SCHIRMER ENGINEERING CORPORATION

707 LAKE COOK ROAD p DEERFIELD, ILLINOIS 60015-4997 p PHONE (847) 272-8340 p FAX (847) 272-2639

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR A

FIRE PUMP DRIVER AND POWER SOURCE,
DIESEL ENGINE, OR ELECTRIC MOTOR

SEC Project No. 1803007-000

September 20, 2003

Fire Protection Engineering p Code Consulting p Risk Control p Security Consulting

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. ABSTRACT.................................................................................................1
II. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................1
III. RELIABILITY ...............................................................................................1
A. Reliability of an Electric Motor Driver for Fire Pumps........................................2
B. Reliability of Diesel Engine Drivers for Fire Pumps ...........................................2
C. Reliability of a Fire Pump.............................................................................2
D. Reliability of Single Source Electric Power for an Electric Motor.........................2
E. Reliability of Electric Power from Two Substations for an Electric Motor.............3
F. Reliability of Electric Power from a Utility and an On -Site Emergency Generator
for an Electric Motor..................................................................................3
G. Summary of Reliability and Expected Loss .....................................................3
IV. FIRE PUMP DESIGN PHILOSOPHY ...............................................................6
V. INSTALLATIONS EVALUATED.....................................................................6
VI. DESIGN/COST CONSIDERATIONS ...............................................................7
A. Power Supply............................................................................................7
B. Power Supply Feeder..................................................................................7
C. Cost Tables ..............................................................................................8
VII. SUMMARY ...............................................................................................12
VIII. CONCLUSIONS.........................................................................................14
IX. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS ......................................................................15

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -i- September 20, 2003

 MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR A FIRE PUMP DRIVER AND POWER SOURCE,
DIESEL ENGINE, OR ELECTRIC MOTOR

I. ABSTRACT

The conventional wisdom within the fire protection industry is that an electric motor
driven fire pump is almost always cheaper than a diesel engine driven pump,
therefore, electric motor driven fire pumps are utilized except when reliable electric
power is unavailable or when a backup fire pump is required to provide increased
reliability.

The purpose of this study is to review the advantages and disadvantages of both
electric motor driven and diesel engine driven fire pumps, and when each is the
appropriate choice. NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for
Fire Protection, also recognizes steam turbine driven fire pumps, however, very few
locations have a reliable source of steam, thus, steam turbine driven fire pumps are
rare and will not be considered in the article.

II. INTRODUCTION

Selecting the appropriate fire pump rating is beyond the scope of this study, so it is
assumed the appropriate pump size is known. The cost of fire pump maintenance
and operation is factored into this analysis, while the requirements for fire pump
maintenance is beyond its scope. Discussions of reliability are based on the
following assumptions:

• Fire pumps are installed according to NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation
of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection.
• Fire pumps are maintained according to NFPA 25, Standard for the
Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection
Systems.
• Emergency generators are installed according to NFPA 110, Standard for
Emergency and Standby Power Systems.

The primary considerations in selecting a fire pump driver are reliability, exposed
value, life safety protection needs, initial cost, maintenance cost, operating cost,
safety, and other design issues. Each of these are considered in this analysis.

III. RELIABILITY

The cause of most fire protection system failures can be eliminated by installing the
fire protection system and components in accordance with the appropriate NFPA
standards, maintaining the fire protection systems in accordance with NFPA 25, and
providing remote supervision in accordance with NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm
Code.

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -1- September 20, 2003

 Inadequate data is available to quantify reliability to a high degree of certainty.
However, it is beneficial to understand the effect of the fire pump driver and its
power source on the expected fire loss. Although subjective, reliability factors are
presented for discussion and used in this analysis. The reliabilities used in this
exercise are the author's best estimate.

A. Reliability of an Electric Motor Dri ver for Fire Pumps

For the purpose of calculating the expected loss in the event of a fire, it is
assumed that an electric motor driving a fire pump will fail one out of every
10,000 fires, 0.01% of the time.

B. Reliability of a Diesel Engine Driver for Fire Pumps

Diesel engine driven fire pumps are not affected by power outages, and are
designed to be more reliable than automotive, truck or standby diesel
generator set engines. Most of the reasons that engines fail to start are
minimized or eliminated in a fire pump installation. The fire pump diesel
engine is not subjected to cold temperature, and backup batteries are a part
of every fire pump installation, batteries are monitored, and the engine is
tested weekly for 30 minutes. The fuel level is supervised. For purposes of
calculating the expected loss in the event of a fire, it is assumed that a
properly installed and maintained diesel engine driven fire pump will fail one
out of 1,000 fires, 0.1% of the time.

