15-16-300 Pressure tanks.

   The materials and construction of tanks under pressure shall be in accordance with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers “Rules for the Construction of Unfired Pressure Vessels”, Section VIII, dated 1986.

   They shall be installed on steel or reinforced concrete supports, located so as to prevent sagging or vibration in the tanks and so as to distribute the load. Each tank shall be provided with a glass water column installed on one end of the tank at such a height that the center of the gauge glass shall be at the normal level of the water in the tank and equipped with automatic safety cocks.

(Prior code §  91-14; Amend Coun. J. 10-30-96, p. 31216, § 1)

15-16-310 Fire pumps.

   Fire pumps and auxiliary equipment, including controllers required to form complete pumping units, shall be of a type designed and developed for sprinkler service. The installation shall comply with NFPA 20-2013. The suction pipe shall be six inches for 500 and 750 gallons per minute pumps and eight inches for 1,000 and 1,500 gallons per minute pumps. The city connection shall be increased two inches if used for both domestic consumption and fire protection demands when the domestic service exceeds two inches.

   In each case the pump used shall be selected to meet the conditions surrounding the installation. The pumping unit shall be designed to develop full capacity at its rated pressure. The design and installation of a pump shall be such that under any flow rate the intake pressure at the pump shall be not less than five pounds per square inch.

   A fire pump shall be automatic in operation. A time delay device set for one minute for each ten horsepower of motor rating but not to exceed seven minutes shall be provided. A separate automatically controlled centrifugal pressure maintenance pump to avoid too frequent starting and stopping of the fire pump shall be provided.

(Prior code § 91-15; Amend Coun. J. 10-30-96, p. 31216, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. VII, § 23)

15-16-311 Test manifold.

   Each fire pump which supplies an automatic sprinkler system shall be provided with a discharge test manifold having one two and one-half inch corrosion resistant valve for each 250 gallons per minute of rated pumping capacity; however, no more than six valves need be provided. The discharge test manifold shall be located on an outside wall in a location which will permit safe discharge and drainage of water.

(Added Coun. J. 10-30-96, p. 31216, § 1)

15-16-320 Supply to tanks.

   A gravity tank used for a sprinkler system shall be supplied with water by a filling pump having a capacity such that the tank can be filled in less than eight hours.

   The pressure tanks shall be supplied with water by a filling pump having a capacity such that the tank can be filled in not mom than four hours and with air by an air compressor having a capacity of not less than 20 cubic feet of free air per minute if of 7,500 gallon capacity or over and 16 cubic feet of free air per minim if under 7,500 gallon capacity. Where the sprinkler system is equipped with both gravity and pressure tanks, one filling pump may be provided for both. Any storage tank used for fire protection purposes when supplied from the city water system shall conform to the piping provisions governing fill lines and overflow pipes for storage tanks prescribed in Chapter 11-8 of this code.

(Prior code §  91-16; Amend Coun. J. 10-30-96, p. 31216, § 1)

15-16-330 Filling pipe.

   The filling pipe to the gravity tank of any system shall be not less than two inches in diameter.

   The water filling pipe to the pressure tanks shall be not less than one and one-half inches in diameter; it shall be run separately from the source of supply with a bronze seat check valve and a renewable disc angle valve provided in the pipe near the tank, the angle valve being placed between the check valve and the tank. The air supply pipe shall be not less than one inch in diameter and shall have a bronze seat check valve and renewable disc angle check valve provided in the pipe near the tank with the angle valve between the tank and check valve. The air supply pipe shall be connected to the tanks above the water level in the tanks.

(Prior code §  91-17; Amend Coun. J. 10-30-96, p. 31216, § 1)

15-16-340 Small equipment.

   Filling pumps, air compressors, tank heaters and other small equipment shall be installed as necessary for each system and shall be of the capacity required.

(Prior code §  91-18; Amend Coun. J. 10-30-96, p. 31216, § 1)

15-16-350 Location and arrangement of sprinklers.

   Sprinklers shall be provided throughout the entire premises, except in rooms used solely as electrical equipment rooms containing generators, transformers, or switchboards (unless such equipment is located in a public utility structure). Sprinkles may be omitted from rooms or areas containing materials which react violently to the application of water.

   Freezers, if under 200 square feet in floor area, need not have sprinklers installed.

   They shall be installed inside of show windows, within stairwells, under stairs, under projections extending below the ceiling and under balconies, galleries, ducts and other constructions having a width of more than 48 inches. Sprinklers shall be installed in concealed spaces enclosed wholly or partly by combustible construction. In combustible spaces in floors or ceilings, where there is a variation in height, sprinklers shall be installed up to the point where the spaces between the upper and lower joists is less than six inches.

   In residential occupancies sprinklers may be omitted from closets having an area less than 20 square feet.

   In vertical shafts, having combustible walls, a sprinkler shall be provided inside the shaft for each 200 square feet of the combustible surface, or fraction thereof, in addition to sprinklers installed at the top of the shaft. Sprinklers inside the shaft shall be staggered at alternate floor levels.

   Sprinklers shall be installed throughout telephone exchanges except in rooms housing switching, toll, main distribution frame, power, auxiliary power or switchboard equipment.

   All sprinklers shall be installed in the appropriate horizontal or vertical position as specified by testing conducted by a product testing laboratory which regularly tests fire protection equipment for the specific manufacture and model sprinkler.

