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A pre-action fire sprinkler system uses a dry pipe system where water is held back from the pipes by an electrically operated valve called a pre-action valve. The valve is controlled by independent fire detection such as heat or smoke detectors. For water to discharge, the detection system must first open the pre-action valve to fill the pipes, and then an individual sprinkler head must release. Some systems add pressurized air or nitrogen for additional monitoring and protection against inadvertent discharge. Pre-action systems provide added protection against accidental discharge and are often used in sensitive environments. However, they have higher costs for installation and maintenance due to their complexity.

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88 views2 pages

CST

A pre-action fire sprinkler system uses a dry pipe system where water is held back from the pipes by an electrically operated valve called a pre-action valve. The valve is controlled by independent fire detection such as heat or smoke detectors. For water to discharge, the detection system must first open the pre-action valve to fill the pipes, and then an individual sprinkler head must release. Some systems add pressurized air or nitrogen for additional monitoring and protection against inadvertent discharge. Pre-action systems provide added protection against accidental discharge and are often used in sensitive environments. However, they have higher costs for installation and maintenance due to their complexity.

Uploaded by

Carlo Santi Bayabay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Pre-action Fire Sprinkler System

Pre-action fire sprinkler systems employ the basic concept of a dry pipe system in that water is
not normally contained within the pipes. The difference, however, is that water is held from piping
by an electrically operated valve, known as a pre-action valve. Valve operation is controlled by
independent flame, heat, or smoke detection.
Two separate events must happen to initiate sprinkler discharge. First, the detection system must
identify a developing fire and then open the pre-action valve. This allows water to flow into
system piping, which effectively creates a wet pipe sprinkler system. Second, individual sprinkler
heads must release to permit water flow onto the fire.
In some instances, the pre-action fire sprinkler system may be set up with a double interlock in
which pressurized air or nitrogen is added to system piping. The purpose of this feature is two-
fold: first to monitor piping for leaks and second to hold water from system piping in the event of
inadvertent detector operation. The most common application for this system type is in freezer
warehouses.
Advantages of using pre-action fire sprinkler systems include:

 The dual action required for water release - The pre-action valve must operate and
sprinkler heads must fuse. This feature provides an added level of protection against
inadvertent discharge. For this reason, pre-action systems are frequently employed in
water sensitive environments such as archival vaults, fine art storage rooms, rare book
libraries and computer centers.
Disadvantages of using pre-action fire sprinkler systems include:

 Higher installation and maintenance costs - Pre-action systems are more complex with
several additional components, notably a fire detection system. This adds to the overall
system cost.

 Modification difficulties - As with dry-pipe systems, pre-action sprinkler systems have


specific size limitations which may impact future system modifications. In addition,
system modifications must incorporate changes to the fire detection and control system
to ensure proper operation.

 Potential decreased reliability - The higher level of complexity associated with pre-action
systems creates an increased chance that something may not work when needed.
Regular maintenance is essential to ensure reliability.
Deluge Fire Sprinkler System
A deluge fire sprinkler system is similar to a pre-action system except the sprinkler heads are
open and the pipe is not pressurized with air. Deluge systems are connected to a water supply
through a deluge valve that is opened by the operation of a smoke or heat detection system. The
detection system is installed in the same area as the sprinklers. When the detection system is
activated water discharges through all of the sprinkler heads in the system. Deluge systems are
used in places that are considered high hazard areas such as power plants, aircraft hangars and
chemical storage or processing facilities. Deluge systems are needed where high velocity
suppression is necessary to prevent fire spread.
Deluge Fire Sprinkler Systems differ from conventional Fire Sprinkler Systems in the sense that
all nozzles employed in the system are open and when water is released into the system it flows
from all discharge devices. As such, this special type of system is generally found within
industrial type hazards that require the application of water over a large hazard or area. The
control of water is accomplished by the use of a Deluge Valve which is a device that prevents
water from entering the system piping until required. A detection system which may incorporate
the use of heat, smoke, or flame detectors is used to open the Deluge Valve when a fire or its
products of combustion are detected. All system piping is filled with water which discharges from
the open sprinklers and nozzles used in the system. In addition to the application of water some
deluge systems will incorporate the use of a foam concentrate to mix with water and form a foam
solution which can then provide a protective blanket of foam to help control the development of a
fire.
Deluge Fire Sprinkler systems protect extra hazard occupancies that require significant amounts
of water to cool and control the growth or development of a fire. Typically they are employed on
hazards that contain low flash point flammable liquids or hazards with large amounts of
combustible liquids. These types of hazards may include, oil extraction processes, transformers,
tank or vessel protection, distillation processes. Water or Foam Deluge systems are used in the
protection of large Aircraft Hangers as one primary means of fire protection.

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