C. Reliability of a Fire Pump

Fire pumps are highly reliable but may fail because of cavitation, rocks
entering the impeller, or mechanical failure. Testing can eliminate most of
these problems. For purposes of calculating the expected loss in the event
of a fire, it is assumed that a fire pump will fail one out of 5,000 fires,
0.02% of the time.

D. Reliability of Single Source Electric Power for an Electric Motor

NFPA 20 requires the power supply to an electric motor driven fire pump to
be reliable, but does not define reliable. The reliability of the electric power
is affected by many things, including natural disasters, transformer or sub-
station failure, utility grid maintenance, etc. In August 2003, much of the
northeastern grid covering parts of New York, New Jersey, New England,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and several Canadian provinces was blacked-
out up to several days. Hurricane Isabel caused massive power outages the
following month, up and down the east coast. Since 1999, the utility
company serving Chicago, Illinois, has experienced various outages, some
lasting three to four days. Downtown Chicago recently experienced outages
involving multiple substations.

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -2- September 20, 2003

 The loss of power and the start of a fire cannot be viewed as entirely
independent events, i.e., there is a higher likelihood of having a fire during a
power outage. Storms, lightning strikes, tornados, hurricanes and terrorism
may cause both a power outage and a fire. The reaction to a power outage
may also result in a fire, as when using candles during a power outage may
lead to a fire. For purposes of calculating the expected loss in the event of a
fire, it is assumed that a single source electric power supply will fail one out
of 100 times, i.e., power will not be available for the fire pump one out of
every 100 fires, 1% of the time.

E. Reliability of Electric Power from Two Substations for an Electric Motor

Providing a backup power source can increase the reliability of electric motor
driven pumps. Backup power can be from a different substation or from an
onsite generator. Theoretically, if one power source is 99% reliable (fails one
out of 100 times), two totally independent power sources would be 99.99%
reliable (both fail simultaneously one out of 10,000 times). However, while
backup power from a second substation improves reliability, substations are
not totally independent. Events that cause the loss of power at one
substation may cause loss of power at other substations, as with the
northeast outage. Storms, lightning strikes, tornados, hurricanes, generator
and grid outages are examples that may cause power outages at multiple
substations. For purposes of calculating the expected loss in the event of a
fire, it is assumed that power supplied from two substations will fail one out
of 200 fires, 0.5% of the time.

F. Reliability of Electric Power from a Utility and an On -Site Emergency

Generator for an Electric Motor

Properly installed and maintained emergency generators increase the

reliability of an electric motor driven fire pump. However, there are
significant differences between NFPA 20 diesel engine fire pump drivers and
NFPA 110 emergency generator drivers, summarized in Table 1.

The difference in installation and testing requirements make a diesel engine

driven fire pump more reliable than an emergency generator. For purposes of
calculating the expected loss in the event of a fire, it is assumed that an on-
site generator will fail one out of 100 times, 1% of the time.

G. Summary of Reliability and Expected Loss

Statistically, the probability of two totally independent events occurring

simultaneously is the product of the probability of each event. So if a utility
fails one out of 100 fires (99% reliable), and an emergency generator fails
one out of 100 fires (99% reliable), the probability of both failing at the
same time is one out of 100 x 100 or 10,000 (99.99% reliable).

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -3- September 20, 2003

 For simplification in this exercise, it is assumed that if the fire pump
operates, the loss is zero, and if the fire pump fails to operate, the loss is
total. Table 2 translates the above failure probabilities into reliability
percentages, then compares the various fire pump drivers and power sources
in terms of expected losses for a $10 million exposure. The reader may
adjust these assumptions, should a more detailed analysis be desired.

