Water Supply and Drainage in Building
Water Supply and Drainage in Building
Water Supply and Drainage in Building
Abstract
Research on air and water flows in water supply and drainage systems for buildings has led to a greater understanding of the aspects of design which contribute to both enhanced public health and pragmatic water conservation strategies. The study of airflows and the inevitable air pressure transients generated by naturally occurring phenomena within building drainage systems, has led to the development of unique surge alleviation devices in order to protect fixture water trap seals, the main protection between the public sewer and habitable space. This focus on pressure transient analysis has also contributed to the development of a sonar like device for assessing the status of water trap seals and curtailing the possibilities of infection spread via the building drainage system. While these phenomena affect the safety of people from sewer borne pathogens, the supply of water still represents a significant cost and challenge to supply authorities. The contribution of fixtures such as WCs, baths and showers represent significant usage of potable water delivered to a building; in the UK, WCs use 1/3 of the total potable water processed. Numerical modelling of flows has assisted in formulating strategies for good design practice, and is conducive to whole system modelling to ensure public health safety and water supply security is maintained, economically and efficiently.
CONTENTS
Introduction Water distribution system in building Methods of distribution Drainage system Installation of drains The requirements of a well designed system Venting Maintenance of house drainage system Conclusion Reference
Introduction
Public water supply systems follow the sequence of collection, conveyance, treatment, disinfection and distribution. Ultimately water is distributed for various consumption purposes in a building through internal water distribution. The waste water is collected from the buildings and taken to a treatment plant for treatment and disposal. In this seminar, only the internal water supply and building drainage are discussed. The water distribution system in a building terminates at various plumbing fixtures designed to receive water and discharge wastes. The drainage system in buildings should not cause a nuisance or any hazard to health.
mains under pressure supply water to a fixture inlets. Systems, with piping above the main or pressure tank, are called up feed systems. Systems from public mains are supplied through a service main. This starts at a top on the street mains known as a lateral. The size of laterals varies from 10 to 22.5 cm. a water meter is connected to the service main. Service pipes are subjected to expansion and contraction and minor earth movement. Hence service mains should be connected through a gooseneck or expansion loop to avoid strain on joints. Inside a building at the service valve, the building main extends to each fixture ground in single storey buildings or to the foot of each up feed riser in taller buildings. The service pipe may supply an up feed system for as greater a height as the available pressure allows. In addition, it supplies a sump from which pumps can draw for the elevated house tanks. A house tank serves down feed risers to a number of flows. The washer and other valves with stand pressures up to about 5 kg/ cm2 hence, the static head should be restricted to 50 m of water. Thus, about 15 floors is the maximum height for a down feed some
METHODS OF DISTRIBUTION
Depending up on the topography of the country any one of the following three methods may be adopted for the distribution of water 1) gravity system 2) gravity and pumping system combined 3) pumping system 4)
Gravity system
In this system the water is conveyed through pipes by gravity only. The gravity system is the most reliable method of distribution. But it is useful only when the source of water supply is situated at a higher level than that of distribution area.
Advantages
In case of a fire, the motor pumps can be used to develop high pressure or a fire demand can directly be satisfied from pump house after closing the inlet valve for elevated reservoir. In this method, the pumps are generally worked at uniform rate. This method is economical. This method is fairly reliable in the sense that some quantity of water is available from the elevated reservoir even during break down of pumps.
Pumping system
In this system, the water is directly pumped in to the mains leading to the consumers. The number of pumps required in this system will depend on the demand of water.
Disadvantages
In case of power failure the entire water distribution system of locality is disturbed. It requires constant attendance because of the fact that the pumps are to be kept in working conditions all the time and sudden failure of pumps would lead to great hardship.
DRAINAGE
Drainage means the entire system of sewers, plant and associated machinery, which is owned by or vested in a local authority, and used for conveyance and treatment of sewage, the reclamation of water and the disposal of effluents or by-products resulting from the treatment of sewage.
SEPTIC TANK: means a tank designed to receive sewage and to retain it for
such a time and in such a manner as to secure adequate decomposition of organic solids by bacterial action.
SOIL PIPE: The term soil pipe is used to indicate the pipe which carries
discharge from soil fittings such as urinals, water closets, etc. it should be of good materials and workmanship. The soil pips are kept of uniform diameter and when they are carried above roof level, they will work as vent pipes also.
STACK: means the main vertical discharge pipe or ventilating pipe connected
to a drainage system.
WASTE FIXTURE: means any sanitary fixture which is used for the
reception and discharge of waste water, and includes baths, drinking fountains, showers, baths, sinks, wash basins or wash tubs.
COWL: The top of vent pipes is provided with cowls. These are provided with
slits or narrow openings.
FRESH AIR INLET: The last man hole which connects the house drain
with the public sewer is provided with an inlet of fresh air. This fresh air inlet dilutes the sewage gasses.
VENT PIPE: The pipe installed for the purpose of ventilation is known as the
vent pipe. It should be open at top and bottom and such openings should be at suitable levels for the flow of foul gases. it is generally placed in the chamber or
manhole from which sewage starts its flow sand it is carried at least about one meter higher than the roof level.
