So I take it that you have never installed ESFR sprinklers in a building that included roof drains that run from the roof deck to the floor along a column?
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Joe Hankins Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 7:51 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: ESFR AND VERTICAL OBSTRUCTIONS (NFPA 13 07ed) Dewayne, If it is impractical, then don't install ESFR's. There are other alternatives (e.g. in-rack sprinklers). ESFRs are an option only if their installation rules are met. ESFR's are asked to do a lot more than any other sprinkler. As a result, there is no margin for error when it comes to obstructions. If there is a single obstruction and the fire starts in the wrong spot, then failure to suppress or control is a very real possibility. In the testing of ESFR sprinklers, the scenario of a fire starting centered between two sprinklers with one of them obstructed resulted in a barely controlled fire in a 30 ft. building (11 sprinklers operated) and uncontrolled fire in a 40 ft. building. Joe Dewayne Martinez wrote: >I am looking for some input from the forum on how you treat a isolated >vertical obstruction that restricts only one ESFR sprinkler head. It >is both above and below the sprinkler. Such as a round exhaust duct >from a unit heater below up through the deck or a plumber drain stack? >An informal request to NFPA resulted in this response "Section >8.12.5.2(5) allows sprinklers with special obstruction allowance shall >be installed in accordance with its listing. ESFR sprinklers have very >particular obstruction criteria, and interpolation, or modification of >obstruction rules is not allowed." I have yet to find a ESFR sprinkler >to address this issue, in the past I have followed the rules for >isolated obstructions below the sprinkler to provide guidance. It >seems impractical to expect a storage building to be constructed >without any vertical obstructions. > >Thanks, >Dewayne Martinez >Design Build Fire Protection >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >_______________________________________________ >Sprinklerforum mailing list >[email protected] >http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > > > _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum
