NOTRE DAME FIRE SCHOOL 2004

FIRE PUMPS 101

CAPTAIN TROY KERCKHOVE

SOUTH BEND FIRE

A LITTLE ABOUT ME

•South Bend Firefighter 12 years

•Wife and three kids

•Captain of Engine 8 (in the hills)

•EMT-adv

•Shift instructor, flashover instructor

•Hazmat team

A LOT ABOUT YOU

• Name

• Department

• Years in the fire service

• Type of apparatus

• What do you want from this class

• Favorite color

NOW LETS GET PUMPED UP

FIRE PUMP THEORY

• Why do you need to know and understand, how the pump work?– Moving Water– Making Pressure– Maintaining – Troubleshooting

PUMP TYPES

• Positive displacement– Original fire pump– Used primarily as primers today– Constant volume– Will pump air– Types

• Piston• Vane• Rotor gear

FIRE PUMPS

• CENTRIFICAL– Based around the spinning disk– Volume dependent on supply– Types

• Single stage

• Series/parallel (two Stage)

• Third stage high pressure

– Used in today’s fire pumps

THE TWO STAGE PUMP

• Designed to operate in pressure and volume modes

• Series used for high pressure lower volume (less than half rated volume)

• Parallel used for high volume low pressure

• Has some type of a change over valve

THE RELIEF VALVE

• Safety system for the firefighters on the hose lines

• Must be used anytime more than one line is operation

• Protects lines from over pressurization• Most operate from 70 to 300 psi• Must operate with less than a 30 psi surge• Will not operate if inlet pressure to high

PRESSURE GOVERNERS

• Maintains pressure by operating engine throttle control– Mechanical– Electronic

MAINTANCEVS

REPAIR

• Prevent future problem

• Keeps in working• Inspect to find

defects• Complete on a

regular schedule

• Fixing what is broke• Replace worn parts

UNDER THE HOOD

• Engine oil• Transmission fluid (automatic)• Coolant• Washer fluid• Brake fluid• Belts• Hoses• Batteries• Leaks

CHASSIS

• Tires

• Other leaks

• Body damage

• Doors

• Brakes

• Steering

• Hose loads and equipment

PUMP AREA

• Inside and under– Leaks

• Water• Other fluids

– Primer oil level

• Panel– Move of valves– Lights– Gauges– Line connections– Change over valve– Relief valve

NOZZLES

• Smooth bore– 50 psi

• Set gallon fog– 100 psi

• Low pressure fog

• Automatic

COMMON HOSE SIZES

• 1”

• 1 ½”

• 1 ¾”

• 2”

• 2 ½”

• 3”

• Supply line

MEASURING THAT WATER

• Pressure– Force exerted by the

water

– Measured in pound per square inch (psi)

– Or inches of mercury

• Volume– Amount of water

flowing

– Measured in gallons per minute (gpm)

NET PUMP DISCHARGE PRESSURE

• NDP=FL+A+E+N– FL= FRICTION LOSS– A=APPLIANCE– E=ELEVATION

• 5 PSI PER 10 FT OR 5 PSI PER FLOOR MINUS 1

– N=NOZZLE

FRICTION LOSS

• The amount of pressure lost, as water flows through hose and appliances

• Points to remember– Flow goes up so does the loss– Smaller hose more loss– Kinks

FINDING FRICTION LOSE THE HARD WAY

• FL=CQ2L

• Examples– 200’ of 13/4” hose flowing 200gpm

• 15.5x22x2=124psi

– 1000’ of 5” flowing 1000gpm• .08x102x10=80psi

FRICTION LOSS MADE A LITTLE EASIER

• Hand method

• Flow methods

• Charts

• Predetermined settings

• Hose team yelling at you

CONDENSED Q FORMULA

• FL per 100 ft of 3” hose=Q2

• 200’ 3” flowing 500 gpm

• 52

• 25x 2=50 psi

DRAFTING

•Moving water from static source

SETTING UP THE PUMP

• Parking brake/ wheel chocks

• Neutral

• Shift transfer case

• Transmission in to correct gear

• Water into pump

• Someplace for it to go

• Set pressure

FROM THE BOOSTER TANK

• Open tank valve

• Prime if needed– How long?

• Place for it to go

• Crack open tank fill

• Remember limited supply of water, and limited flow

FROM DRAFT

• Air tight connections

• Prime

• Put water some where

FROM PRESSURIZED WATER SOURCE

• Bleed air out

• Send water somewhere

CHANGING OVER

• Tank water to draft

– May decrease discharge pressure

• Tank to pressurized

– Will increase discharge pressure

TROUBLE SHOOTING

• Loss prime

• No pressure

• No water movement

• Cavitation

• Relief valve not working