Automatic

Fire Sprinkler Systems

S.Sathananthan
Lecturer 2
Fire Protection Systems
 References

 Code of Practice for Fire Precautions in

Buildings, 2002, Singapore Civil Defence
Force.
 Code of Practice for Automatic Fire
Sprinkler Systems, CP 52, 2004.
 Light Hazard (LH)
 Non-industrial premises where amount
and combustibility of contents is low, such
as schools, hospitals and museums.
 Ordinary Hazard (OH)
 Covers commercial and industrial occupancies
involving handling, processing and storage of
ordinary combustible materials which are
unlikely to develop intensely burning fires in
early stages.
– Group I : Restaurants and offices.
– Group II : Bakeries and car parks.
– Group III : Cinemas and departmental stores.
– Group III Special : Exhibitions and chemical works.
 High Hazard (EHH)
 Includes commercial and industrial premises having
abnormal fire loads where materials handled or
processed are of an extra hazardous nature likely to
develop rapid and intensely burning fires, such as
fires which may occur in aircraft hangers or where
foamed plastics and foamed rubbers are used. These
are process risks.
 Involves high piling of goods. Fires involving this type
of risk are difficult to deal with. These are high piled
storage risks.
Description of Automatic
Fire Sprinkler Systems
 Description of Automatic Fire
Sprinkler Systems
 An automatic sprinkler system is a fire
suppression system consisting of network of
water pipes and sprinkler heads.
 Water is fed to the sprinklers through network
of water pipes.
 Sprinkler heads are spaced at regular intervals
and are normally suspended from ceiling.
Automatic Fire Sprinkler
 Flow switch signal transmitted to Fire Alarm Panel

Automatic air release valve

Sprinkler head

Main Distribution pipe

Flow switch

Pressure gauge

Fire Alarm gong G Pressure gauge

Alarm Water proving pipe
Panel Valve Flow meter
Alarm valve
Main control valve
Main fire pumps
Pressure
switch
PUB supply Pressure gauge

Water tank Breeching inlet for Fire service

Jockey pump Pump control panel

Automatic Fire Sprinkler System

Cutaway view of Alarm valve
 Functions of an Automatic
Fire Sprinkler System
 Detects fire automatically
 Sounds alarm
 Delivers water to attack fire through
sprinkler heads
 Prevents fire spread
 Benefits of Automatic Fire
Sprinkler Systems
 Immediate detection and control of
developing fire
 Immediate alert
 Reduce heat & smoke damage
 Design flexibility
 Decreased insurance expenditure
 Effectiveness
of Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems

 Extremely effective, in particular high-rise

buildings and warehouses.
 Out of 1394 fires, 63 % were extinguished
by operation of one sprinkler whilst 21 %
were extinguished by two sprinklers.
 Failure rate very low.
 Electrically monitored

 Fire sprinkler systems are required to

be electrically monitored so that a fire
signal is automatically sent to fire
station through an approved alarm
monitoring station when a sprinkler
head activates.
 Pumps for Fire Sprinkler Systems
 Normally there are two main pumps together
with a jockey pump.
 Jockey pump makes up for small loss in
system pressure due to leakage.
 Pumps must be driven either by electric motor
or a diesel type engine.
 Electrical supply for electric motor driven
pumps must be obtained from an emergency
board with power supply from Public Utilities
Board backed up by standby generator set.
 Pressure Switches
 Pressure switches are installed in main
distribution pipe to detect pressure changes.
 If there is small pressure drop caused by
water leakage, pressure switch will start
jockey pump to restore pressure.
 If pressure drops quickly because sprinkler
head ruptures, pressure switch will start main
fire pump to supply water to system.
 If main pump fails to start, then other pump
will activate.
 Flow switch signal transmitted to Fire Alarm Panel

Automatic air release valve

Sprinkler head

Main Distribution pipe

Flow switch

Pressure gauge

Fire Alarm gong G Pressure gauge

Alarm Water proving pipe
Panel Valve Flow meter
Alarm valve
Main control valve
Main fire pumps
Pressure
switch
PUB supply Pressure gauge