   The maximum distance between branch lines or between sprinklers on a branch line shall not exceed 15 feet except that in extra hazard occupancies the spacing between branch lines and sprinklers shall not exceed 12 feet. The distance from sprinklers to walls shall not exceed one-half of the allowable distance between sprinklers except that in light hazard occupancies, rooms having a floor area of less than 800 square feet a sprinkler may be located nine feet from any single wall provided that the area limitations given below are not exceeded. Automatic sprinklers designed to be installed in the upright or pendant position shall be located not less than four inches from a wall.

   The maximum protection area per sprinkler shall not exceed the areas specified in Table 15-16-350. Ordinary hazard spacing shall be used except as provided for at light hazard, Section 15-16-230, and extra hazard, Section 15-16-240 of this code.

Table 15-16-350
Maximum Area Per Sprinkler
(in square feet)

 

	Light Hazard	Ordinary Hazard	Extra Hazard	Storage in Excess of 12 Feet in Height
Unobstructed construction	225	130	100	100
Non-combustible obstructed construction	225	130	100	100
Combustible obstructed construction	168	130	100	100

 

   The maximum floor area on any one floor to be protected by sprinklers supplied by any one sprinkler system riser shall not exceed 52,000 square feet except that in extra hazard occupancies the maximum area shall be 25,000 square feet provided that the area may be increased to 40,000 square feet when the system is hydraulically calculated.

   When sidewall sprinklers are installed in rooms exceeding ten feet in width, sprinklers shall be installed on both sides of the room except that in light hazard occupancies sprinklers shall be installed on both sides of the room when the width of the room exceeds 14 feet. Sidewall sprinklers may be installed in occupancies other than light hazard occupancies only when the sidewall sprinklers are listed for use in other than light hazard occupancies.

   Horizontal sidewall sprinklers may be installed in light hazard occupancies with smooth ceiling construction to protect areas consistent with their listing.

   Under unobstructed construction, the distance between the sprinkler deflector and the ceiling shall be a minimum of one inch and a maximum of eight inches provided that sprinklers designed to be installed recessed into or flush with the ceiling deflectors may be closer than one inch. Under obstructed construction the sprinkler deflector shall be located not more than six inches below the structural members and not more than 22 inches below the ceiling or roof.

   When sprinklers are installed with the deflector above the bottom of a vertical obstruction, the minimum horizontal separation of a sprinkler from a vertical obstruction which shall be not less than 12 inches when the obstruction has a vertical dimension greater than one inch but less than four inches. The minimum separation from a vertical separation shall be 24 inches when the obstruction has a vertical dimension greater than four inches.

   Stocks of all kinds shall be so arranged and maintained as to not obstruct any sprinkler and in no case extend above a level of 18 inches below the deflector of any sprinkler.

   Concealed sprinklers shall be equipped with cover plates which operate at a temperature of not greater than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Such cover plates shall have a non-painted metallic, brass or chrome finish.

(Prior code §  91-19; Amend Coun. J. 11-2-94, p. 58476; Amend Coun. J. 10-30-96, p. 31216, § 1)

15-16-351 Display booths.

   Sprinklers may be omitted from structures erected and used as temporary display booths situated within any assembly occupancy having at least 500,000 square feet devoted exclusively for use as an exhibition hall. Temporary display booths shall comply with the following requirements:

   (1)   Height and Area:

      a.   Total height of a temporary display booth shall not exceed 30 feet above floor level and total stories shall not exceed two.

      b.   Temporary display booths of two stories shall be open and uncovered at the second story.

      c.   Temporary display booths shall not exceed 5,000 square feet in area.

   (2)   Construction:

      a.   All wood materials used in construction of a temporary display booth shall comply with NFPA 703 (1992 ed. or later), Chapter 2, Standard for Fire Retardant Impregnated Wood.

      b.   All non-wood materials used in the construction of a temporary display booth shall be non- combustible as defined under Section 15-12-040(e) of this code.

   (3)   Fire Prevention and Detection:

      a.   Scenery and decorations used within temporary display booths shall comply with combustibility standards at Sections 15-4-580 through 15-4-620 of this code.

      b.   Temporary display booths shall comply with the smoke alarm and fire extinguisher requirements in Section 13-84-351.

      c.   Temporary display booth diagrams required to be filed with the fire commissioner under Section 15-4-690 shall identify each temporary display booth having greater than one story.

      d.   Temporary display booths shall, in addition to the number and location requirements for exhibition area fire guards in Section 15-4-640 of this code, be patrolled by one fire guard for each booth in excess of one story in height at all times during which the show or exhibition is closed for business.

(Added Coun. J. 9-15-93, p. 37767; Amend Coun. J. 10-30-96, p. 31216, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 24131, § 122; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. VI, § 36)

15-16-360 Sprinklers.

   Only new sprinklers shall be installed in sprinkler systems. Listed corrosion-resistant sprinklers shall be installed in locations where chemical or corrosive vapors exist. Damaged sprinklers shall be replaced.

   Sprinklers shall be designed to open at temperatures from 135 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit in locations where the ceiling temperature does not exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Where the ceiling temperature exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature ratings of sprinklers shall be in accordance with the following table:

 

Maximum Ceiling Temperature	Sprinkler Temperature Rating	Sprinkler Temperature Classification
150 F	175 to 225 F	Intermediate
225	250 to 300	High
300	325 to 375	Extra high
375	400 to 475	Very extra high
475	500 to 575	Ultra high

 

   Sprinklers installed under skylights shall be of the intermediate temperature classification.

   Intermediate classification sprinklers may be used throughout industrial and storage occupancies.

(Prior code §  91-20; Amend Coun. J. 10-30-96, p. 31216, § 1)