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In this part of Full Fire fighting and Fire Protection series, we will see what are the different types of Fire Hydrants that are available.
Types of Fire Hydrants
Hydrants are devices that supply water to homes and businesses. These devices are commonly seen on street corners and in public parks. There are two types of hydrants: 1) a city-owned hydrant (also called a “fire hydrant”), and 2) a private hydrant (also known as a “private well”). Fire hydrants are located near busy streets where they provide firefighters with ready access to water in the event of a blaze.
City-Owned Hydrants
A city-owned hydrant is installed by a municipality and operated by its fire department. A city may have several hundred hydrants at various locations throughout town. City-owned hydrants are typically identified by red octagonal metal markers, which are often placed on the pavement at the curb. The markers are the only indication of the fire hydrant location. When a firefighter needs to use a city-owned hydrant, he or she knows exactly where to go based on the location of the marker.
Private Hydrants
A private hydrant is installed by homeowners and supplied by a private company. Private hydrants vary widely in price; some cost less than $100 while others can run upwards of $1000. Because these hydrants are privately owned and managed, they do not always follow municipal regulations regarding their placement, size, operation, and maintenance. As such, many cities require citizens to install their own hydrants if they wish to use them during emergencies.
Standard Hydrant
The standard fire hydrant is a manual valve hydrant that requires pressure to open the nozzle. These hydrants are the most commonly located throughout communities.
Automatic Fire Alarm Operated Hydrants
These hydrants are similar to standard hydrants except they have a sensor installed inside them that detects any water coming out of them. If the sensors detect any water coming out of these hydrants, then the system triggers an automatic alarm. When these systems are activated, a signal is sent via telephone line to notify nearby residents of a potential emergency.
Water Main Hydrants
Water mains are located underground and have a single opening called a service connection. This connection is where water enters the system and any pressure loss occurs. A water main will have valves located at various points along its length to control pressure within the system. If a valve malfunctions and leaks, it may cause damage to nearby pipelines.
Pressure Control Hydrants
Pressure-controlled hydrants are similar to a water main except they have two openings instead of one. One is connected to a supply line (inlet) and the other is connected to a return line (outflow). Pressure-controlled hydrants can isolate pipe breaks if installed properly.
Gravity Feed Hydrants
Gravity-fed hydrants work by gravity rather than pressure. Inlets and outlets are located above ground to allow for easier access. These hydrants are often used in industrial applications due to their ease of use.
Wet Barrel Fire Hydrants
The wet barrel fire hydrant is a type of water supply system designed to provide a continuous supply of clean drinking water at high pressure. In these systems, a reservoir containing potable water is pressurized using a pump and stored in a steel tank called a “barrel.” The tank may be placed underground, buried, or installed above ground, and may be filled directly from a well, lake, river, stream, or other water body.
In addition to its role in providing potable water, the wet barrel fire hydrant provides a reliable water supply for fighting fires.
History:
According to the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the first recorded mention of a device similar to a modern-day wet barrel fire hydrant was in 1653, where Charles II granted a patent to John Hinton for a “fire pump.”
A wet barrel fire hydrant differs from other types of pumps in that it uses gravity instead of mechanical force to move water. Instead of using a piston or lever mechanism, the water flows downwards inside a pipe under natural gravitational forces. A typical wet barrel consists of a vertical pipe that connects to the top of a reservoir, which holds water; a horizontal pipe connected to the bottom of the reservoir; a small hole near the top of the reservoir; and a valve that releases the water.
There are two types of water supply systems commonly known as wet barrels:
• Wet Barreled Tank System
• Dry Barreled Tank System
Wet Barreled Tank Systems:
A wet barrel operated tank system relies on the weight of the water to create suction on the intake side of the system. As the level of the water rises, the water exerts pressure on the outlet side and pushes the water out. To function properly, a wet barrel operated tank system requires no electricity, making them ideal for rural environments. Since the water remains in the barrel until use, they have been utilized throughout history to fight wildland fires, protect property from flood damage, and prevent the spread of disease.
Dry Barreled Hydrant Systems
Dry barreled tank systems rely on mechanical pumps to push the water upwards. These pumps often require electricity, making them less suitable for rural settings. Most have manual shutoff valves, enabling firefighters to close off their outlets before leaving the scene of a fire.
Dry Barrel Fire Hydrants are ideal for use in areas where natural water supplies are unavailable or unreliable. These dry barrel fire hydrants provide safe, reliable access to potable drinking water even after a power failure. These systems feature a pressurized storage tank with a built-in pressure regulator, a low voltage pump, and a stainless steel nozzle pipe to deliver clean, fresh water. Dry Barrel Fire Hydrants are approved for use in California and are manufactured in accordance with NFPA 72-2007 Standard Practice for Installation of Emergency Water Supplies.
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Dry barrels fire hydrants (DBFH) are underground water supply systems designed to deliver water at high pressure. They are normally installed under roadways and are commonly used for commercial and industrial purposes. DBFHs often have a manual lever valve located at the top of the pipe, which controls the flow of water. The purpose of installing these valves is to prevent water from backing up in the pipes if they become frozen. If the pipe freezes, the valve opens and continues to allow water to flow until the pipe thaws out again.
Post Fire Hydrants
Post Fire Hydrants (PFH) are commonly used for watering, irrigation, and drainage purposes, and can be installed both indoors and out for temporary use in the event of a wildfire or water emergency. PFH provides quick access to clean drinking water, prevent damage to property during fires, and help prevent flooding if an area experiences a severe rainstorm. PFH are generally not meant for permanent installation; they should be replaced after the purpose for their original construction has been fulfilled.