WASTE PIPE: The term waste pipe is used to indicate the pipe which carries
discharges from sanitary fittings such as bath rooms, kitchens, sinks, etc
INSTALLATION OF DRAINS
Drainage Installation means an installation vested in the owner of a site which is situated on such site and which is intended for the reception, conveyance, storage or treatment of sewage and includes sanitary fixtures, traps, discharge piped, drains, ventilating pipes, septic tanks, conservancy tanks, sewage treatment works, or mechanical appliances associated therewith. Drain means that part of a drainage installation which conveys the sewage from a building to a connecting sewer or to a common drain or to any other means of sewage disposed on the site concerned, but shall not include A. any discharge pipe; B. that portion of a discharge stack which is below ground level; or C. the bend at the foot of a discharge stack, whether such bend is exposed or not.
Where any drain is constructed adjacent to or under or through a structural part of any building, adequate measures must be taken to ensure that the trench in which such drain is laid in no way impairs the stability of such building or the stability of any other building or interferes with or affects any existing services. A. Any drain shall be of such strength, having regard to the manner in which it is bedded or supported, so that the maximum loads and forces to which
it may normally be subjected will be sustained by it and it shall where necessary be protected against damage. B. The requirements contained in paragraph shall be deemed to be satisfied if either of the following is complied with:
(i)The minimum cover over the outside of the drain is not less than 300 mm or (ii) Precast or cast-in-situ concrete slabs are placed over the drain, isolated from the crown of the pipe by a soil cushion not less than 100 mm thick and such slabs are wide enough and strong enough to prevent excessive superimposed loads being transferred directly to the pipes.
Any drain shall;A. Be laid in a straight line between any points where changes of direction or gradients occur. B. Be laid with approved flexible joints which will permit joint movement to take place throughout the life of the drainage installation. C. Withstand root penetration and not deteriorate when in contact with sewage or water, and will not cause any obstruction in the interior of such drain. D. Be laid at a minimum gradient of 1:60 for 100 and 1:100 for 150 pipes. However the Project Manager may in his discretion permit gradients less than those specified above. E. Where the gradient exceeds 1:5 it must be provided with anchor blocks which must securely fix such drain in place. Where any portion of a drain passes under any building such portion shall: A .Be of Cast Iron B. Be laid without change of direction or gradient. C. Not be provided inside such building with any means of access for cleaning. Where any portion of a drain passed through a building such portion shall be: A. Cast Iron B. Supported throughout its length without restricting thermal movement and such support must be securely attached to the building. C. So placed that any junction, bend or any point of access into it is readily accessible.
Where any drain has a branch drain connected to it, such connection shall:A. be by means of a junction fitting which shall not be a saddle junction. B. Enable the flow from such branch drain to enter the drain obliquely in the direction of flow so that the included angle between the axes of the two drains does not exceed 45. Where drains are to be laid in heaving, unstable or filled in ground, the Project Manager must be consulted.
GROUPING
Where possible all toilet facilities should be grouped in a building, both horizontally and vertically and low outlet fittings such as baths and showers should be placed as close as possible to outside or duct walls, to facilitate drainage.
POSITIONING
WC's and urinals must be placed against outside or duct walls or in the case of urinals, the drainage points may end against such walls. Urinals must be adequately screened from passages, windows etc. A wash-hand basin must be available at all WC's. Walls must be of one brick thickness where more than 3 wash hand basins or bowl urinals are to be hung and also where the wall holding any of these fittings is longer than 3m
Venting
Usually vent piping is installed to accommodate air flow only. Sometimes large pipes are used as fixture branches and vents. A pipe which functions in this manner is called a wet vent Whenever fixtures from more than one floor drain in to a single soil or waste stack, vents from the fixtures must connect to a vent stack installed next to the soil or waste stack. It must terminate through the roof or be connected to the vent extension at the top of the soil or waste stack its base must connect to the base of the soil or waste stack Vent terminals through the roof should be three meter away from windows or other openings and must be 1.5 m above occupied roof decks. Otherwise vent terminals should be 60 cm above openings or at least 15cm above a roof. Venting or horizontal drain lines require a vertical connection of a vent pipe more than 450 from the vertical. The size of vents and vent stacks depends on the size of the line vented, the fixture unit load, and the developed length of the vent. No vent can be smaller than 3.1 cm and it can be less than one - half the diameter of the pipe vented.
Conclusions
This report has considered the implications for venting in building drainage systems. The discussion has concentrated on the fundamental fluid mechanics which so readily describe the unsteady flows resulting from plumbing fixture discharges. The description of the workings of a drainage and vent system in these terms is not new, many early innovators were well aware of this, however, many codes and regulation worldwide seem to avoid the engineering imperative of a description based on fluid mechanics in favor of a prescriptive legalistic approach based on the evolution of the industry rather than the science. The fundamentals of system friction and pressure transient generation and propagation are central to understanding why venting is required in the first place. Possible solutions for alleviating pressure transients were discussed, including the well respected view that in certain circumstances systems operate perfectly well without venting.
In each vertical waste water pipe longer than 3,5m A vent pipe the same size as the drain pipe which it ventilates must be provided. The various units of house drainage system should be inspected at regular intervals and the obstructions, if any, should be removed. Similarly the damaged pipes should be replaced. The materials used in the house drainage system should be of better quality.
Reference
Water supply and sanitary engineering -RANGWALA Building technology and valuation (technical teachers training institute,Madras) Water supply and waste water engineering -B S N RAJU Google.com