ABSTRACT
A DISCHARGING sprinkler-head will provide a nearly uni-form spray of water over a given area. When the water strikes the sprinkler deflector, it breaks into a circular pattern, often overlapping the spray discharge from an adjacent sprinkler. Any automatic fire suppression system will by design, distribute water (or a foam solution) to a specific area. The application rate (or “density”) of this distribution is frequently expressed in units of gallons per minute per square foot. The worst potential fire situation is used to determine the number of discharging sprinkler-heads needed to keep that fire in check. The density, and number of sprinklers desired, will determine the system’s water supply demand. Obviously, this demand is a variable based on occupancy characteristics. To insure an adequate supply of water, and uniform water discharge from the sprinkler-heads, accurate pipe sizing to the sprinkler-heads must be ascertained, and this is accomplished by the exercise of hydraulic calculations.
