I have an existing foam/water deluge system covering vessels and sprinklers providing area coverage for pool fires. The sprinklers are smaller than K-5.6. The owner wants us to match the existing sprinklers. 

In your opinion, is this acceptable?

For reference, NFPA 13 (2013) Section 8.3.4:
8.3.4 Sprinklers with K-Factors Less than K-5.6 (80).
8.3.4.1 Sprinklers shall have a minimum nominal K-factor of 5.6 (80) unless otherwise permitted by 8.3.4...
8.3.4.2 For light hazard occupancies not requiring as much water as is discharged by a sprinkler with a nominal K-factor of K-5.6 (80) operating at 7 psi (0.5 bar), sprinklers having a smaller orifice shall be permitted, subject to the following restrictions:
(1) The system shall be hydraulically calculated.
(2) Sprinklers with nominal K-factors of less than K-5.6 (80) shall be installed only in wet pipe sprinkler systems or in
accordance with the limitations of 8.3.4.3 or 8.3.4.4.
(3) A listed strainer shall be provided on the supply side of sprinklers with nominal K-factors of less than K-2.8 (40).
8.3.4.3 Sprinklers with nominal K-factors of less than K-5.6 (80) shall be permitted to be installed in conformance with 11.3.2 for protection against exposure fires.
8.3.4.4 Sprinklers with nominal K-factors of K-4.2 (57) shall be permitted to be installed on dry pipe and preaction systems protecting light hazard occupancies where piping is corrosion resistant or internally galvanized.

NFPA 15 (2017) Section 7.3.3. Flammable and Combustible Liquid Pool Fires
Water spray systems designed to control pool fires resulting from a flammable or combustible liquid spill fire shall be designed to apply a net rate of not less than 0.30 gpm/sqft of protected area.

I think my new design will require nozzles spaced at 100 square feet if the k-factor needs to be smaller than k-5.6 under NFPA 13.

Also, do you know of any non-aspirating nozzles that are listed for foam?

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I had thought the presence of the elevator itself does not necessarily require a sprinkler system if the building does not require a sprinkler system.

For example, if a two-story, type II-B, Business (B) Occupancy building is under 23,000 sqft, the IBC does not require a sprinkler system to be installed. Therefore, the hoistway or the EMR would not require sprinklers.

I’ve had elevator designers argue that the presence of hydraulic fluid requires sprinklers.

I disagree, however; hydraulic fluid is typically a Class III-B flammable liquid. In the example above a two stop elevator would have less than 1000 lb (~150 gal) of hydraulic fluid which does not trigger any Hazardous Occupancy as the control area volume limit for closed-use systems is 13,200 gallons.

Is this the correct approach to take? Does the presence of the hydraulic fluid or any other component of an elevator trigger sprinkler requirements for the rest of the building?

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Our common CRAC Units (Cooling, Refrigeration and A/C) for data centers only cool the air directly from the data center and back into the data center.

Do these need to be shutdown with the use of a total-flooding clean agent system? 

If the CRAC unit is only exchanging air within the same space then I'm not sure what harm it would do if it's running during or after clean agent discharge. I'm curious if I'm off the mark here, thanks!

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NFPA 2001 requires a safety factor under sections 5.4.2.3 through 5.4.2.5 for clean agent extinguishing concentrations.

What is the difference between the "design concentration" listed in Table A.5.4.2.2(b) (2015 edition) and this minimum extinguishing concentration (the minimum extinguishing concentration MEC x applied safety factor)?

In some cases the design concentrations are higher than the MEC x safety factor - is there a proper one to be using under NFPA 2001? Sorry if the question is basic - I've always just used the design concentrations.

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First of all I work at a gas company as a Fire Equipment Maintenance Specialist in Libya. My job is to follow up and assess efficiency of fixed firefighting systems and provide plans for preventative/corrective maintenance/testing based on schedules.

One of our firefighting systems has a foam bladder tank which protects an oil tank and plant operations.

My problem is when we started this project the bladder tank was built out of global standard. The foam concentrate AFFF is stored between the internal tank wall and membrane. Water gets inside the membrane which forces the foam to get out through the rated membrane. 

I know it is wrong and does not produce a perfect foam solution within the specification. When I complained about this case, my manager asked me to provide an opinion based on international standards. 

Is there guidance within NFPA-standards that can help me address this issue?

