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High-Rise Plumbing Design and Plumbing Codes: March 14, 2014
High-Rise Plumbing Design and Plumbing Codes: March 14, 2014
One
of the most common problems I find in high-
High-rise plumbing design and rise building plumbing systems is pressure
zone problems. Problems occur when the
plumbing codes plumbing designer or design-build contractor
March 14, 2014 fails to pay attention to the minimum
requirements for pressure and maximum
requirements for pressure in a plumbing
Ron George system.
There are different categories of high-rise The codes address the minimum pressures at
buildings as far as design of the water system the fixtures, and they address maximum static
is concerned. The taller the building is, the water pressures in the water distribution
system where they require water pressure domestic water booster pumps so that they do
reducing valves or regulators where the water not start-up with a water-empty riser. I have
pressure exceeds 80 pounds per square inch seen the results of pump start-ups that were
(psi). The plumbing fixtures listed in Chapter 6 not done properly and it can blow the piping
of the model plumbing codes list minimum apart.
flowing pressures or residual pressures at each
fixture. For example, a bathtub, shower or bidet If a pump starts up with no water in the
requires a minimum of 20 psi flowing pressure. downstream piping, there is no backpressure
That would likely be about 22 psi static on the pump, so it will operate at the end of the
pressure. A water closet, siphonic type, pump curve. This increases the flow volume
flushometer valve requires a minimum of 35 psi significantly and the velocity increases also. It
residual (flowing) pressure. The newer 1.6 and is not unusual to see water velocities close to
lower water closet tank type fixtures requires 12-15 feet per second, which will pack a whale
20 psi where the older higher flow models of a punch when the water in the pipe gets to a
required a minimum pressure as low as 8 psi. fitting like an elbow or tee. The rule of thumb
Many newer models of water conserving water for water hammer is 60 times the water velocity
closets rely on the water supply pressure to is the potential water hammer pressure spike
force the flow into the bowl and trap as part of that can occur.
the design and operation of the fixture with
minimum pressures as high as 45 psi. If the Many failed large diameter pipes have led to
minimum and maximum pressures are not significant flood incidents with tens of millions
adhered to, problems are likely to occur. of damages in high rise buildings when pumps
have been started-up after a period of down
Maintenance issues time. If there is a power outage or even a
planned outage for draining the piping and
As with any type of building that has full time replacing pressure reducing valves, which
maintenance staff some of the problems occurs many times per year with the PRV
associated with plumbing system failures begin designs, the maintenance personnel must be
with the hiring of the maintenance staff. If the trained to follow pump manufacturers start-up
building owner does not hire properly trained or procedures when a domestic water booster
certified maintenance staff, the owner should at pump system has shut-down long enough for
least pay for or encourage their staff to seek the water to be drained from the riser (more
out training that addresses the care and than a few minutes). Some pump controls are
maintenance for the systems they are hired to designed to require a manual start-up after a
maintain. I have seen many failures where the power failure for this reason.
maintenance staff contributed to the failure
because they did not know what they were Water hammer will occur when a pump starts
doing. For example, firing a boiler before up and must be controlled by turning off the
opening the water fill valve. Then, the person pump during the outage and closing off all the
realizes they forgot to fill the boiler with water valves. When the power is restored, the
then opening the fill valve and let cold water maintenance staff must open a faucet or two at
rush into a red hot boiler. Boom! The owner just the top of the building (or utilize an automatic
bought a new boiler. air vent) to vent out the air from the high points
in the system and then partially open one valve
Domestic water pressure booster pump on the booster pump package and manually
start-up run one (smaller) pump until water comes out
of the fixture(s) at the top of the building. This
Another common failure is when there is a will slowly introduce water into the system to
prolonged power failure and the tenants in the prevent the water hammer associated with all
building are allowed to drain the water from the of the booster pumps coming on with an empty
piping system before the power is restored. pipe, which can blow apart the pipe or fittings
The maintenance staff must shut down the and flooding a high-rise building.
to catch an early flight. When I got in the
Pressure zones to avoid high pressure shower, there was plenty of hot water, but no
rated pipe, valves and fittings cold water. When I drove around the complex
to the front lobby, I noticed all of the irrigation
There are several ways to design the water zones were flowing at the same time, which
distribution system in a high-rise building. The were apparently on the cold water booster
most efficient system design utilizes a separate pump. This must have used up all of the
booster pump for each pressure zone in the pressure and the hot water system was
building up to about 40-60 stories in height apparently on a separate booster pump. I
depending on floor to floor height). When the stopped by the front desk to let them know
height of the building gets much higher, the about the problem, and suggested they adjust
pressure rating of the pipe, valves and fittings the timing on their sprinkler zones.
must be higher and the cost goes up. In ultra-
high-rise designs, they often use a water The maintenance guy showed up while I was
supply pipe to a suction tank for a higher zone checking things out and said he would go
domestic water booster pump and piping check the boiler and turn the hot water
system to begin with a higher pressure zone, temperature down. I explained the hot water
which may feed the suction tank for even temperature was not the problem, it was the
higher pressure zones if needed. There are cold water system was being starved by all of
many additional issues with these types of the sprinkler zones flowing simultaneously. At
ultra-high-rise systems that may include by- this moment, he reminded me that he had been
pass valves, isolation valves, overflow drains, working there for over five years and he
relief valves, etc. This allows lower pressure worked his way up the building maintenance so
pipe, valves and fittings to be used on the he knew what he was doing. He assured me it
lower floors of ultra-high-rise buildings. was a boiler thermostat problem. I said I
checked the two-handled sink faucet and no
For buildings that utilize 300 psi fitting and water came out. It was only the gurgling sound
below (40-60 floors max depending on floor to of air rushing in so in was probably not a water
floor height) multiple booster pumps could be heater temperature problem. His eyes gazed
used with a booster pump package for each up at the ceiling as he tried to comprehend
pressure zone with no pressure reducing what I just told him. He mumbled something
valves. This saves a ton of energy, as like he was still going to check the boiler
compared to a single large booster pump that anyway as he walked away.
is designed for the full flow and head
requirement for the building. It would be like I sent a letter to explain the problem and the
carrying two 5 gallon buckets of water up 100 hotel chains chief engineer explained to me
flights of stairs so that someone can take a sip that they changed the cartridge in the room and
of water then pour all of the rest of the water that should take care of it. I had to follow up
down the drain or out a window. There was a with a letter to explain to the hotel engineer
lot of energy wasted carrying all that water up what the real problem was.
to the top floor, when only an six ounce cup of
water was needed to satisfy the demand for a Material substitutions
drink. This is what happens when a very large
booster pump package is installed at the base There have been lots of cases where material
of a high-rise building and pressure reducing substitutions have been made. It is important
valves are used to reduce the pressure on the for the engineer, contractor and owner to verify
lower floors. It wastes tons of energy! the pressure ratings, thermal expansion
properties and temperature ratings of the
Maintenance staff substituted materials. Verifying helps to make
sure the piping is installed in accordance with
I stayed on the top floor in a high-rise hotel in the pipe manufacturers instructions.
Florida not long ago, and I got up at 3:45.a.m
Do not circulate through pressure reducing
valves