Fire Flow Capacity Simulation

Scenario

Each time-step in a real-time hydraulic simulation, is a potential scenario during which water may need to be supplied for fire fighting purposes.   Consequently the software allows users to select one time step from an existing real-time, hydraulic simulation as their scenario.

Types of Analysis

The software gives users the choice to:

• analyse one point in the network as the location for fire fighting flows; or
   
• define the location of multiple fire hydrants (e.g. throughout a whole city).

The single point case; is useful for investigating fire flow capacity to a specific site.  For example, to answer a query from a property developer's consultant.   Single point analysis reports the available head at the hydrant over a range of fire flows.  At the same time the analysis defines how fire flows at this point may affect supply to customers elsewhere on the network.

The mulitple point case; assesses the capacity of all locations within the pipe network to provide a single, standard fire flow.   It answers the question; "How well can this part of the distribution and reticulation network supply the standard fire flow requirement?"

Design Criteria

Users are able to define the following criteria:

• target minimum pressure at the fire flow point;
   
• minimum pressure to supply to customers on all other points of the network during a fire;
   
• the range of fire flow rates to test at a single fire hydrant; or
   
• a single fire flow rate to test at all fire hydrants on the network.

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