There’s no fire safety section, so I’m asking here
Thread Content
For the petrochemical project’s plant area, the fire-fighting water demand is 200 l/s. The calculated value for the fire-fighting water requirement in the tank areas is approximately 300 l/s (based on the maximum value); for other tank areas and auxiliary facilities, this figure does not exceed 100 l/s. In this case, one solution is to install two fire pumps with a capacity of 1080 m3/h each, one in operation and one as a backup； One solution: two units of 720 m3/h, one in operation and one as backup ； Is the flow rate of the fire pump set at its maximum value?
In my opinion, fire pumps are not designed to operate at their maximum flow rate. As long as the maximum flow requirement can be met under accident conditions, that is sufficient. The solution proposed by the original poster should be the second one, as it allows for cost savings, and both pumps can be started simultaneously in the event of an accident. However, considering investment, floor space, and flexibility of use, a third option can be adopted: namely, two pumps with a capacity of 540 m3/h and one pump with a capacity of 300 m3/h. It is more flexible and energy-efficient to use.