionally tall buildings, more than one A diesel fire pump must be located in a separate
fire pump may be necessary to deliver the pressure enclosure or in a room with direct access to the exte-
required to the higher floors. NFPA 20 permits a rior. The enclosure size is substantially larger than
maximum of three pumps to operate in series (NFPA normally required for an electric fire pump because
20-2013, Section 4.19.2.1). of the stored fuel and batteries necessary to provide
Fire pumps cannot operate in parallel because the
a backup power source. Diesel fire pumps are more
discharge check valve is forced closed when the pres-
expensive to install and maintain because of the large
sure on the outlet side of the valve is higher than that
number of mechanical parts, which can be prone to
on the inlet side. For this reason, it is not possible to
failure.
add a parallel fire pump to boost the pressure and/or In buildings where the electrical capacity is not
flow to a system. a concern, an electric driver is the preferred choice.
Electric motors are more compact, require fewer
Selecting a fire pump mechanical parts and produce fewer negative envi-
Selection of the fire pump depends on the build- ronmental impacts.
ing infrastructure and available space. The most Though NFPA 20 provides guidelines for various
common choices for fire pump drivers are electric types of pumps (centrifugal, vertical shaft turbine,
motors and diesel engines. Electric motors requiring positive displacement and multistage multiport),
high horsepower are commonly run on 460 volt or centrifugal fire pumps are — including horizontal
higher, three-phase power. Steam turbines are also an split case and vertical in-line — the most common
option, but are fairly uncommon. among commercial buildings and thus highlighted
In buildings that are not equipped with enough in this example. Vertical in-line pumps are generally
more compact, with a smaller footprint.
While horizontal split case pumps must
be mounted on a concrete housekeeping
pad, vertical in-line pumps can instead
be mounted on pipe stand supports. For
these reasons, vertical in-line pumps are
often a preferred choice for replacements
or retrofits.
The impeller rotation in a verti-
cal in-line pump is less susceptible to
mechanical damage from water tur-
bulence, allowing for more flexibility
in the piping arrangement on the suc-
tion side of the pump. Horizontal split
case pumps are only permitted to have
elbows and tees installed perpendicular
to the pump when the fitting is located
at least 10 pipe size diameters from the
suction flange (NFPA 20-2013, Sections
4.14.6.3.1 to 4.14.6.3.3). These require-
ments are not applicable to vertical in-
line styles.
The impeller on a horizontal split-
Figure 3: This example shows a performance curve of a 400 gpm pump rated at case pump is located in a separate cas-
56 psi. Courtesy: Dewberry ing in front of the motor, allowing for

34 • November 2019 CONSULTING-SPECIFYING ENGINEER www.csemag.com

 Figure 4: The sec-
tion view of a verti-
cal inline fire pump
equipped with a
flowmeter bypass
and an optional low-
suction throttling
valve. Courtesy:
Dewberry

easy access if maintenance is required. On a verti-

cal in-line pump, the impeller is beneath the motor,
requiring the entire motor be raised and/or removed
to access the impeller. For this reason, it is recom-
‘ Though NFPA 20 provides guidelines
for various types of pumps, centrifugal
mended that a hoist beam or another means of lift- fire pumps are the most common among

’
ing is provided for vertical inline pumps greater than
30 horsepower. commercial buildings.
Fire pump pressures a 400 gpm pump rated at 56 psi. This pump will pro-
The total head of a fire pump is the energy duce 400 gpm at 56 psi when operating at 100% of
imparted to the liquid as it passes through the pump, pump capacity. It also can produce a maximum vol-
usually expressed in psi. For fire pumps such as hor- ume of 600 gpm at 36 psi when operating at 65% of
izontal split-case and vertical in-line centrifugal pump capacity. The available volume and pressure
pumps that are required to operate under net posi- vary along the pump curve.
tive suction head, the total head of a fire pump is cal- Referring back to the medical building example,
culated by adding the suction head (city pressure) to the loading dock required an estimated 507 gpm at
the discharge head. The discharge head of the pump 65 psi. From the pump curve in Figure 3, the pump
varies along a performance curve that is determined will deliver approximately 47 psi when flowing 507
by three limiting points: the shut-off, the rating and gpm. When this discharge pressure is combined with
the overload. the city supply (47 + 48 psi = 95 psi), it is evident
The shut-off represents the maximum allowable that the selected pump can easily satisfy the hydrau-
total head pressure when the pump is operating at lic demand for the loading dock dry system.
zero flow; this is sometimes also referred to as the A fire pump’s churn pressure is the amount of pres-
churn pressure. The rating is the listed pressure and sure generated when the pump is operating at zero
flow that the pump should produce when operat- flow. The churn pressure is combined with the static
ing at 100% of pump capacity. The total head pres- water pressure from the connected source, resulting in
sure should not be less than 65% of the rated total a combined static pressure for which all components
head when the pump is operating at 150% of rated must be rated. As an example, a churn pressure rating
flow capacity, this is the overload point. System flow of 126% will produce 71 psi of static discharge pres-
demands that exceed the overload point can expose sure from the aforementioned pump. When the churn
the pump to possible cavitation and damage. pressure is combined with the static city pressure, the
A fire pump performance curve has an allowable total amount of static pressure expected on the dis-
operating range not to exceed 140% of the rated pres- charge side of the pump is 122 psi (71 psi discharge
sure of the pump. Consider the previous example of pressure + 51 static city pressure = 122 psi).