Table 1
COMPARISON OF REQUIREMENTS FOR DIESEL ENGINE DRIVERS
FOR FIRE PUMPS AND EMERGENCY GENERATORS
Requirement for Diesel Engine Requirement for Emergency Generator Drivers (NFPA 110)
Fire Pump Drivers (NFPA 20)
Dual Battery Sets Single Battery Set

Dual Battery Chargers Single Battery Charger

Engine Cranking Time – 90 seconds Engine Cranking Time – 45-75 seconds

Manual Operation – Completely bypasses Manual Operation - Dependent on the control panel circuits.
all control panel circuits and interconnects.
Run to Destruction Operation – Shutdown Will Not Run to Destruction – Will shutdown on overspeed,
only on overspeed condition, will otherwise high water temperature, and low oil pressure to save the
run to destruction to save the facility. engine.
Engine Reliability - Only otto ignition Engine Reliability - Spark ignition engines allowed.
(diesel) engines allowed.
Fuel Supply - A separate supply, containing Fuel Supply – Dependent on classification, can be as little as
a minimum eight hours' supply dedicated to five minutes. Allows sharing of fuel supply with other loads.
each fire pump. Allows utility gas supply (for spark ignited natural gas engine)
Dedicated Purpose – Fire pump only Not Dedicated to Fire Pump – Can supply multiple loads in
allowable load. addition to the fire pump and may depend on load dumping
logic to provide sufficient capacity to power the fire pump.
Run Testing - Weekly testing required. Run Testing – Monthly testing required.

Reserve Power - Requires 10% reserve Reserve Power - No reserve power requirement.
power.
rd
Performance Assurance - Required to be Performance Assurance - No 3 party confirmation of
rd
listed by independent 3 party confirming performance.
performance.
Testing Under Load – Annual flow test Testing Under Load – No requirement to ever test the fire
under full flow pump load. pump at full flow pump load while powered by the emergency
generator to verify capability.
Engine Heater – Maintains engine at 120°F Engine Heater – Not Required.
for quick starting.
Automatic Transfer Switch - Not Required. Automatic Transfer Switch - Additional component in the
system with it's own additional Reliability factors.
Circuit Breaker - Not Required. Circuit Breaker - Unsupervised and is an additional
component in the system with it's own additional Reliability
factors.

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -4- September 20, 2003

 Reliabilities are assumed for a diesel engine driven fire pump, an electric
motor driven fire pump, an on-site emergency generator, and two
substations, and the anticipated loss in the event of a fire is calculated as a
percentage of the total value at risk.

Table 2
FAILURE PROBABILITIES AND EXPECTED LOSSES WITH DIFFERENT PUMP DRIVERS
AND POWER SOURCES
Expected
Fire Pump Driver and Power Source Failure Reliability Loss with
Probability Percentage $10,000,000
Exposure2

Power Supply Reliability

Power from Single Utility 1.000%1 99.000%
Power from Two Substations 0.500%1 99.500%
Emergency Generator 1.000%1 99.000%
Pump Reliability 0.020%1 99.900%
Pump Driver Reliability
Diesel Engine Fire Pump Driver 0.100%1 99.900%
Electric Motor Fire Pump Driver 0.010%1 99.990%
Reliability of Power Supply and Electric
Motor Driven Fire Pump Combination
Single Utility 1.0297% 98.9703% $102,970
Two Substations 0.5298% 99.4702% $52,985
Utility and Emergency Generator 0.0400% 99.9600% $4,000
Reliability of Diesel Engine Driven Fire Pump
(Engine and Pump) 0.1200% 99.8800% $11,998
Dual Electric Motor Driven Pumps with
Emergency Generator Backup 0.0100% 99.9900% $1,001
One Diesel and One Electric Pump
Without Emergency Generator Backup 0.0012% 99.9988% $124
Dual Diesel Engine Driven Pumps 0.0001% 99.9999% $14
1
Failure probability based on author's best estimate.
2
Expected loss for a single fire, assuming a negligible loss if the fire pump operates, and a total loss
if the fire pump fails to operate. The expected loss is presented to aid in evaluating reliability issues.
The exposed value includes the building, contents, and business interruption potential and liability
exposure.

In summary, a highly reliable (greater than 99.75% reliable) fire pump can be
provided by either:

1) Using a properly installed and maintained diesel engine;

2) Connecting an electric pump to both a public utility and an
emergency generator.

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -5- September 20, 2003

 For high value facilities, dual fire pumps provide significant reduction in the
expected loss, with dual diesel engine driven fire pumps providing the lowest
expected loss.

