Role of the Consulting Engineer

in the Application of Water Mist Systems

P. J. DiNenno, P.E.
For

Jack Mawhinney,PEng
Presented at
NFPA/IMWA Conference
on Water Mist Fire Suppression
Systems
Dallas, TX
May 2003
Role of the Consulting Engineer …

■ Research and development, first principles science

■ Water Mist Design = Performance Based Design
■ 3rd Party Review of Designs by Vendors
■ Acceptance testing
■ Conclusion
Chronology of Water Mist

■ NFPA 750, Standard for Water Mist Fire Protection

Systems
◆ Committee formed in 1993 – New Technology, New
Standard
◆ Many interested parties: casual to vital
◆ Provided fire protection engineering basis for development

■ Research Era 1990 to 1998 …

■ Market Emergence (1995 to present …)
Chronology …

■ NFPA 750, Standard for Water Mist Fire Protection Systems

◆ Committee formed in 1993 – New Technology, New Standard
■ Research Era
◆ 1990 to 1998 (?) intense research – 1 st principles
◆ Water based fire suppression, efficiency, limits,
opportunities
◆ Manufacturers’ R & D efforts still on-going
◆ Military special applications still on-going
■ Market Emergence (1995 to present …)
◆ Commercial development of technology, invention,
Chronology …

■ NFPA 750, Standard for Water Mist Fire Protection Systems

◆ Committee formed in 1993 – New Technology, New Standard
■ Research Era
◆ 1990 to 1998 (?) intense research – 1 st principles
■ Market Emergence (1995 to present …)
◆ Commercial development of technology, invention,
◆ Marine sector = sprinkler equivalence – rapid growth
Other sectors = halon replacement – very slow growth,except in
niches
Standards development (IMO, NFPA 750; CEN TC 191)
◆ Formalized Test Protocols
Chronology …

■ Acceptance Era (2000 to Present)

 By End User - Growing
 By AHJ - Approvals getting easier
 Growth is uneven -
• Oil fields, Marine, Co-Generation well advanced
• Land-based, heritage, commercial, computer rooms
• Slow in the US – depends on AHJ
• Rapid in Europe – Every End User decides for themselves

■ Engineering and Construction Era (2000 + …)

◆ Design & approval methods established
◆ Specifications, Design Drawings, Construction Supervision
Chronology …

■ Acceptance Era (1997 to Present)

■ Engineering and Construction Era (2000 + …)

 Specifications, Design Drawings, Construction Supervision
 Hydraulics; mixtures of gas and water; achieving duration; piston
pumps; materials; techniques; trained installers
 Acceptance Testing
 Maintenance and Reliability
 Costs
Performance Based Design

■ NFPA 750 Chapter 5: Design

◆ Design of a water mist system must be based on results of
comprehensive fire tests, conducted by an internationally
recognized laboratory.
• Comprehensive Test Protocols: Marine machinery spaces;
turbine enclosures; wet benches; marine accommodation and
public spaces; light and ordinary hazard occupancies.

◆ The test protocol seldom exactly matches the application

◆ Interpretation is required
Performance Based Design
■ NFPA 750 Chapter 5: Design
◆ Application of a water mist system to a real space
• Confirm performance objectives of the protocol are appropriate….

– E.g. full extinguishment, control for 10-minutes …?

• Confirm compartment size, ventilation, obstructions, fuel quantities, and other

features of the application match the assumptions in the test protocol

• It requires fire protection engineering knowledge to evaluate whether the design

meets the End User’s objectives.

