28 Plumbing Systems & Design May/June 2004

FOCUS ON FIRE PROTECTION

Standpipe System Design
Part 1
David R. Hague, PE
Id like to clarify a few things about
standpipe system layout and design.
Although these systems have been
around for some time, there are still
some questions about how they
should be designed and installed and
just what is the intent of the design
standard (NFPA 14-2003 Standard for
the Installation of Standpipe and Hose
Systems).
Types and Limitations
Lets start with the basics and dis-
cuss the types of standpipe systems
and their limitations. First of all, it is
important to note that NFPA 14 does
not require the installation of stand-
pipe systems. The need to install a
standpipe, or sprinkler system for that
matter, resides in either a building
code, state or local ordinance, Life
Safety Code NFPA 101, or a similar
document. Once the need for a stand-
pipe system is established, NFPA 14
can then be used as a guide on how to
design and install a standpipe system.
One of the more common types of
standpipe systems is the Manual-Wet
System, which is connected to a water
supply that keeps the system lled with
water at all times. This type of system
does not provide the ow and pres-
sure needed for reghting without
re-department
intervention.
The re depart-
ment must
supplement
the pressure
through the
re department
connection in
order to achieve
the design pres-
sure of 100 psi. The manual-wet system
is limited in Section 5.4.1 of NFPA 14 to
buildings that are not dened as high-
rise and to areas that are not subject to
freezing.
An Automatic-Wet System is con-
nected to a water supply that is capa-
ble of providing the needed ow and
pressure for reghting automatically,
without re-department intervention.
Ordinarily an automatic-wet system
needs a re pump to achieve the pres-
sures needed. This type of system is
limited to areas
that are not subject
to freezing.
A Manual-Dry
System has no per-
manently attached
water supply and
must rely on a re-
department pumper (through the re-
department connection) for the needed
ow and pressure. A manual-dry
system is restricted in use to buildings
that are not high-rise and to areas that
are subject to freezing.
An Automatic-Dry System operates
much the same as a dry-pipe sprinkler
system, in that it is pressurized with
air and admits water to the system
only when the air pressure has been
relieved. An automatic-dry system is
attached to a water supply that auto-
matically provides the needed ow
and pressure without re-department
intervention.
A Semi-
Automatic Dry
System oper-
ates similar to a
deluge system
by employing
a deluge valve
that admits
water into the
system after
being activated
by a remote control, such as a manual
release located near a hose valve. A
semi-automatic dry system is attached
to a water supply that automatically
provides the needed ow and pressure.
All dry-type standpipe systems are
limited to use in areas that are subject
to freezing and further, cannot be used
in high-rise buildings.
Each system type has limitations.
These limitations also hold true for the
system classications. Standpipe sys-
tems are classied as Class I, II, or III.
A Class I system
supplies 2-inch
(65 mm) hose
valves for re-
department use.
A Class II system
provides 1-inch
(40 mm) hose sta-
tions (complete with hose and nozzle)
for use by either re-department or
re-brigade personnel. This is a change
in the 2003 edition of the standard
where previously Class II systems were
to be used by building occupants. It
is important to note that it is now the
intent to have building occupants exit
the building in the event of a re rather
than attempt to ght the re.
Class III systems are simply a combi-
nation of Class I and Class II standpipe
systems. In a Class III system, you may
nd a 2-inch (65 mm) hose valve and
a 1-inch (40 mm) hose rack on the
same system. In buildings protected
by an approved automatic sprinkler
system, a Class III system can be pro-
vided with a 2-x1-inch (65 mm x
40mm) reducer, cap, and chain in lieu
of a 1-inch (40 mm) hose rack. This
is important because some building
codes require a Class III system for
high-rise buildings. Remember, if a
standpipe system has hose in a hose
rack that hose must be pressure tested
every three years. Such an installation,
if not required, can be an unnecessary
expense to the building owner.
System Layout
System layout is the next area for
examination with the focus on Class I
NFPA 14 does not require the installation
of standpipe systems. The need to install
a standpipe, or sprinkler system for that
matter, resides in either a building code,
state or local ordinance, Life Safety Code
NFPA 101, or a similar document.
Note: Any opinion expressed in this article is the personal opinion of the author, and does not necessarily represent the
ofcial position of the NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this correspondence is neither intended, nor should
be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services.
It is important to note that it is now
the intent to have building occupants
exit the building in the event of a re
rather than attempt to ght the re.
May/June 2004 Plumbing Systems & Design 29
and III standpipes since Class II stand-
pipes are not very common. First, every
required exit stairway must have a
standpipe hose connection. The stand-
pipe should always be located in the
stairway whenever possible. Doing so
provides protection for the reghter
and the equipment since the stairway
provides a level of re resistance and
in some cases positive air pressure to
prevent lling the stairway with smoke.
If the standpipe cannot be located in
the stairway, it must be protected by a
level of re resistance (or enclosed in
a re-rated pipe chase) equal to that
of the stairway, an added expense that
can be avoided, as described above.
The maximum distance between
standpipes differs based on whether
the building is protected by an auto-
matic sprinkler system. NFPA 14
refers to this as travel distance. For
buildings with no sprinkler or partial
sprinkler protection, standpipes should
be located so that a reghter does
not have to travel more than 150 feet
(45.7m) from any point on any oor to
reach a standpipe hose connection. For
a building protected throughout by an
automatic sprinkler system, a reghter
should not have to travel more than
200 feet (61m). If exit stairs happen to
be located further than these restric-
tions, an additional riser must be pro-
vided. This is a case where a riser may
have to be installed in a corridor or in
the corner of a room and boxed-in to
protect the piping.
There is also some confusion sur-
rounding the interconnection of
standpipes. First, standpipes must be
interconnected by a common feed
main from one or more water supplies.
Each standpipe must have a riser isola-
tion valve so that a single riser can be
shut down while keeping other risers
in the system operational. Sprinkler
systems that are supplied by standpipe
systems (i.e., combined systems) can
be connected to multiple standpipes.
However, the sprinkler system cannot
serve as the interconnection required
by NFPA 14.
In the next article Ill discuss location
of standpipe system hose connections,
hydraulic calculation of standpipes, and
the requirements for pressure-regulat-
ing devices.
FOCUS ON FIRE PROTECTION
David Hague,
PE, is Senior Fire
Protection Specialist
for the National Fire
Protection Association,
located in Quincy,
Mass. He is NICET-
certied in Sprinkler
and Special Hazards
Systems Layout. Prior to joining NFPA,
he worked as an engineering technician
designing re-protection systems for the
sprinkler industry.
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32 Plumbing Systems & Design July/August 2004
FOCUS ON FIRE PROTECTION
Standpipe System Design
Part 2
David R. Hague, PE
Part one of this article (May/June
2004 Plumbing Systems & Design, pp.
28-9) focused on the types and limita-
tions of standpipe systems and system
layout. It concluded with a brief discus-
sion of sprinkler systems supplied by
standpipe systems, noting that these
sprinkler systems can be connected to
multiple standpipes.
Hose-Connection Locations
The next consideration in standpipe
system design should be hose-con-
nection locations. An important aspect
of hose connection location is acces-
sibility. Hose connections should be
located 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5m) above
the floor for ease of use, and must be
located at each intermediate landing
between floors (or on the main land-
ings when approved by the authority
having jurisdiction) in stairways. Hose
connections must also be available at
the highest landing where stairways
access the roof or on the roof where
stairways do not access the roof. The
roof outlet is needed to assist the fire
department in fighting a roof fire.
While there is no exception to
this requirement in NFPA 14, some
codessuch as NFPA 5000 Building
Construction and Safety Codewill
allow the roof outlet to be omitted
when the roof pitch exceeds 3 inches
in 12 inches for specific occupancies.
In my personal opinion, a roof outlet is
only required above a single stairway.
In other words, you are not required
to provide a roof outlet for each stand-
pipe even if the system consists of two
or more risers.
Pipe Sizing
Once the system type and layout
have been determined, it is then time
to consider pipe sizing. Every stand-
pipe system, whether manual or auto-
matic, must be calculated to verify that
the design requirements are met.
Lets consider flow first. Again, our
discussion will only involve Class
I and III standpipes, since Class II
standpipes are not very common. The
most hydraulically demanding stand-
pipe must be designed to handle a
flow of at least 500 gpm (1893 lpm).
This flow is based on calculating 250
gpm (946 lpm) at each of the two
topmost outlets. Notice I said the most
hydraulically demanding, not the
most remote standpipe. By saying,
most demanding, I am referring to
the standpipe that creates the highest
demand of flow and pressure. The
most demanding standpipe may not
always be the one furthest from the
point of supply.
For systems with more than one
standpipe, an additional flow of 250
gpm (946 lpm) must be added for each
standpipe. For buildings that are not
sprinklered or are only partially sprin-
klered, the total flow for the standpipe
system is not required to exceed 1250
gpm (4731 lpm). For a building that is
completely sprinklered, the standpipe
system flow is not required to exceed
1000 gpm (3785 lpm).
