Fire Protection Hydraulics and Water Supply - Essay Example

What factors should be considered when implementing relay operations Relay operations is a pumping technique used to tackle insufficient fire ground water supply. Factors influencing the implementation of relay operations are grouped in phases like design, setup and shutdown of relay operations. Relay operations designSome of the factors influencing relay operations design are Amount of water to flow and available water at the supply Availability of number of pumps and their sizeAvailability of hose at the desired size and height Evaluate highest operating pressure of the hose for calculating the flow and friction loss.

Distance from the source to the incident as intensity of pumping will depend on the distance, Relationship between flow and pressure to determine the quantity of water to be pumped..Maximum rated capacity of the pumps based on numbers and availability.Setting up relay operationsSource EnginePosition the source engine with a largest pump of water in order to supply water and higher discharge pressure and lay the hose to relay engine.Relay EngineUse the dump line to allow water flow from source engine till the discharge of all the air from supply line and engage pump by adjusting throttle.

Continue to dump water through overboard discharge by setting the desired pressure for the pump and discharge water supply.Attack EngineThe operator opens bleeder valve in order to exhaust air in supply lines and relay water supply is established once the intake valve is opened. Overboard discharge is required to release excess pressure after shut down and pump throttle can be deployed for better supply.Shutting down operations Throttle pump down and disengage by opening the overboard discharge.

Limitations of relay operationsTotal flow of water must not exceed the rated flow of the source engine. Pumped pressure must not exceed the hose test pressure.ReferencesIFSTA, Water Supplies for Fire Protection, 4th Edition,Chapter 6Fire Fighting Apparatus and Procedures, Glencoe Press,3rd Edition, pp. 287-315