www.csemag.com consulting-specifying engineer November 2019 • 35

BUILDING SOLUTIONS
FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY

has been specified. Many electrical engineers pre-

fer “soft start” reduced-voltage controllers instead,
because these controllers reduce the immediate
power draw on the backup generator by slowly
ramping up the voltage, allowing for a reduction
in generator size.
Consult with the electrical engineer to discuss the
pros and cons of the different controller styles. The
cost savings to the overall project may be greater by
selecting the more expensive soft start controller to
reduce the size of the generator.

Fire pump design

An outside screw and yoke gate valve must be
installed in the suction pipe to provide a means
of isolation from the incoming supply line (NFPA
Figure 5: Shown is the proper arrangement of transitional fittings 20-2013, Section 4.14.5.1). This is the only device
connected to the suction and discharge of a horizontal fire pump. that is explicitly permitted to be installed in the
Courtesy: Dewberry suction line within 50 feet of the pump suction
flange, though NFPA 20 does provide allowances
for other equipment, which may be required by the
If the static pressure exceeds 175 psi (the pres- authority having jurisdiction or by other sections
sure rating for standard sprinkler components of the standard. These valves must be electrically
and maximum pressure allowed for fire hose valve supervised through the fire alarm system.
connections), pressure-reducing valves may be Where the local AHJ and/or municipal water
required unless all components of the system are department requires a backflow preventer to be
rated for high pressure. It is important to include installed in the fire pump suction line, it must be
the pump churn rating in the factors to consider located a minimum distance of 10 times the pipe
when weighing all of the options to make a proper size diameter from the pump suction flange (NFPA
pump selection. 20-2013, Section 4.27.3). This distance requirement
The cost of a fire pump is largely based on the is specific to backflow preventers equipped with
horsepower rating of the pump and the type of outside screw and yoke gate valves. If a backflow
controller. Vertical inline pumps are usually more preventer is equipped with butterfly valves, the mini-
cost effective when compared to horizontal split- mum distance to the suction flange is increased to 50
case pumps in smaller sizes (less than 1,000 to feet (NFPA 20-2013, Section 4.27.3.1). This increased
1,250 gpm ratings). It is recommended to consult distance is provided to allow for dissipation of air
a local fire pump representative to compare the bubbles that may form as water passes across the
horsepower ratings between horizontal split-case center disk of a fully open butterfly valve. Other non-
and vertical in-line pumps, as the horsepower rat- traditional methods of backflow prevention, such as
ing can drive up costs related to controls and elec- break tanks, are not addressed within the purview of
trical connections. this article.
NFPA 20 also provides an exception for a pres-
Controllers sure-sensing line connection to the suction line
NFPA 20 requires that a fire pump be supplied by when the AHJ requires a low-suction throttling
a continually available power source, usually iden- valve to maintain positive pressure on the suc-
tified as an uninterrupted power source (NFPA tion piping (NFPA 20-2013, Section 4.15.9.1). The
20-2013, Section 9.1.5 and 9.2.1). In many cases, this low-suction throttling valve is installed on the
requirement necessitates that a backup generator discharge side of the pump before the discharge
be provided as a secondary source in the event of a check valve.
power failure, in which case the fire pump controller On the discharge side of the pump, a check valve
must be equipped with an automatic transfer switch. and an indicating control valve are required. The
An ATS is an option on a fire pump controller that control valve must be installed after the check valve
must be specified; a controller does not come nor- (NFPA 20-2013, Section 4.15.7). If the fire pump is
mally equipped with an ATS. equipped with a flowmeter bypass, the bypass con-
The least costly type of fire pump control- nection to the discharge pipe should be between the
ler is an “across-the-line” direct-voltage control- check valve and control valve. Where fire pumps are
ler without an ATS. This is the default controller installed in a series, butterfly valves are not permitted
that will usually be supplied unless a different style to be installed between the pumps.

