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Sprinkler fire protection system for cigarettes manufacturing and storage facility

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Rohitha Rathnaweera

Rohitha Rathnaweera

Industrial
Oct 15, 2023
6
Good day Elites!

I'm having a challenge in updating the sprinkler fire protection system of a 50 year old cigarettes manufacturing and storage facility and have faced some challenges.

Dimensions of each storage - 20 x 22 meters, Roof height 7.5 meters and sprinklers mounted here.

Storage rack type - Drive in, continues racks with dimensions of -

L- 15 m, Depth - 12 m, triple row up to exact 5.9 m height to the top

Longitudinal flue space - 30 cm

Transverse flue space - 10 cm

Finished cigarettes boxes (corrugated cardboard) placed on "Fully closed boarded deck" wooden pellets which could delay the fire from going upwards. No any other mix of commodities.

My challenges -

Original system including piping and pneumatic tank were designed to cater for Grinnell 5.6K sprinklers (over 3800 heads). An insurance auditor visited recently has informed to change the system to deliver a density of 21.24 lmp/m2 using K8 sprinklers and upgrade pipe schedule and pumps which is not financially viable. (No explanation how this figure was reached).

In my understanding with NFA 13(2019),

Tobacco and finished products are Class III commodities (20.4.3.1).

Since the height to top of the boxes are 5.9 meters, can I use "Class III Density requirements up to 6.1 m" - 21.2.2.1 graphs with "Density vs storage height" 21.2.2.3 graph?

Current K5.6 sprinklers operating at 5 bar (at pump) delivering 150 l.p.m with a density of minimum 14.5 l.p.m. /m2 on ground and as per the 21.2.2.1 graphs, this should be sufficient.

If not sufficient by any mean, I propose to add "In-rack sprinklers" if it really needed.

Appreciate comments and advice. All comments and suggestions are welcome!
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20231013_144036_zqlr4o.jpg

Thanks a lot in advance.
 
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Have you checked 21.1.4?

Also, for a flow of 150 lpm and a density of 14.5 mm/min, the area of coverage results to 150/14.5 = 10.34 m² which seems it does not satisfy 10.2.4.2.1(d).
 
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Hi!
Thanks for the reply.
Yes, I have seen 21.1.4 and trying to solve the issue by sticking to 21.1.3(Use K80) as the site has much more sprinklers than 10.2.4.2.1(d)specified minimum(Over designed)to provide a coverage of of 8.8 m² per sprinkler.

Appreciate your comment.
Thanks!

Dr. Rohitha Rathnaweera
 
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You can slide up the curve III in Fig. 21.2.2.1 but you can't reach 8.2 mm/min since the curves are trimmed. So I don't see how you can get away without utilizing K115 heads unless you have high temp. heads already which this would enable you to use Fig. 21.2.2.2 with K80 (sliding up to reach 8.2 mm/min). If not, you should consider change the heads and run hydraulics to see if only this change would be enough.
 
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I am not an engineer or designer

1. I take it you are calling the storage,,, Solid Shelves?

Change those to open grate wire shelves, should help some???

2. Hire a Fire Protection Engineer,,, that has dealt with High Piled Storage,,, have them look at all aspects of the project….

The money you spend on the FPE, will save you time and money in the long run.
 
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Hi UFT12!

This is not in USA, In Sri Lanka. There's no any qualified people around to get them to visit and see.
I'm trying with Chapter 25 now to try and combine In-rack with it.

Individual flow, when tested after opening 8 sprinklers at the same time, the lowest was delivering 138 l.p.m. and with the number of sprinklers available, the floor has a density of 13.5 l/m2 minimum. (11.4 l/m2 is from a OH location)


Untitled_md9nzo.png


Dr. Rohitha Rathnaweera
 
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Have you reached out to the property insurance company for guidance? I worked for a global insurance carrier in the loss prevention department for many years and provided the details you are looking for to our clients as part of our services. We also reviewed fire protection plans, made site visits to confirm the work matched the plans, etc. Ask who the insurance carrier is and or who is the “lead insurance carrier” it maybe via a insurance agent who places the coverage. Maybe worth a phone call or email.

 
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@LCREP - We were only provided with what they (Insurance)need to be achieved. No any advice given.
But I guess I found a way to manage it -In-rack protection independent of ceiling - 25.8.1.8 and 25.8.1.10

@CDAFD - Image link is not working - "Page not found"

Many thanks for both of you!


Dr. Rohitha Rathnaweera
 
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Rohitha,

My guess the insurance company visited the site and noted the condition and submitted a “recommendation” to upgrade the sprinkler system. I developed 1000s of recommendations during my career. Before you do the work get the insurance company to sign off on the work that it meets the recommendation. The last thing you want is the insurance company visiting the site in 6 months and not agreeing with what you did and resubmitting the recommendation. I have been down this road many times and have been at meetings where a lot of finger pointing takes place between contractors ie it’s not their fault! As I have said many times in these meetings all could have been avoided by a letter from the insurance company with agreement on what was planned.

Tom

 
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@LCREP
The auditor has visited the site before CoVid (2019) and n much of discussion has taken place afterwards. Site owner now wants a proposal on how to meet the demand, which is to be discussed and agreed with insurance team, and then introduce corrective measures. That's the whole plan.
Thanks a lot!

Dr. Rohitha Rathnaweera
 
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