IV. FIRE PUMP DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

Before reviewing the selection considerations, it is appropriate to discuss fire pump

design philosophy. When a fire pump is called upon to run under emergency
conditions, it must be given every opportunity to run, even when it may be
damaged by continued operation. NFPA 20 considers a fire pump "expendable",
and the requirements are focused on getting the pump started and running
continuously, and only secondarily on protecting the pump from damage.

V. INSTALLATIONS EVALUATED

Table 3 shows a representative sample of fire pump installations that were used for
this cost comparison.

Table 3
SAMPLE FIRE PUMP INSTALLATIONS
Sample Installations I.D.
Pump
1 2 3 4 5
Ratings
Flow –
1,500 1,500 1,000 1,000 2,500 750
gpm
Pressure -
100 150 150 150 150 150
psi
Pump –
125 200 130 130 330 70
hp
Electric
125 200 125 125 300 75
Motor - hp
Diesel
127 200 130 130 330 72
Engine - hp
Big Box
Ware-
retail Two fire pumps
house Retail store
store, i.e. High-rise arranged in series
Application storage or without high
Wal*Mart, application for high-rise
industrial piled storage
Target, application
application
Lowe's
Typical
Exposed
Value 30-50 20-80 80-100 10-200+ 1-50
(Millions of
Dollars)

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -6- September 20, 2003

VI. DESIGN/COST CONSIDERATIONS

A. Power Supply

When the site's transformer is installed and owned by the utility company,
(typically a larger transformer is required to supply an electric motor driven fire
pump), the additional cost of the transformer is built into the rates charged by the
utility company. If the owner is required to pay for the transformer, it is likely that
a diesel engine fire pump will cost less that the total cost of the electric
motor driven fire pump including transformer.

There are too many variables in determining the cost of utilizing a second
substation to supply backup power to the fire pump to provide a cost
comparison that is representative of all installations. However a comparison
is provided assuming a transmission distance of ½ mile of flat terrain with
the cost borne by the owner. If the electrical usage for the project is
sufficient high, it may be possible to negotiate with the utility company to
pay the initial cost of the second feed. For this exercise, the transformer
included in the cost was sized for the fire pump only. An emergency
generator provides a more reliable, and in most cases, a more economical
backup power supply.

The yearly cost for electricity is the charge for the actual electricity used at a
typical cost of $0.07 per kilowatt hour, plus the demand usage charge. For
this analysis, the demand usage was assumed to be $0.00/kw for 0-35 kw,
$3.32/kw for 35-115kw, and $6.67/kw above 115kw, and it is assumed
that the demand charge is on a monthly basis. The demand charge could be
reduced by testing during off-peak hours, however, even if the testing is
done during off-peak hours, the peak demand charge cannot be completely
eliminated because there will be times when the fire pump is required to run
during peak hours. For this analysis, calculations have been made for testing
the fire pump during peak usage and during off-peak usage.

B. Power Supply Feeder

The significant variable in the installation cost of an electric motor driven fire
pump is the length of the electric feeder from the transformer to the fire
pump. The cost of electrical feeds used for this study is shown in Table 4.

Table 4
INSTALLED COSTS OF ELECTRICAL FEEDERS FOR FIRE PUMPS
1 2 3 4 5
Pump Example Reference
(2) pumps
Rated Flow (gpm) 1,500 1,500 1,000 2,500 750
Rated Pressure (psi) 100 150 150 150 100
Horse Power 125 200 125 300 75
Feeder Size (amps) 150 250 150 400 100
Feeder Cost/ft $33 $44 $33 $62 $24

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -7- September 20, 2003

 Table 5 shows the approximate feeder lengths at which the installed cost of
an electric driven fire pump, supplied from a single utility without emergency
generator backup, and the cost for a diesel engine driven fire pump are the
same for different fire pump examples.

Table 5
APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF FEEDER WHEN THE INSTALLED COST OF
ELECTRIC MOTOR AND DIESEL ENGINE DRIVEN FIRE PUMPS EQUALIZE
1 2 3 4 5
Pump Example Reference
(2) pumps
Rated Flow (gpm) 1,500 1,500 1,000 2,500 750
Rated Pressure (psi) 100 150 150 150 100
POWER SUPPLY Length of Feeder (feet)
Single Source Power Supply,
579 405 578 474 760
Across the Line Controller
Single Source Power Supply,
388 279 387 316 603
Reduced Voltage Starter

C. Cost Tables

The following tables show the installed, maintenance and operating cost for
the representative sample of fire pumps.

• Table 6a - Installed and Current Value Costs for Electric Motor Driven Fire
Pump With Single Utility Source

• Table 6b - Installed and Current Value Costs for Electric Motor Driven Fire
Pump With Two Substation Utility Source

• Table 6c - Installed and Current Value Costs for Electric Motor Driven Fire
Pump With Generator Back-Up

• Table 6d - Installed and Current Value Costs for Diesel Engine Driven Fire
Pumps

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -8- September 20, 2003

 1. Cost Table 6a Electric Pump With Single Utility Power Source

Table 6a
INSTALLED AND CURRENT VALUE COSTS FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVEN
FIRE PUMP WITH SINGLE UTILITY SOURCE
3
Pump I.D. 1 2 4 5
(2 pumps)
Rated Flow (gpm) 1,500 1,500 1,000 2,500 750
Rated Pressure (psi) 100 150 150 150 100
Base Cost Fire Pump with Across
$18,870 $23,145 $37,920 $29,378 $14,205
the Line Starter Controller(1)
Installation Cost $6,800 $7,650 $13,600 $8,500 $5,950
Cost 200 ft. of Feeder $6,600 $8,800 $13,200 $12,400 $4,800
w/Across the Line
Total Installed $32,270 $39,595 $64,720 $50,278 $24,955
Starter
Cost
w/Reduced Voltage
$38,570 $45,135 $77,320 $60,098 $28,725
Starter(1)
Electricity for Weekly Test
$21 $35 $71 $56 $85
(kilowatt hours)
Yearly Cost for Electricity Usage @
$189 $302 $377 $452 $113
$0.07/kwH(3)
Yearly Peak Usage Testing $2,574 $4,290 $8,580 $6,864 $10,296
Demand
Off-Peak Usage
Charge (3) $90 $842 $2,977 $2,338 $4,693
Testing
@$6.37/kw
Annual Test $850 $850 $800 $900 $750
Yearly Maintenance(2) $807 $990 $1,618 $1,257 $624
Total Yearly Peak Usage Testing $4,252 $6,165 $11,069 $9,078 $11,755
Cost Off-Peak Testing $1,768 $2,717 $5,465 $4,551 $6,151
Across
the Line $68,471 $92,084 $158,954 $127,560 $125,030
Peak
Starter
Usage
Testing Reduced
Voltage $74,771 $97,624 $171,554 $137,380 $128,800
Present Value
Starter
of Installation
Across
and Yearly
the Line $47,325 $62,725 $111,249 $89,027 $77,325
Maintenance Off-Peak
Starter
and Operating Usage
Cost Over 20 Testing Reduced
Years @ 10% Voltage $53,625 $68,265 $123,849 $98,847 $81,095
Interest Starter
Across
the Line $46,557 $55,561 $85,907 $69,123 $37,374
No
Starter
Demand
Charges Reduced
Voltage $52,857 $61,101 $98,507 $78,943 $41,144
Starter

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 -9- September 20, 2003

 Table 6a
INSTALLED AND CURRENT VALUE COSTS FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVEN
FIRE PUMP WITH SINGLE UTILITY SOURCE
(1)
The controller cost is based on the utility having sufficient power to support an across the line
starter. Reduced voltage starters will add 30-100% to the controller cost. A Wye Delta Closed
Transition reduced voltage starter is used for this price comparison.
(2)
Yearly maintenance cost assumed to be 2.5% of installation cost.
(3)
Demand charge based on $0.00kW for 0-35kW, $3.32/kW for 35-115kW, and $6.67/kW
above 115kW. Peak usage testing based on $6.67kW. Weekly churn test for 10 minutes requires
50% of full load, yearly test requires full load.

