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Centrifugal Fire Pumps

 Construction
Centrfugal Fire Pumps are made of both fixed an mobiles elements,
mainly :

1. The body (casing) wiich is the external element, connected with pipes
2. The Wheel which turns in the casing, which puts fluid into movement
and transform velocity into pressure

The wheel is connected to the casing by bearings

and sealing elements
 Math reminders
Centrifugal pumps working principle is based on the bernouilli’s principle
of energy conservation, which gives the relation between movement and
pressure in a flow stream (such as a pipe) : ρ.V²/2 + Pressure = constant
Power brought
by the engine
P1 + ρ.V1²/2 = K1
V1 : Inlet liquid speed
Vr : Pump wheel speed
V2 : outlet liquid speed
P2 + ρ.V2²/2 = K2
ρ : density of fluid
P1 + ρ.(V1+Vr)²/2 = K2 P1 : inlet pressure
P2 : outlet pressure
K1, K2 : constants
Then : P1 + ρ.(V1+Vr)²/2 = P2 + ρ.V2²/2
and P2 = P1 + ρ.(V1²-V2²+V1.Vr + Vr²)

Let’s choose a pump for which V1 = V2

P2 = P1 + ρ.(V1.Vr + Vr²) and then P2>P1
 Flow vs Pressure curve
at constant rotation speed
Still based on Bernouilli principle, reducing pump flow increases pressure
and increasing pump flow reduces outlet pressure because :
flow²(↓)+ Pressure(↑) = constant
Tycpical Flow/pressure cuve at
rated speed
200
% of
pressure/ Design point
nominal
150
pressure

100

50

0 % of flow/nominal flow
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
 NPSH
Net Positive Suction Head
Depending on Temperature and pressure, liquid water can change into
vapour, making bubbles in the liquid, witch is a very dangerous
phenomenon called
Cavitation
At ambient temperature, the pressure level for such phase change in
under atmospheric pressure, which is why we do have liquid water.
But we must check that this is still the case at the inlet of the pump in
working conditions.

Liquid

Atmosphéric pressure
Solid

Vapou

27°C
 NPSH
Net Positive Suction Head
A centrifugal pump is able transfer liquids from a reservoir located above
the pump elevation and also to raise liquids from a reservoir located
under the pump own elevation, but for both configuration with the
limitations of cavitation pressure.

In dynamic use, inlet pressure can be defined by this formula

P inlet = P athm ± P elevation - ∆P

P athm
in Charge

Suction

P athm

P inlet = P athm + P elevation - ∆P P aspiration = P athm - P Elevation - ∆P

P inlet always < P athm
P inlet can be < P athm
 NPSH
Net Positive Suction Head
Le NPSH « available » is the difference between inlet absolute pressure
and vapour pressure (phase change)

NPSH a = P inlet – P vap

Le NPSH Required (NPSH r) is a manufacturer’s given data at a rated flow,

which brings another constrain as it does take into account wheel’s local
hydraulic speed which could create local pressure drops and then local
cavitation.

In order to guarantee that pump does not suffer from cavitation

NPSH a > NPSH r

 NPSH
Net Positive Suction Head
ETANORM 150 – 400 180 m3/H Hmt 50 m
 Outlet Pressure
The relation between water elevation and bar is as per the wollowing
formula :

P (bar) / (ρ . g ) = P (m H2O)
ρ : density of fluid ≈ 1000 kg/m3 for water
G ≈ 9.81
H is given by the manufacturer is meters

Oulet pressure curves given by the manufacturers are most of the time
stated in HMT, which is the height of water in meters, considering an inlet
pressure of 1 atmosphere

As a consequence, real on site Downstream pressure will depend upon

real inlet pressure

P outlet (m H20) = HMT + P inlet (m H2O)

If P inlet < atmospheric pressure , P outlet < Hmt

If P inlet > atmospheric pressure , P outlet > Hmt
 OUTLET Pressure

Pa + Real outlet
0 bar 0 bar
pressure
0 bar
HMT
HMT
Pa -
0 bar
Real Outlet
pressure
 Hydraulic Power consumption
Hydraulic power = (P outel – P inlet) . Flow
Consumed power = Hydraulic power . Efficiency
Pressure
200 60
m H20 Pabs
kw
P
50

150

40

100 30
Flow.pre
ssure
20

50

10

0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Flow
m3/H
 Speed and wheel diameter relations
Centrifugal Pump obey the following relations, allowing toe change the
rated curve by modifying the wheel diameter or pump speed. This is
especially needed for diesel driven pumps which do not run at
synchronous speed.
3 2 2 N : Speed RPM
Q1  D1  N1 P1  D1   N1 
       D : wheel diameter
Q2  D2  N2 P 2  D2   N2  P : pressure bar

250
% pressure /
rated Design point at 2000
pressure 200 TPM

150

100

Speed variation effect at

50 wheel constant diameter

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
% flpw / rated flow
2000 TPM 1800 TPM 2200 TPM
 Fire Pumps
General Specifications
%
Pression A fire pump MUST
Nominale
200
bring the design flow and
pressure
be able to bring more flow that
150 designed with limited pressure drop

limit the pressure increase at low

100 flow

Start what ever happens

50
be reliable

0 have its own dedicated fuel or

-10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 150
% Débit power supply is electrically driven
nominal
be operated by a fail safe
controller
 Fire Pumps
Flow vs pressure curve
% rated
pressure

200

150

100

Fire
Pump
50

Process
pump
0
Small flow or no flow 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 High flow (more need or
accident)
↑ Pressure % Débit
↓ Pressure
nominal
 Some Standards

Fire
Pumps

NFPA 20 APSAD VDS

(International France Germany
) Insurances Insurances

Insurances
Factory tests
FM, LLOYD, …
 Fire Pumps
Key points NFPA 20

NFPA 20

Over flow Special fail safe

150% of rated cooling system High capacity Over speed
flow with 35% for water cooled fuel tank protection
pressure loss diesel engines

+ 10% for engin

power
 Fire Pumps
Gaz Exhaust
Diesel - Construction Exchanger
water/water
Diesel engine

Coupling

Pump body

frame Cooling water

supply
 Fire Pumps
Exhaust
Diesel - Construction Air Cooled exchanger
with fan

Diesel Engine
Accouplement

Pump Body

frame
 Fire Pumps
Diesel - Construction

Fire Pump

Water heat
sensor

Engine

Internal Air Cooled

Circulation
pump

Radiator
with fan
 Fire Pumps
Diesel - Construction
Fire water

Fire Pump

Heat
Sensor

Circulation
Pump

Water Cooled

Water / water
exchanger
 Fire Pumps
Diesel - Construction
Fire water
Fire water
Fire Pump
Fire Pump

Heat
Sensor

Heat
Sensor

Circulation
Pump
Water cooled with
Circulation intercooler
Pump

Water / water
exchanger
air / water
exchanger
 Fire Pumps
Diesel – Fuel Tank
Fuel capacity is calculated based on values given by
the required standard and NOT by engine maufactuer’s
data

In Europe, tanks should be double wall type or

placed in retentions.

construction of the tanks DO NOT COMPLY with

general rules of fuel tank construction in Europe or in
the USA, as suction MUST be made at the bottom of
the tank instead of the top for the general rule.
Fire Pumps
Diesel – Fuel Tank
 Fire Pumps
Diesel – Batteries
depending on starter’s voltage and standard
batteries voltage, batteries must be mounted in series
in order to achieve the right voltage.

each set of batteries must be backed up by an other

identical set.

batteries supply power to the control panel AND start

the engine. External power supply is made for battery
charging ONLY.

Batteries must be kept fully charged and monitored

as they are the critical element
 Fire Pumps
Diesel – Batteries
Démarrage diesel avec démarreur 24V
Principe de Câblage des Batteries
-
Diesel 24V starter 50 mm² 50 mm²
Batteries wiring Principle

Commande/Command Batterie 1/ 12V Batterie 2 / 12V Batterie 3 / 12V Batterie 4 / 12V

50 mm²
8 6 9 10
11
50 mm²

50 mm² 50 mm²

2.5 mm²
2.5 mm²

6 mm²
6 mm²

Relai/relay 1 Relai/relay2

2.5 mm² 2.5 mm² 6 mm²

50 mm²

50 mm²

Industrie Services International

3bis rue de préaux
02130 Villers Sur Fère, France
isi.isi02@gmail.com
 Fire Pumps
Junction box Electric - Construction
Driver Pump Body

Coupling

Frame
Fire Pumps
Control panel
 Fire Pumps
Control panel
Simplified P&ID

Control panel

LI TI PI SI
Battery 230V AC
I-0.1 I-1.1 I-2.1 I-3.1 charger

PT

I-4.1

DC Pompe

ST

I-3
relay PT

TT I-2

Echappement
I-1

Circulation
LT Starter Pump

LI

Fuel

P&ID Instrumentation Moteur Diesel

Water/water
Engine stop
rev 1 heat exchanger
Refroidissement par EAU
BL – 28/10/2015
 Fire Pumps
Control Panel

NFPA electric 6600V

NFPA diesel
Fire Pumps
Diesel NFPA
 Fire Pumps
Priming

Water level

1 2 3 4
DOE NOT WORK Priping tank and Vacuum pump VENTURI
foot valve Priping on
exhaust or
compressed air
 Fire Pumps
Vertical Pumps – a good solution
 Fire Pumps
Pump Station

Low hazard : Industrial hazard

1 fire pump is enough Principle of N+1 mandatory :

Ex : if we need 400m3/H, we
must do
• 2 x 200m3/H + 1 X 200m3/H
back up
• 1 x 400m3/H + 1 x 400m3/H
back up
 Fire Pumps
Pump station with tank above ground
 Fire Pumps
Pump station with negative suction
 Fire Pumps
Example with foam and water pumps
 Fire Pumps
Example of a project done in Algeria