36 • November 2019 consulting-specifying engineer www.csemag.com

 BUILDING SOLUTIONS
FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY

A fire pump bypass is required on all fire The fire department connection should tie
pumps where the suction supply is of sufficient into the system on the discharge side of the pump.
pressure to be of material value without the pump When an FDC is located upstream of a fire pump,
(NFPA 20-2013, Section 4.14.4). The bypass the result can be high velocities that increase water
must be at least as large as the discharge pipe and turbulence and expose the fire pump to damaging
should be equipped with a check valve installed conditions. Many fire pumps have maximum suc-
between two normally open control valves ori- tion pressure ratings that can be exceeded by the
ented in a manner to prevent backflow to the suc- pressures distributed through the FDC.
tion side of the pump. The bypass line should be
connected before the outside screw and yoke on Fire pump enclosure

‘
the suction side and after Lastly, when determining a location for a new fire
the control valve on the dis- pump enclosure, it is important to consider service
There are many charge side of the pump. accessibility and proximity to the building exterior.
Every fire pump must A fire pump room should be located on an exteri-
factors to consider be equipped with a meter- or wall adjacent to the fire lane and above the flood-
ing device or fixed nozzles plain. If the enclosure must be located inside, it shall
when designing a fire to accommodate pump test- be accessible by a passageway with a fire rating equal
pump. NFPA 20 contains be ing. This equipment must to that of the fire pump enclosure. NFPA 20 requires
capable of water flow not the fire pump room to have a minimum two-hour
valuable requirements, less than 175% of rated pump fire rating when located in a high-rise building. The
capacity (NFPA 20-2013, fire rating can be reduced to a one-hour rating when
which should be strictly Section 4.20.2.2). When the the fire pump enclosure is located in a fully sprin-
metering device is installed kled, nonhigh-rise building.
followed to ensure that in a loop arrangement for fire The enclosure should be large enough to provide
pump flow testing, an alter- adequate clearance for installation and maintenance
the fire pump will nate means of measuring the of the fire pump and related components. A good
flow must also be provided. rule of thumb is to provide at least 12 inches of clear-

’
perform as intended. A flowmeter bypass is pre- ance behind the fire pump and a minimum distance
ferred in some municipalities of 12 inches from the edges of the entire fire pump
as part of a water conserva- assembly, piping and valves to the walls. If the room
tion effort. The flowmeter bypass allows routine consists of multiple sprinkler and/or standpipe risers,
tests to be performed without discharging water to a minimum clear distance of 12 inches between ris-
the environment. The bypass line is equipped with ers should be maintained to allow for easy access to
a Venturi flowmeter located between two normal- equipment. An approach clearance of at least 3 feet
ly closed butterfly valves. To achieve proper per- should be maintained in front of the fire pump and
formance of the flowmeter, manufacturer-specified related equipment. Minimum clearances in accor-
minimum distances must be maintained between dance with NFPA 70 must be maintained around
the flowmeter and the adjacent normally closed energized electrical equipment.
butterfly valves. The flowmeter bypass must be The fire pump room is intended solely for fire
connected after the outside screw and yoke on the protection equipment and is not to be shared by
suction side and between the check valve and the other mechanical trades. This rule is applicable to
control valve on the discharge side of the pump. all equipment that is nonessential to the operation of
The minimum pipe diameter and number the fire pump except equipment related to domestic
of outlets required for a fire pump test header is water distribution. NFPA 20 provides an exception
dictated by the flow capacity of the pump. These for domestic water equipment to be located within
minimum requirements are outlined in NFPA 20 the fire pump room.
(NFPA 20-2013, Table 4.26(a)). When the pipe There are many factors to consider when design-
between the test header and the pump discharge ing a fire pump. NFPA 20 contains valuable require-
flange exceeds 15 linear feet, the pipe diameter ments, which should be strictly followed to ensure
must be increased to the next size up. that the fire pump will perform as intended, should
When transitional fittings are required to it ever be needed. cse
reduce or increase the pipe diameter at the pump
flange, care should be taken to select the proper Tracey Foster is a senior fire protection designer for
reducing fitting. On the suction side of the pump, Dewberry. She is a NICET level IV fire protection
the flanged reducer must be the eccentric tapered designer and an NFPA certified fire protection special-
type, installed in a manner to avoid air pockets. ist. Foster has more than 17 years of experience in the
The reducer on the discharge side of the pump fire sprinkler industry as a designer, estimator, design
should be the concentric type. manager, project manager and company license holder.

38 • November 2019 consulting-specifying engineer www.csemag.com

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