number of fire pumps in power plant? 1

[jhgf]

Hi @ all,

does anybody know where i can find regulations according to the required number of fire pumps in an electric generating plant. I´m through the following codes by now but haven´t found closer specs (850, 13, 20, 30).
"The fire pumps shall be installed in accordance to NFPA 20 and should not be subject to a common failure, electrical or mechanical. The pumps should be of sufficient capacity to meet the fire flow requirements with the largest pump out of service [NFPA 850, 4-2.5.1]."
My worst case fire scenario is an AST-fire with one adjacent tank being cooled and the diked area beeing foamed. I already have calculated the required amount of water supply.
Is there a regulation to the number of pumps based on "my" hazards.
Thanks to all!

 

[LCREP]

No NFPA code requires a second pump for your type of occupancy. As you already have found all NFPA requires is a reliable water supply. If a pump is required then it must have a reliable power supply. If the electric supply is not "reliable" NFPA 20 defines what reliable is, then NFPA 20 requires a back supply such as a diesel fire pump, electric pump connected to a generator, etc.

BUT ask your insurance company for what they want. Depending on your location (rural or in the middle of a city) how strong your public water supply is, $$ at risk, etc. they may ask/demand for not only a 2nd fire pump but also a secondary water supply (tank and pump).


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Fire Sprinklers Save Firefighters’ Lives Too!

 

[chicopee]

I agree with LCREP. Whenever we insured a location where there was an electric fire pump fed from one power line, we asked a backup diesel fire pump or an other electric pump powered by a second independent power line. This was normally requested in rural areas where power lines were not gridded.

 

[DavidCR]

I think there is no requirement. Have you read FMGlobal data sheet on power plants to complement NFPA?.

What type of plant it is? What size? Does it includes hazards like: tank farms, wood/plastic cooling towers, special fuels.

If it is an hydroelectric with one electric pump with a good back-up generator or one diesel should be enough, but for other types of plants our practice is to provide double pumps.

You can think of several combinations of pump array, and it depends on the particular conditions.

At least to give you something to think, in your case what can be a good option for you?...

-Electric pump with listed transfer.
-Electric with listed transfer and a really robust and reliable emergency generator.
-Diesel pump.
-Electric pump and a diesel pump.
-Electric pump with with listed transfer and a diesel pump.
-Two diesel pumps.
-Two diesel pumps on different locations and different water supplies.

In case you have to use a vertical turbine pump and the cooling system takes water from the suction, consider that it is not as reliable as a horizontal split case with suction tank at the same level (e.g.).

Other conditions that may lead you to use two pumps are: if you use a lake, sea water, bad electricity service, bad maintenance, etc.

It all depends.

 

[jhgf]

OK! thank you all!!!