Fire Hydrant System
This is very effective extinguishing system suitable for various plants and high-rise buildings as well as commercial complexes. The system mainly consists of water storage reservoir underground or aboveground, pump set, piping ring around the building and terminals inside the building, hydrant valves, hoses, branch pipes with nozzles and hose boxes.
On the ring main the hydrant stand posts are provided with hydrant valves. The system is of two types: one is wet riser and other is dry riser. The wet riser system is automatic type and dry riser is manually operable.
In case of fire, the hose can be connected to the hydrant valve with the nozzles at the outlet end and the pump can be started. For automatic operation of the pump, the jockey pump is provided which normally pressurize the pipes and as soon as the valve is opened.
With the help of pressure and ample amount of water, the jet from the nozzles can be projected at the base of fire to extinguish completely.
Types of Fire Hydrant Systems
Fire hydrants are of two types, those types are mentioned below:
1 - Wet Hydrant
Hydrant systems contain water and their pipes, therefore, these are only useful where the temperature does not fall under a certain limit so that the water in the pipes does not get frozen.
2 - Dry Hydrants
In dry hydrant systems the water is stored underground and the pipes are kept empty from water. Dry hydrants are used in the areas where there is a risk of freezing of water. When the water is required the valve is opened to get the water for extinguishing the fire hydrant systems function.
Hydrant Systems Function
There is a whole network of valves and pipes in the fire hydrant system. If a fire incident happens, firefighters search for the hydrant system. The valve of a fire hydrant is covered, and a pentagonal wrench is used to remove that cover. After removing the cover, hose pipes are attached to the valve to get water. There are nuts or bolts which are rotated and then water started flowing into the pipes. The hydrants are designed in such a way that they can maintain the pressure and direction of the flow of water.
Advantages of Hydrant Systems
Fire hydrant systems are extremely useful for extinguishing fires. They can extinguish a wide variety of different types of fires. They can extinguish low to high ranged fires. Since they provide high-pressure water, therefore, they can extinguish the fire in very less time. The water from hydrants can reach several heights and achieve different angles for extinguishing the fire. They prevent leakage of water. They require low maintenance and have a long life. They are very effective and durable.