Here is my take on in-door boat storage marinas. Many of these structures reach 50 feet in height and have what amounts to multi-row rack storage of plastics containing flammable liquids. There has been no large scale fire testing (yet) and there is no way to apply NFPA 13 for a code compliant system without some type of performance based element. Here are the elements you have to deal with:
1. High elevations that decrease sprinkler effectiveness 2. Flammable liquids control when one boat drops on to those below 3. Possible rack supported buildings and structural failure during a fire 4. Possible drainage issues 5. Most likely exposure issues around these buildings that limit fire department access 6. Structural rack deformation due to overloading by water filled boats (and don't think for a minute that the 3/4" plug in the hull is going to gravity drain all the water as fast as it comes in - especially when leaves, sandwich wrappers or other debris partially obstruct the hole. etc, etc. The best???? arrangement I have seen is to provide a Extra Hazard Group I density with an increased design area of 3000 + sq. ft. then have a solid barrier installed below the keel of each boat supported by the rack. This barrier would be at least 3 feet wide and would have one line of ELO or K-17 sprinklers under the barrier. This puts a line of heads above every boat below the top row. The only bad thing is the problem identified in my item 6 above. As the racks are heated and the strength decreases we are increasing the rack loading. This is a bad occupancy. My firm refuses to do design for them and will continue to do so until there is adequate testing. I would encourage other to run as well. As far as I'm concerned no permits should be given for this occupancy until the marine storage industry funds adequate full scale testing and standards are developed to address all the issues. Brian R. Foster, F.P.E., CFSI, President Registered in: FL, GA, IN, MS, NC, TX, VA and WI GLOBAL FIRE ENGINEERING, INC. 8450 Linger Lodge Rd. Bradenton, FL 34202 P: 941-758-2551 F: 941-739-6383 C: 941-928-8138 _________________________________________ Additional Office: Murphy, NC - (828)837-2551 tom poisal wrote: > the E.O.R. emphatically states "install a NFPA compliant system" > > On 5/3/10, Richardson, R<[email protected]> wrote: > >> Be leery of NFPA 303, last time I checked that standard still specified a >> largely useless standpipe system for piers. The standard requires a class >> III standpipe at some length but allows the supply pipe to be sized to class >> II. In other words largely useless for most fire depts.. >> >> Rich Richardson >> Seattle Fire Department >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of >> [email protected] >> Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 14:14 >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: RE: boat storage >> >> Check in NFPA 303 also. 303 has supposedly equated racked boat storage to >> group A plastics storage as referenced in NFPA 13. >> >> Other options include water mist and Hybrid water based inert gas systems >> (Vortex). >> >> NFPA 303, 2006 >> 6.3.4 Indoor Rack Storage. >> 6.3.4.1* Where boats are stored on multilevel racks in buildings, >> an approved automatic fire-extinguishing system shall be >> installed throughout the building unless otherwise permitted >> by 6.3.4.2 or 6.3.4.3. >> 6.3.4.2 An automatic fire-extinguishing system shall not be >> required for buildings less than 5000 ft2 (465 m2) having multilevel >> racks where provided with one of the following: >> (1) An automatic fire detection and alarm system supervised >> by a central station complying with NFPA 72, National Fire >> Alarm Code >> (2) An automatic fire detection and alarm system supervised >> by a local protective signaling system complying with >> NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code, if the provisions of >> 6.3.4.2(1) are not technically feasible >> (3) A full-time watch service if the provisions of 6.3.4.2(1) are >> not technically feasible >> 6.3.4.3* Existing facilities shall not be required to be protected >> by an automatic fire-extinguishing system where acceptable >> to the authority having jurisdiction. >> 6.3.4.4 The design of automatic sprinkler systems shall comply >> with the provisions of Chapter 12 of NFPA 13, Standard for >> the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, for Group A Plastics stored >> on solid shelves. >> 6.3.5* An approved water supply shall be provided within >> 100 ft (30 m) of the pier/land intersection or fire department >> connection serving fire protection systems. >> 6.3.6 Access between water supplies and pier/land intersections >> or fire department connections shall be by roadway acceptable >> to the authority having jurisdiction. >> >> Craig L. Prahl, CET >> Fire Protection Specialist >> Mechanical Department >> CH2MHILL >> Lockwood Greene >> 1500 International Drive >> Spartanburg, SC 29304-0491 >> Direct - 864.599.4102 >> Fax - 864.599.8439 >> [email protected] >> http://www.ch2m.com >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of tom poisal >> Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 4:03 PM >> To: sprinklerforum >> Subject: boat storage >> >> Ii have a in rack boat storage facility, 4 stories, I am thinking that ESFR >> 16.8 for 12 spkrs however I am not sure what to use as a density, flr to flr >> is 20' - 4 racks per floor, just go for the rated flow/psi per head ? >> Tom Poisal, CET >> _______________________________________________ >> Sprinklerforum mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum >> >> For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] >> >> To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] >> (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) >> _______________________________________________ >> Sprinklerforum mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum >> >> For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] >> >> To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] >> (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) >> _______________________________________________ >> Sprinklerforum mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum >> >> For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] >> >> To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] >> (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) >> >> > > _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
