Fire safety is a part of any edifice or infrastructure; one critical component of fire protection systems involves a fire hydrant. A fire hydrant avails a source of water that may be under control and thus extinguish any given fire. Most people know what a fire hydrant is. We learn further about the role of the fire hydrant pump in being able to rely on it as a water source during emergency operations.
What is a Fire Hydrant?
- A fire hydrant is the point at which connecting firefighters to water supply quickly during fire breakout. It installed usually on public streets, commercial buildings, and industrial areas and connects firefighters to attach hoses, leading to drawing out water in order to fight fires. Fire hydrants are components of a network hydrant pump system. They need pipes, pumps, and valves to make sure that water flows forcefully enough to handle fires.
- Fire Hydrant Pump: The center of the whole system is the pump, ensuring enough pressure in water taken from the source to the hydrant.
- Pipes: They take water from the main supply to the hydrants, thereby providing water at all times.
- Valves: These ensure control over the movement of water, allowing firefighters to open and shut access to the water supply when needed.
- Hydrant Outlet: Refers to the outlet where hoses are connected to draw the water.
Types of Fire Hydrants
Each type has its corresponding application based on the climate of the region, building specifications, and fire protection standards.
1. Wet Barrel Hydrants
- Wet barrel hydrants have water in the barrel at all times. With this kind of a hydrant, the water is there in the pipes till the valve and thus easier to access in case of an emergency. Wet barrel hydrants are often used where the weather is not too harsh or would rarely freeze over.
Characteristics of Wet Barrel Hydrants:
- Water Supply: Since hydrant water is always present, the crew can fasten their hoses and start attacking the fire
- Valve Location: Each hydrant outlet has its valves along with them, and then several hoses can be attached in plies that can be controlled one at a time.
- Maintenance: Wet barrel hydrants are less maintenance since it does not require draining after use.
Best Used For:
- Warm or Temperate Regions.
- Areas where quick supply of water is of utmost importance, such as urban and industrial regions. 2. Dry Barrel Hydrants
- Dry barrel hydrants are designed for warmer places or colder places, where freezing temperatures frequently observed. In this hydrant system, the water does not remain in the hydrant but is kept under the frost line in the pipe until the hydrant is opened; when the valve is opened, the hydrant gets pressurized by the water of the underground system.
Characteristics of Dry Barrel Hydrants:
- Freezing protection: The hydrant is not allowed to freeze because water still stays in the ground.
- Functioning: Because the main valve lies at the bottom of the hydrant, this valve must be opened for water to flow.
- Self-draining: Once water has been used, water in the hydrant drains back on its own, preventing freezing.
- Recommended For:
- Places that experience extreme freezing climatic conditions
- Areas where the hydrant will stay there for a long period and must face winter.
3. Standpipe Hydrants
- Standpipe hydrants are mostly installed in high-rise buildings, malls, or other large facilities where it is not possible to take hoses from external hydrants. These are internal hydrant pump stations and mounted to a building’s water supply or an external water source.
Features of Standpipe Hydrants
- Indoor Installation: They are installed indoors for internal security of buildings against fire.
- Direct Supply of Water: To access water directly within multi-storey buildings.
- Multiple Outlets: Can be designed for many floors or zones in a building.
Most suitable for:
- High-rise buildings
- Mass industrial or commercial complex.
4. Pillar Hydrants
Pillar hydrants, which are also termed as post hydrants are mostly erected outside and above ground.
Characteristics of Pillar Hydrants:
Above-Ground Design: Notable or easily found.
Accessibility: Easy to operate and open thus quick access to water.
Widely Used: Both in city and countryside.
Most Applicable To:
Street and Car Parks in Public Venues
Urban and rural fire protection systems
A fire hydrant pump system performs a very crucial function in ensuring that water is provided at the correct pressure when required. Water has to be distributed at high pressure during a fire breakout in order to control the flames. The hydrant pump system ensures that there is full pressure throughout the entire fire protection network.
Elements of a Fire Hydrant Pump System:
Fire Hydrant Pump: This pump raises the pressure of the supplied water to hydrants, thereby ensuring that water can flow at a pressure level sufficient enough to be useful in fire-fighting activities.
Jockey Pump: This pump is small and keeps the system under constant pressure even when not in use, thereby minimizing unnecessary starts of the main pump. It is designed to keep the system ready for emergencies, but under a low-pressure status.
Control Panel: the control panel controls the operation of the pump system, as it ensures the pumps operate automatically when needed.
Why is the Fire Hydrant Pump Important?
Ensure Continuous Pressure: the pump delivers steady pressure to ensure that water is readily available at the set flow rate in firefighting operations.
Prevent Shortage of Water: in large buildings or an industrial plant, the fire hydrant pump ensures that the supply of water is not ceased and is readily available without disruption.
Observance of Fire Safety Codes: Most fire-prone regions have strict fire safety codes to ensure that buildings protect against fires with a hydrant pump system. Quality pump system installation is, therefore, one means of observing such regulations.
Conclusion
It is necessary to understand all these forms to select an appropriate system to use in a particular building or facility. The same applies to hydrant pump systems, which play an extremely integral role as they maintain pressure within the equipment so that the fire hydrant has water to press when needed the most.
Empower specializes in offering high-quality fire hydrant pump systems that are specifically designed to meet and fulfil specific needs. Our systems provide a performance system to make high efficiency possible and comply with fire safety regulations. Whether it is an industrial facility, a commercial complex, or a residential building, knowledge for safety is at the hands of Empower.