HYDRAULIC CALCULATION PROCEDURE

Fire Protection Analysis Procedure

1. Determine Density/ Area Requirements

2. Evaluate Possible Hydraulically Remote Areas
3. Measure out area of operation
4. Measure out each sprinkler area
5. Calculate flow at remote sprinkler Q = density X area ( i. e Q=D × As where As=S × L)
[D=62.4 lb/ft3(1000kg/m3) and L in ft2]
the use Outlet formula to determine Pressure (Q=k √ P) at that point
6. Follow a path from the remote head to the supply point
for each pipe along that path:
 Use pressure at pipe start point to calculate flow from any sprinkler
 Add sprinkler flow to previous pipe flow
 Use dia, length, accumulated flow and roughness to calculate friction loss
 Use elevation differences between pipe ends to calculate elevation
 Calculate pressure at other end of pipe: P 2 = P1 + Pe + Pf

Basic Equations of Hydraulic Analysis/ Physics of each formula used

Pressure required at an operating outlet

Q=k √ P
Where Q = Flow out of sprinkler
K = Constant of sprinkler Orifice
P = Pressure at the Orifice

Pressure required to overcome friction loss

Q 1.85
Pf = 4.52 X L X 1.85 (Known as Hazen-Williams equation)
C ×d 4.87
Where Pf = Friction loss (i.e. pressure drops in pipes, fittings, Accessories & fixtures for friction loss)
L = Length of pipe/feed to sprinkler in fts
Q = Flow rate through sprinkler in GPM
C = Smoothness or roughness coefficient of sprinkler type according to manufacturer
d = Internal diameter of pipe in inches
Pressure required to raise water to a given height

Pe = 0.4331h

Where Pe = Pressure to elevation in psi

h = height to raise the water to in feet.

Theses are the formulas used to calculate the PRESSURE to get the flow OUT of the system.
PUMP SELECTION METHOD

GPM × H ' × S
WHP = Hp
3960 × ηfactor

Where GPM – Q =Total flowrate in GPM

H’ = Total head required in ft.
P L Pw
S = SP - Specific gravity = = =1; (S=1)
P w Pw
η = Efficiency factor specified by the manufacturers usually 70% ( η f =0.7 )

This is referred to as “Hydraulic Calculation/ Node Calculation”;

Used to get the “Total pressure required to calculate the total flow”

Procedure/ Process for Calculation

1. Type of system
2. Type of Hazard
3. No. of sprinkler in hydraulic area (Only sprinklers in remote/ hydraulic areas are considered)
4. Material – Black Steel Schedule 40;
C = 120 – Smoothness/ Roughness Coefficient.
5. Flowrate from one sprinkler or flowrate per sprinkler - Q s = 18gpm, P = 10.33psi
6. Pressure required in remote area.

*Then afterwards prepare a format for Node Calculation which will be focused on the remote area and
results will be used to get pump selection.

START Q(FLOW) PIPE DIA PIPE LENGTH L, EQ. LENGTH, FOR Pf PSI/FT TOTAL
NODE GPM SIZE IN IN FT. FF OR A (HEADLOSS) DROP
INCH

PRESSURE REQUIRED CALCULATIO END NODE

PRESSURE N