Flash Fire Hydrants
If you're familiar with how flash fire hydrants work, you know that they consist of two components: 1) a valve assembly; 2) a water tank. These two parts are connected by a hose. A spark or flame will cause the valve assembly to open, allowing water to flow out of the tank. When doing research about flash fire hydrants, you'll find that many people recommend making sure that you have at least 10 feet between the hydrant and any combustible objects. That's because if there isn't enough distance between the hydrant and whatever ignites, it could lead to a rapid loss of pressure inside the tank. Also, because the tank is filled with water, you want to make sure that you don't put anything near the hydrant that might break or damage the tank.
Water Tank - Water tanks come in different shapes and sizes. There are even some models that have built-in spigots. But water tanks are basically just buckets. You use them to store any excess water that flows down the pipes. Because of their size, you should avoid putting any kind of flammable liquids inside them; otherwise, your local firefighters may need to get out some equipment to remove the contents before getting the fire under control.
Valve Assembly - Valve assemblies are essentially big valves. You use them to stop or allow water to flow out of your pipe system. This is where the "firing mechanism" comes in. In order to activate the firing mechanism, you need to turn the handle that is attached to it. Then, the valve opens or closes based on whether you turned it clockwise or counterclockwise. Another way to look at it is that turning the handle activates the valve and opening or closing it. If you're looking for something with a manual trigger, then you'll likely find these types of valves in older homes.
Hose - Hoses are simply long pieces of plastic tubing. Since they're flexible, you can bend them around corners, over obstacles, or connect them together to create long lengths. Hoses can be made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride), PEX (cross-linked polyethylene), or Teflon®. While PVC is generally considered the safest material, it tends to break down over time and become brittle. Because of that, it doesn't last very long. On the other hand, Teflon® is considered a non-hazardous material, but it does tend to wear out faster than other materials. However, since it lasts much longer than PVC, it's still considered safe for indoor use.
Flash Fire Hydrants (FFH) are a type of nozzle used to fight forest fires, where they discharge water at high pressure into the air, producing a giant plume of steam and superheated hot gas.
The FFH was invented in 1887 by German engineer Christian Schmid at the request of the city of Berlin's fire department. These devices were originally deployed for fighting street fires.
In modern times, the FFH can be used to produce a massive cloud of steam and smoke, temporarily blinding nearby observers and disrupting their vision. As a side effect, this obscures the view of people trying to use binoculars or other equipment to spot the source of the fire, making them difficult targets for attackers.
It is not known who first developed the idea of using the FFH for firefighting purposes, but it was first patented in 1887 by Christian Schmid in Germany. He received no royalties for his invention.
High Pressure Fire Hydrants
A high-pressure fire hydrant (HPFH) is a type of fire sprinkler commonly used in North America. HPFHs have been in use since the late 19th century. In recent years, the market has experienced rapid growth because they are becoming increasingly popular due to their effectiveness at controlling fires and keeping water damage to a minimum.
One major advantage of using HPFH's over traditional fire hydrants is that the typical fire hydrant does not always provide adequate pressure, while HPFH's give the user the option to adjust the flow rate depending on the size of the fire and water demand. A standard fire hydrant delivers 1 psi, while a larger version might supply 2-8 psi.
HPFH's are widely popular among commercial properties to control fires, especially after a hurricane, where many buildings were flooded and damaged, and where the use of traditional hydrants would be impractical.
When purchasing a high-pressure fire hydrants, consumers should consider the following:
* Size - HPFHS are available in sizes ranging from 8 to 32 gpm. If someone is looking for a smaller flow rate, then they may want to look into a smaller sized tank.
* Flow Rate - There are two types of HPFHS: Fixed Flow and Variable Flow. Both types deliver the same amount of water per minute, however, the fixed flow provides less pressure than the variable flow. The average flow rate of a fixed-flow HPFH is around 12 gallons per minute, whereas a variable-flow HPFH is capable of delivering anywhere between 5 and 30 gallons per minute.
* Pressure - Most high-pressure fire hydroants are rated either Class I, II, III, IV or V. Each class represents a different flow rate; the higher the number, the lower the flow rate. Class I HPFHs are only able to produce 6-12 gallon/minute flows, while Class IV or V HPFHs can generate flows as low as 20 gallons/minute.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Wet Barrel Fire Hydrant
Advantage and disadvantages of Wet-barrel Fire Hydrants. A wet-barrel fire hydrant is just what it sounds like. The water supply pipe is connected directly to a fire hydrant without any kind of pressure reduction. Water flows freely out of the hose regardless of whether the hydrant is turned on or off. In addition, these hydrants do not allow for water flow monitoring. These types of hydrants tend to have fewer joints than dry-barrel hydrants. This makes them less likely to leak water if they break. However, they are more expensive than dry-barrel hydrants.
Disadvantages of Wet-barrel Hydrants. One of the biggest drawbacks of using a wet-barrel hydrant is that the water pressure delivered is often inconsistent. Depending on how much water is flowing out of the hose at any given time, the pressure may drop significantly. Also, if the hydrant is turned off, the entire system could freeze overnight. When the hydrant goes off, it takes about 24 hours before the water pipes inside the building thaw out. If the hydrant is left on, then the pipes fill up with ice and burst. This means that no more water can be pumped after the hydrant turns off.
Advantages of Dry-barrel Hydrants Over Wet-barrel Hydrants. A dry-barrel hydrant reduces the risk of freezing as well as provides consistent pressure. Dry-systems use a pressure regulator to reduce the water pressure to a safe level. As mentioned previously, many homeowners choose to use dry-barrel hyrances over wet-barrel systems because they help prevent problems like water damage caused by frozen pipes. Another advantage is that the water pressure doesn't fluctuate dramatically. After the hydrant is turned back on, there's only a minor delay before the pump begins pumping again.
Access all the previous parts of this full fire fighting series by clicking the links provided below:
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