• Major Source of Misapplications

• Uncertainty transfers risk

National Gallery of Art Water Mist System
End User’s Objectives
■ Extinguish or control fire in combustible ceiling and prevent fire spread to
adjacent galleries
■ Control a “normal” fire at floor level (light hazard)
■ Have no water “over the collection” (preaction system)
■ Design to provide capacity for future expansion (pumped system)
■ Address issues of incomplete listings for equipment
◆ Specification recognizing “pending approval”

■ Ultimately, provide a system that meets NGA performance expectations,

complies with intent of NFPA 750, and is a listed, approved system
National Gallery of Art

■ Listing of nozzles essentially appropriate

■ Application not exactly conforming to listing
■ Nozzles listed, but pump unit not listed (pending)
■ Specifications drafted to suit installation by fire protection
contractor new to high pressure piping and water mist
systems equipment
■ Professional responsibility of consultant vs. “acceptance”
by informed End User acting as own AHJ
Engineering Challenges

■ Decision-points arise all the time

◆ Water mist technology is still under development.
• Special invention, adaptation is often encountered
◆ How do you advise the AHJ or End User about the engineering
suitability of situations encountered for the first time?
◆ Example:
• Deluge control valves for high pressure systems
• Capacity of largest listed valve is less than required for the system
demand
• Solution: manifold a series of small capacity sectional valves
• Issue: what is the effect on reliability?
Consultant’s Role in Peer Review

◆ End User or AHJ does not have resources to provide a

review to the desired level of thoroughness.
◆ Engage a qualified consultant who has the knowledge to
judge whether a proposed system meets the End User’s
needs
Consulting engineer must be able to compare
technologies

 Low pressure, twin fluid, gas driven (Securiplex)

 Intermediate pressure, single fluid, gas driven
(Chemetron, Fike)
 High pressure, single fluid, gas driven (Marioff,
Fogtec, others ...)
 High or Low pressure, single fluid, pumped (Marioff,
Fogtec, UniFog, Aquamist, … )
 Decaying pressure, hybrid gas-water (Marioff)
 Cycled discharge versus continuous discharge
(Securiplex, Fike, Chemetron, others … )
Twin Fluid, Low Pressure, Gas driven

Regulator

Detectors
Low Pressure High Pressure
1 A
1 i
r Control
Panel

9 8
7
Duration of discharge typically
10 minutes

Cycled discharge (on-off)

Stored water
Water
Reservoir

Slave Master 1
1
8
Compressed Gas
Cylinders
(atomizing
medium)
Single fluid, intermediate pressure, gas
driven

Detectors
Duration of discharge typically
Control
Panel 10 minutes

Cycled discharge (on-off)

1
1
7 Stored water

8
Pumped system, high or intermediate
pressure

Detectors

Sectional Control
Releasing
Valves
Panel
Test Line

Unloader

Q P

8 Gas-driven “jockey” pump

MM
Controller

Water Supply (potable)

6
Filters
7
Consultant’s Required knowledge

■ Compare pros and cons of different types of systems

■ Compare costs of different systems
■ Understand differences in long term maintenance
needs
■ Compare reliability … to the extent known
◆ Equipment is often too new to be able to quantify its
reliability

■ Understand Construction and ITM infrastructure

Acceptance Testing
■ The Vendor should not be the only party in the
room who knows how the system works …

To sump

M M

27 kW 27 kW

To sump

M M

27 kW 27 kW

Water Supply
 Evaluating High Pressure Pump Performance
Test Result for 4 motors, 8 pumps.

160
For System: k = 31.749
328 l/min @ 107 bar
140
Flow Test Result
120 316 l/min @ 107 bar

100

Calculated demand,
80
K = 31.749 Flow Test Objective
400 l/min @ 105 bar
60
1 2 3 4
40

100 150 200 250 Discharge,

300 L/min
350 400 450 500
Role of the Consulting Engineer …
Conclusion

■ The increasing acceptance of water mist systems

creates increased demand for independent expertise
■ Water mist systems represent a “performance based
design” paradigm
■ The consulting engineer (3rd party reviewer) must
appreciate the pros and cons of all water mist
technologies
■ Required knowledge for entry is difficult to acquire, but
is still based on fundamental engineering principles of
hydraulics and systems reliability