Water tank Breeching inlet for Fire service

Jockey pump Pump control panel

Automatic Fire Sprinkler System

Pressure switches are used to start the pumps
Isolator – ON

Power indicator
lights always lit

Selector switch
always on Auto
mode
 Main Control Valve
 Normally locked open.
 Purpose:
– To isolate system for maintenance and
modification work
– To shut down water to sprinklers after fire
has been put out to minimise water
damage
 Water Distribution
 Water flows from main control valve to
vertical riser and to main distribution
pipes at ceiling.
 From main distribution pipes, it passes to
distribution pipes and then to range pipes
where the sprinklers are attached.
 Water is discharged at sprinkler heads
which have been broken by hot rising
gases from fire.
 Array A

3 metres typical

Array B
5m

5m
15 m

5m

3 metres typical
15 m
Equivalent length of an elbow = 3.0 m

ICV
 Flow Switches
 Consists of flap, which activates electrical
micro-switch when water flows.
 Installed at each main distribution pipe.
 When sprinkler head ruptures, water flows.
 Electrical signal from micro-switch transmitted
to fire alarm panel.
 Area of sprinkler activation indicated on fire
alarm panel.
 Allows ready location of fire for fire fighting.
 Flow Switch
Electrical Connection
Metal Flap to Fire Alarm Panel

Main Distribution Pipe

Normal Situation : No Water Flow

Flow Switch
Metal Flap tilts up Electrical Connection
to Fire Alarm Panel Activates

Fire situation : Water Flows

Flow switch with
the metal flap Flow switch mounted
on a distribution pipe
 Water Proofing Facility

 Located at control valve.

 Consists of test pipe arrangement, an
orifice plate as flow meter and pressure
gauges.
 Allows design flow rate to be simulated
for verifying sufficient water flow rate.
Proving water pipe–Flow gauge & pressure gauge
Glass bulb sprinkler heads
 Sprinkle head spray
profiles
 Spray profiles depends on the
sprinkler head used in the system.
 Pendent type sprinkler head
 Upright sprinkler head
 Conventional sprinkler head
 Side wall sprinkler head
 Pendent sprinkler head

Pendent
sprinkler head Pendent spray profile
Pendent sprinkler headSpray Water
Distribution Pattern
 A wider deflector produces
hemispherical distribution below
sprinkler with little or no water
reaching ceiling.
Pendent Spray Sprinkler Flat Ceiling
Head

Hemispherical water
discharge pattern

Spray Type Sprinkler Discharge Pattern

Pendent sprinkler head
 Up-right sprinkler head

Up-right
sprinkler head Up-right spray profile
Upright sprinkler head Water
Distribution Pattern
 Upright sprinkler heads are
provided with flat deflector.
 Upright sprinkler heads must be
fixed in the upright position
 Produces hemi-spherical water
distribution with little or no water
reaching the ceiling.
Up-right sprinkler head
Conventional sprinkler head

Conventional
sprinkler head
Conventional sprinkler head
spray profile
 Conventional Sprinkler Head

Flat Ceiling
Wetting of Ceiling

Spherical
discharge

Conventional Type Sprinkler Discharge Pattern

 Conventional Water
Distribution Pattern

 Produces spherical water

distribution both above and
below sprinkler with some
degree of ceiling wetting.
Conventional sprinkler head
Side wall sprinkler head

Side wall
sprinkler head
Side wall sprinkler head spray
profile
 Side Wall Water
Distribution Pattern

 Produces hemispherical distribution

below sprinkler with little or no water
reaching ceiling.
 Gives skewed quarter spherical
distribution below sprinkler.
 Designed for use at side of rooms
or corridors.
 Flat Ceiling
Side Wall
Sprinkler Head

Side Wall Sprinkler Discharge Pattern

Side wall sprinkler head
 Temperature Rating
 Sprinkler heads operate at fixed
temperature.
 Selected according to ambient
temperature of protected area.
 Usually rating is about 30o C above
ambient.
Operating
temperature of
head denoted by
colour of liquid in
bulb.
ESFR Sprinkler Head