Issues regarding the startup of fire pumps
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Regulation 11.0.14: During a fire, the fire pump shall operate at line frequency, and it shall be started directly at line frequency； When the power is high, star-delta and autotransformer starting methods are recommended, while active device starting should be avoided. The automatic inspection of fire pump systems in the quasi-operational state should be carried out using variable frequency operation, while regular manual inspections should be conducted at full load at the line frequency with flow output. My question is: 1. Soft starters are also active devices, right? Can’t water pumps use soft starters? 2. When the water pump is in automatic inspection mode, an inverter should also be installed in the automatic inspection cabinet to facilitate the startup of the water pump during inspection. Is that so?
You should ask the construction team about this. I understand that it means starting the pump directly, without needing to connect anything like an inverter; issues such as high starting current are not taken into consideration at this time. When multiple starts are initiated simultaneously, they occur in a time-division manner.
Automatic inspection prevents the water pump from getting stuck when there is no fire, and forces it to operate at the power frequency in case of a fire
Okay, thank you. So the inspection is done with variable-frequency starting, right?
During a fire, frequency conversion startup is definitely not allowed; during regular inspections, it’s frequency conversion startup, right?
Fire water only requires pressure and flow rates that are specified by regulations. As for what method you use is another matter. Typically, a company’s fire-fighting water system ensures a constant water pressure at all times. Some well pumps are automatically controlled.
Fire pump systems generally have high power and high flow rates, and soft-start designs are usually employed for them. If started directly, fluctuations in the power grid can be significant, which is detrimental to the pumps as well!
The use of the word “yi” in regulatory guidelines indicates that it is not mandatory to adopt it. Now, fire pump control cabinets also come equipped with soft starters when obtaining CCCF certification. Automatic inspection involves using a dedicated inspection cabinet with an inverter to conduct low-frequency inspections of the water pumps.
Thank you. Are there also fire control cabinets with soft start that have passed fire safety certification? I really don’t know about that