Power for fire pumps is critical in the design of a properly operating fire protection

system. Without power, the building loses the ability to have an effective fire suppression
system. The building’s fire/life safety system also cannot control or extinguish a fire,
thereby negating the benefits of the fire protection system. Therefore, careful
consideration in the selection of pumps and power supplies is critical to the operation of
the fire protection systems.

As fire protection engineers, our team often selects fire pumps for various designs. Due
to the size, magnitude, and building height of the projects, municipal water supplies
often are not capable of providing the required pressures to meet fire protection system
(automatic sprinklers and standpipes) demand. Therefore, fire pumps are specified to
boost pressures that are needed for these systems to protect the building and its
occupants.

This team’s first choice in selecting fire pumps is to use an electric-driven pump. An
electric-driven pump is easier to design, is easier to maintain on a regular basis, and
does not require external fuel to operate the pump. It lends itself to a cleaner and more
efficient system.

Diesel-driven pumps are very reliable and have their place in the design and installation
of fire protection systems. However, they require fuel storage tanks of combustible
liquids to be stored in or near the pump room, and require ventilation of combustion
products and a means to replenish fuel used during operation, which includes frequent
run tests. Sometimes it is just too difficult to locate a diesel-driven pump inside a building
due to these considerations, especially when the design requires pumps be installed
within a tower due to pressure zone requirements. Diesel-driven pumps are a good
choice when the pump is located at the base of the building near the exterior wall or in a
separate pump house to accommodate the refueling operations and the ventilation of
combustion exhaust. When installed inside a building or midway up a high-rise tower,
they are difficult to design and install.

An electric-driven pump does not require a combustion-driven engine to start to operate

the pump. As long as power is available to the pump, when the pressure drops in the
system, the electric-driven pump will start. The key is to provide a reliable source of
power to the pump, under both normal and emergency conditions. For an electric-driven
pump, power is the key to the reliability of the pump and therefore the fire protection
system. Electric power is easier to run through the building, especially within high-rise
towers where multiple pressure zone pumps are located. Getting the power there is
easier than getting diesel fuel.

Codes and standards

Codes and standards governing fire pumps recognize the importance power plays in the
operation of these electric-driven fire pumps. NFPA develops many standards and
guides on how to design and install fire protection systems. NFPA 20: The Standard for
the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection outlines the requirements for the
design and installation of fire pumps. When a fire pump is required due to system
demands, often NFPA 20 is the referenced standard. NFPA 20 provides specific details
for the use of both diesel and electric-driven pumps, including the power supply
requirements for electric pumps.
Chapter 9 of the 2013 edition of NFPA 20 provides specific requirements for electric
drives for fire pumps. It outlines the requirements for both normal and alternate power. It
is clear that the normal power source be continually available and arranged in one of five
methods. These include:

 A utility service connection dedicated to the pump

 An on-site power production facility dedicated to the fire pump
 A dedicated feeder connection derived directly from the dedicated fire pump
service
 A feeder connection that is part of a multi-building campus-style arrangement
meeting certain conditions
 A dedicated transformer connection directly from the service meeting Article 695
of NFPA 70: National Electrical Code.

NFPA 20 requires an alternate source of power when the height of the building is
beyond the pumping capacity of fire department apparatus or where the normal source
is not reliable. If a backup diesel-driven or steam-driven pump is provided, an alternate
source of power is not required. Also, many of the model building and fire codes require
an alternate or secondary source of power be provided for all pumps serving systems in
high-rise buildings. Per NFPA, this source of power is considered emergency and should
be available within 10 seconds of loss of normal power. The emergency source of power
is required to be available for at least 8 hours.