Role of The Consulting Engineer in The Application of Water Mist Systems

Role of the Consulting Engineer
in the Application of Water Mist Systems
P. J. DiNenno, P.E.
For
Jack Mawhinney,PEng
Presented at
NFPA/IMWA Conference
on Water Mist Fire Suppression
Systems
Dallas, TX
May 2003
Role of the Consulting Engineer …
 Research and development, first principles science

 Water Mist Design = Performance Based Design
 3rd Party Review of Designs by Vendors
 Acceptance testing
 Conclusion
Chronology of Water Mist
 NFPA 750, Standard for Water Mist Fire Protection

Systems
 Committee formed in 1993 – New Technology, New
Standard
 Many interested parties: casual to vital
 Provided fire protection engineering basis for development
 Research Era 1990 to 1998 …

 Market Emergence (1995 to present …)
Chronology …
 NFPA 750, Standard for Water Mist Fire Protection Systems

 Committee formed in 1993 – New Technology, New Standard
 Research Era
 1990 to 1998 (?) intense research – 1 st principles
 Water based fire suppression, efficiency, limits,
opportunities
 Manufacturers’ R & D efforts still on-going
 Military special applications still on-going
 Commercial development of technology, invention,
Chronology …
 NFPA 750, Standard for Water Mist Fire Protection Systems

 Committee formed in 1993 – New Technology, New Standard
 Research Era
 1990 to 1998 (?) intense research – 1 st principles
 Commercial development of technology, invention,
 Marine sector = sprinkler equivalence – rapid growth
Other sectors = halon replacement – very slow
growth,except in niches
Standards development (IMO, NFPA 750; CEN TC 191)
 Formalized Test Protocols
Chronology …
 Acceptance Era (2000 to Present)

 By End User - Growing
 By AHJ - Approvals getting easier
 Growth is uneven -
• Oil fields, Marine, Co-Generation well advanced
• Land-based, heritage, commercial, computer rooms
• Slow in the US – depends on AHJ
• Rapid in Europe – Every End User decides for themselves
 Engineering and Construction Era (2000 + …)
 Design & approval methods established
 Specifications, Design Drawings, Construction Supervision
Chronology …
 Acceptance Era (1997 to Present)
 Engineering and Construction Era (2000 + …)

 Specifications, Design Drawings, Construction Supervision
 Hydraulics; mixtures of gas and water; achieving duration; piston
pumps; materials; techniques; trained installers
 Acceptance Testing
 Maintenance and Reliability
 Costs
Performance Based Design
 NFPA 750 Chapter 5: Design

 Design of a water mist system must be based on results of
comprehensive fire tests, conducted by an internationally
recognized laboratory.
• Comprehensive Test Protocols: Marine machinery spaces;
turbine enclosures; wet benches; marine accommodation and
public spaces; light and ordinary hazard occupancies.
 The test protocol seldom exactly matches the application

 Interpretation is required
Performance Based Design
 NFPA 750 Chapter 5: Design
 Application of a water mist system to a real space
• Confirm performance objectives of the protocol are appropriate….
– E.g. full extinguishment, control for 10-minutes …?
• Confirm compartment size, ventilation, obstructions, fuel quantities, and

other features of the application match the assumptions in the test
protocol
• It requires fire protection engineering knowledge to evaluate whether
the design meets the End User’s objectives.
• Major Source of Misapplications
• Uncertainty transfers risk

National Gallery of Art Water Mist System
End User’s Objectives
 Extinguish or control fire in combustible ceiling and prevent fire spread
to adjacent galleries
 Control a “normal” fire at floor level (light hazard)
 Have no water “over the collection” (preaction system)
 Design to provide capacity for future expansion (pumped system)
 Address issues of incomplete listings for equipment
 Specification recognizing “pending approval”
 Ultimately, provide a system that meets NGA performance expectations,
complies with intent of NFPA 750, and is a listed, approved system
National Gallery of Art
 Listing of nozzles essentially appropriate

 Application not exactly conforming to listing
 Nozzles listed, but pump unit not listed (pending)
 Specifications drafted to suit installation by fire
protection contractor new to high pressure piping and
water mist systems equipment
 Professional responsibility of consultant vs.
“acceptance” by informed End User acting as own
AHJ
Engineering Challenges
 Decision-points arise all the time

 Water mist technology is still under development.
• Special invention, adaptation is often encountered
 How do you advise the AHJ or End User about the
engineering suitability of situations encountered for the first
time?
 Example:
• Deluge control valves for high pressure systems
• Capacity of largest listed valve is less than required for the
system demand
• Solution: manifold a series of small capacity sectional valves
• Issue: what is the effect on reliability?
Consultant’s Role in Peer Review
 End User or AHJ does not have resources to provide a

review to the desired level of thoroughness.
 Engage a qualified consultant who has the knowledge to
judge whether a proposed system meets the End User’s
needs
Consulting engineer must be able to compare
technologies
 Low pressure, twin fluid, gas driven (Securiplex)

 Intermediate pressure, single fluid, gas driven
(Chemetron, Fike)
 High pressure, single fluid, gas driven (Marioff,
Fogtec, others ...)
 High or Low pressure, single fluid, pumped (Marioff,
Fogtec, UniFog, Aquamist, … )
 Decaying pressure, hybrid gas-water (Marioff)
 Cycled discharge versus continuous discharge
(Securiplex, Fike, Chemetron, others … )
Twin Fluid, Low Pressure, Gas driven
Regulator
Detectors
Low Pressure High Pressure
1 A
1 i
r Control
Panel
9 8
7
Duration of discharge typically
10 minutes
Cycled discharge (on-off)
Stored water
Water
Reservoir
Slave Master 1
1
8
Compressed Gas
Cylinders
(atomizing
medium)
Single fluid, intermediate pressure, gas
driven
Detectors
Duration of discharge typically
Control
Panel 10 minutes
Cycled discharge (on-off)

1
1
7 Stored water
8
Pumped system, high or intermediate
pressure
Detectors
Sectional Control
Releasing
Valves
Panel
Test Line
Unloader
Q P
8 Gas-driven “jockey” pump
Controller
MM
Water Supply (potable)

6
Filters
7
Consultant’s Required knowledge
 Compare pros and cons of different types of systems

 Compare costs of different systems
 Understand differences in long term maintenance
needs
 Compare reliability … to the extent known
 Equipment is often too new to be able to quantify its
reliability
 Understand Construction and ITM infrastructure

Acceptance Testing
 The Vendor should not be the only party in the
room who knows how the system works …
To sump
M M
27 kW 27 kW
To sump
M M
27 kW 27 kW
Water Supply
Evaluating High Pressure Pump Performance
Test Result for 4 motors, 8 pumps.
160
For System: k = 31.749
328 l/min @ 107 bar
140
Flow Test Result
120 316 l/min @ 107 bar
100
Calculated demand,
80
K = 31.749 Flow Test Objective
400 l/min @ 105 bar
60
1 2 3 4
40
100 150 200 250 Discharge,

300 L/min
350 400 450 500
Role of the Consulting Engineer …
Conclusion
 The increasing acceptance of water mist systems

creates increased demand for independent expertise
 Water mist systems represent a “performance based
design” paradigm
 The consulting engineer (3rd party reviewer) must
appreciate the pros and cons of all water mist
technologies
 Required knowledge for entry is difficult to acquire, but
is still based on fundamental engineering principles of
hydraulics and systems reliability

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What is the role of the consulting engineer in water mist systems?

What is the role of the consulting engineer in water mist systems?

What are the different types of water mist systems discussed?

What are the different types of water mist systems discussed?

Role of the Consulting Engineer

in the Application of Water Mist Systems

 Research and development, first principles science

 NFPA 750, Standard for Water Mist Fire Protection

 Research Era 1990 to 1998 …

 NFPA 750, Standard for Water Mist Fire Protection Systems

 NFPA 750, Standard for Water Mist Fire Protection Systems

 Acceptance Era (2000 to Present)

 Acceptance Era (1997 to Present)

 Engineering and Construction Era (2000 + …)

 NFPA 750 Chapter 5: Design

 The test protocol seldom exactly matches the application

– E.g. full extinguishment, control for 10-minutes …?

• Confirm compartment size, ventilation, obstructions, fuel quantities, and

• Uncertainty transfers risk

 Listing of nozzles essentially appropriate

 Decision-points arise all the time

 End User or AHJ does not have resources to provide a

 Low pressure, twin fluid, gas driven (Securiplex)

Cycled discharge (on-off)

Cycled discharge (on-off)

8 Gas-driven “jockey” pump

Water Supply (potable)

 Compare pros and cons of different types of systems

 Understand Construction and ITM infrastructure

100 150 200 250 Discharge,

 The increasing acceptance of water mist systems

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