NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 42
Large storage facilities around the world rely on early
suppression fast response sprinklers to protect valuable
contents. Questions persist on the impact of obstructions
on these powerful sprinklers, and research is beginning to
provide answers. GETTY IMAGES
RESEARCH
An extensive research project measures
the impact of common storage facility
obstructions on ESFR sprinklers, data
that could inform changes to NFPA 13
by jacqueline r. wilmot
T
here's a joke in the sprinkler and storage industries that you don't design an
early suppression fast response (ESFR) sprinkler system around a building-
you design the building around the ESFR sprinkler system.
The joke illustrates the importance of ESFR systems in protecting an array of
high-challenge storage settings, as well as the numerous considerations involved
with installing these systems in a storage facility-especially when the installation encounters potential sprinkler obstructions. ESFR systems utilize fast-acting,
high-volume sprinklers designed to protect the most challenging stored goods,
including items containing large amounts of highly combustible plastics. The current edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, includes
a number of restrictions that apply to ESFR installations, including the proximity
of the sprinklers to nearby obstructions that can include structural elements, duct
work, and lighting. Those restrictions have generated concerns among stakeholders
over the years, many of them focused on a central question: Exactly how much do
nearby obstructions impact the performance of ESFR sprinkler systems?
ESFR feature_1Q 2021 SJS APPROVED FINAL.indd 42
1/29/21 2:03 PM
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - Spring 2021
Contents
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Cover1
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Cover2
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 1
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 2
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 3
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Contents
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 5
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NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Cover3
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Cover4
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