We have defined the flow require-
ments for standpipe systems. Now, lets
take a look at pressure. Once again,
our calculations will begin at the top-
most outlet of the most hydraulically
demanding standpipe. Our starting
pressure must be not less than 100 psi
(6.9 bar) for all systems, whether auto-
matic or manual. The only difference
is for an automatic system, the perma-
nently attached water supply (usually a
fire pump) must be capable of meeting
or exceeding the system demand. For
manual systems, the calculations must
provide flow and pressure demand
information at the fire department con-
nection (FDC). Remember, in part 1 of
this column I said that a manual system
relies on the pressure provided by the
fire department as supplied through
the fire department connection. This
is why we calculate manual standpipe
systems to the FDC; the FDC is our
point of supply.
Frequently, standpipe and sprin-
kler systems are combined or use
common feedmain piping. This is a
common practice and is intended to
keep the costs associated with the
installation of these systems as low as
possible. When calculating a combined
system, the sprinkler system demand
must be added to the standpipe system
demand only when the building is pro-
vided with partial sprinkler protection.
In such cases, the calculated demand
must be added by 150 gpm (568 lpm)
for light hazard occupancies or by
500gpm (1893 lpm) for an ordinary
hazard occupancy. For buildings pro-
tected in every area by an approved
automatic sprinkler system, no sprin-
kler demand is required to be added
to the standpipe system calculations.
This illustrates the ability of a sprinkler
system to contain and control a fire.
In some high-rise building applica-
tions, exceptionally high pressures
may be needed to achieve the above
referenced design requirements. First,
it is important to note that system
pressures are not permitted to exceed
300 psi (24.1 bar) since most listed
system components are not rated for
pressures higher than that. Second,
pressures exceeding 175 psi (12.1 bar)
can be hazardous to the firefighter. In
cases such as this, pressure-regulating
devicessuch as a pressure-control,
pressure-reducing, or pressure-regulat-
ing valvesmust be used. Depending
on the exact type and manufacture,
these valves will either be factory or
field adjusted. It is critical that the cor-
rect valve be installed in its proper
place due to pressure adjustment. In
the case of a field-adjusted valve, it
is also critical that the adjustment be
made during system commissioning.
Note: Any opinion expressed in this article is the personal opinion of the author, and does not necessarily represent the
official position of the NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this correspondence is neither intended, nor should
be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services.
July/August 2004 Plumbing Systems & Design 33
When pressure-regulating devices are
used in a standpipe system, a drain and
test riser must be installed to facilitate
testing of these devices. Figure 1 illus-
trates a combined sprinkler/standpipe
system with an accompanying drain
riser. The drain riser, in addition to
serving the sprinkler system as illus-
trated, must be equipped with a 2-
inch (65mm) fitting for
connecting hose to the
riser for testing.
Like sprinklers, stand-
pipe systems must be
tested prior to being
placed in service. As with
all water-based fire-protec-
tion systems, standpipes
must be hydrostatically
pressure-tested to 200 psi
(13.8 bar) for two hours or
50 psi (3.5 bar) in excess
of the minimal static pres-
sure when that static pres-
sure is in excess of 150 psi
(10.3 bar). In addition to
this test, a flow test at the design flow
and pressure must be conducted and
documented. A contractors material
and test certificate for standpipe systems
must be completed and submitted with
the as-built drawings as part of the proj-
ect closeout.
This two-part column is not intended
to be a comprehensive design pro-
cedure for standpipe systems, but I
thought it would be helpful to address
some pertinent facts about the finer
points of standpipe system design.
At some point in the future, I will re-
visit the topic of pressure regulating
devices. I hope you find this informa-
tion useful.
References
1. NFPA 5000 Building Construction
and Safety Code, 2002 Edition,
Chapter 55 (Fire Protection Systems
and Equipment).
FOCUS ON FIRE PROTECTION
David Hague,
PE, is Senior Fire
Protection Specialist
for the National Fire
Protection Association,
located in Quincy,
Mass. He is NICET-
certified in Sprinkler
and Special Hazards
Systems Layout. Prior to joining NFPA,
he worked as an engineering technician
designing fire-protection systems for the
sprinkler industry.
Source: NFPA 14, Figure A.7.10.1.3.1(a)
Figure 1. Combined Standpipe/Sprinkler System
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