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Inergen (IG-541) is being used for protection of several rooms which contain highly valuable historic documents. If the fire type is considered Class A and the design concentration of Inergen is provided, determine the clean agent-air mixture density.
a. 1.15 kg/cu. m
b. 1.25 kg/cu. m
c. 1.28 kg/cu. m
d. 1.44 kg/cu. m

Solution | Posted 09/19/19

Solution | Posted 08/22/19

Solution | Posted 08/16/19

Once again great info/insight. Though it made me think.

What if you have a type II hood without wet chem protection? Are sprinklers required? I think yes (following obstruction rules).

To take it a step further, what if you have a type I hood with protection over the required appliances including the plenum but not below the plenum in areas where there are ovens/non-cooking equipment? As an AHJ, I have never required additional protection here. But now I question myself.

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Solution | Posted 08/07/19

Is there a secondary marketplace for selling halon for a decommissioned system? Where's the best place to start when looking to sell halon tanks?

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What is the fire protection standard for CT-Scan, PET/CT, tomotherapy, etc. rooms?

NFPA 13 notes only that occupancies shall have automatic fire sprinkler system or an approved alternative.

I have seen double standards in installed systems in one hospital project I worked in wherein the hospital AHJ proposed wet sprinkler system on one occasion while clean agent fire suppression system was used on another.

My concern is that an unconscious patient left inside the gantry by staff in panic can die if the clean agent fire suppression system discharges in the treatment room. Whereas, on another hand, millions worth CT, PET/CT, tomotherapy machines can be seriously damaged beyond repair if the wet sprinkler system works to put out fire inside the room.

It sometimes seems like a choice between protecting patients which is the core business of healthcare facilities or protecting costly property from damage. Is there an absolute standard to put a period to my query? Thanks.

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​A trench is built to handle overflow of heavy oil from a common garage workspace area to a containment tank. Determine the flame height (in meters) for an open linear fire (130 kW/m) within this trench.
a. 0.44 m
b. 0.87 m
c. 2.2 m
d. 25.7 m

Solution | Posted 07/09/19

Solution | Posted 06/25/19

Solution | Posted 06/12/19

Solution | Posted 06/07/19

Have you had AHJ’s request FPE seals on hood fire suppression systems often? It’s in the letter of UFC 3-600-01 (this is a US military project) but has not come up before for us. 

Do you have an opinion on what needs to happen if the system (or the majority of it) is factory installed in the hood? Can it be treated as part of the UL listed assembly?

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There's a jurisdiction that is considering requiring "Fire Fighter Air Replenishment System" or as I understand it a standpipe-for-air system. Has anyone designed these systems?

The International Fire Code (Appendix L) provides requirements for the system - my only concern is the size and storage of pressurized oxygen tanks either in or near the stairwells and the potentially increased hazard they could be in a fire.

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There's many code contingencies that depend on a fully-sprinklered building. If a room within a fully-sprinklered building is protected with a clean agent system (per NFPA 2001) and sprinklers are omitted from that room, does the building still meet the criteria to be considered fully protected and qualify for the numerous code contingencies?

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A foam system is being used to protect for spilled methanol within a dike of a tank 1,120 square meters (12,055 sqft). What foam proportion would be recommended?

Is there an advantage between a balance pressure pump proportioning system or an in-line balance pressure pump proportioning system?

The system is being designed under NFPA 11, 16, and 30.

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A control area exists within a fully-sprinklered paint manufacturing facility. Current storage of Class IB and IC liquids total 100 gallons. If these and new Class IB and IC liquids are moved into approved liquid storage cabinets, how much more volume is permitted to be stored above the current 100 gallons?
a. 20 gallons
b. 140 gallons
c. 380 gallons
d. 480 gallons

Solution | Posted 09/28/18

What is the foam friction loss (in head per 100 ft) and flow velocity for a 4:1 expansion foam flowing 130 gpm in a 2-1/2" schedule 40 pipe (with a c-factor of 100) most nearly?
a. 4.5 ft head/100 ft pipe and 4.75 ft/s
b. 8 ft head/100 ft pipe and 4.75 ft/s
c. 10 ft head/100 ft pipe and 4.5 ft/s
d. 30 ft head/100 ft pipe and 5.5 ft/s"

Solution | Posted 09/13/18

What is the difference between malleable and cast iron? Is there a preference between the two for use in sprinkler or clean agent system fittings?

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We have about 5 kitchen hoods in a restaurant, all connected to Ansul systems, then tying into a Halton pollution control unit. Halton is stating we need a fire protection system inside the ductwork within 15’ from it's unit. Who typically designs this system and would it be another Ansul system? The fire protection engineer of record only does water...

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