2. Cost Table 6b Electric Pump With Power From Two Substations

Table 6b
INSTALLED AND CURRENT VALUE COSTS FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVEN FIRE P UMP
WITH TWO SUBSTATION UTILITY SOURCE
3
Pump I.D. 1 2 4 5
(2 pumps)
Rated Flow (gpm) 1,500 1,500 1,000 2,500 750
Rated Pressure (psi) 100 150 150 150 100
Cost 200 ft. of 2nd Feeder $6,600 $8,800 $13,200 $12,400 $4,800
Cost to bring 2nd substation
feeder to premises and feeder $39,810 $43,410 $43,410 $47,510 $39,810
switching equipment (1)
Transfer Switch $12,146 $12,514 $24,292 $13,568 $11,284

Total Additional Installed Cost $58,556 $64,724 $80,902 $73,478 $55,894

Across
the Line $127,028 $156,808 $239,856 $201,038 $180,924
Peak
Starter
* Usage
Testing Reduced
Present Voltage $133,328 $162,348 $252,456 $210,858 $184,694
Value of Starter
Installation Across
and Yearly the Line $105,881 $127,449 $192,151 $162,505 $133,219
Maintenance Off-Peak Starter
and Usage
Operating Testing Reduced
Voltage $112,181 $132,989 $204,751 $172,325 $136,989
Cost Over
Starter
20 Years at
10% Across
Interest the Line $105,114 $120,285 $166,809 $142,601 $93,268
No
Starter
Demand
Charges Reduced
Voltage $111,414 $125,825 $179,409 $152,421 $97,038
Starter
(1)
Assumes cost is borne by owner to bring power from 2nd substation located ½ mile from site,
terrain is flat.
* Includes the incremental cost from this Table and the total cost from Table 6a.

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 - 10 - September 20, 2003

 3. Cost Table 6c Electric Pump With Generator Back-up

Table 6c
INSTALLED AND CURRENT VALUE COSTS FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVEN FIRE PUMP
WITH GENERATOR BACK-UP
3
Pump I.D. 1 2 4 5
(2 pumps)
Rated Flow (gpm) 1,500 1,500 1,000 2,500 750
Rated Pressure (psi) 100 150 150 150 100
Base Generator Size (kw) 350 350 350 350 350
Generator Size with Pump (kw) 350 350 450 450 350
Generator Cost Differential $0 $2,000 $25,000 $25,000 $0
Cost for Feeder (200 ft) $6,600 $8,800 $13,200 $12,400 $4,800
Transfer Switch $12,146 $12,514 $24,292 $13,568 $11,284
w/Across the Line
Total $51,016 $62,909 $127,212 $101,246 $41,039
Starter
Additional
Installed w/Reduced Voltage
Cost $57,316 $70,449 $139,812 $111,066 $44,809
Starter

Across
the Line $119,487 $154,993 $286,166 $228,806 $166,069
Peak
Starter
* Usage
Testing Reduced
Present Voltage $125,787 $162,533 $298,766 $238,626 $169,839
Value of Starter
Installation Across
and Yearly the Line $98,341 $125,634 $238,461 $190,273 $118,364
Maintenance Off-Peak
Starter
and Usage
Testing Reduced
Operating
Voltage $104,641 $133,174 $251,061 $200,093 $122,134
Cost Over
Starter
20 Years at
10% Across
Interest the Line $97,573 $118,470 $213,119 $170,369 $78,413
No
Starter
Demand
Charges Reduced
Voltage $103,873 $126,010 $225,719 $180,189 $82,183
Starter
* Includes the incremental cost from this Table and the total cost from Table 6a.

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 - 11 - September 20, 2003

 4. Cost Table 6d Diesel Engine Driven Fire Pump

Table 6d
INSTALLED AND CURRENT VALUE COSTS FOR DIESEL ENGINE DRIVEN FIRE PUMPS
3
Pump I.D. 1 2 4 5
(2 pumps)
Rated Flow (gpm) 1,500 1,500 1,000 2,500 750
Rated Pressure (psi) 100 150 150 150 100
Horsepower 127 200 130 330 72
Base Cost $37,298 $40,298 $75,406 $58,095 $31,785
Installation Cost $6,800 $7,650 $13,600 $8,500 $5,950
Installed Cost of Pump $44,098 $47,948 $89,006 $66,595 $37,735
Cost of Diesel Engine $600 $709 $1,200 $1,170 $255
Exhaust
Fresh Air Louvers $65 $77 $130 $127 $46
Total Installed Cost of Diesel
$44,763 $48,613 $89,671 $67,260 $38,400
Engine Fire Pump
Fuel for Weekly Test (gals.) 8.9 13.1 18.8 22.5 4.5
Yearly Cost for Fuel $740 $1,090 $1,564 $1,872 $374
Yearly Maintenance $850 $850 $800 $900 $750
Total Yearly Cost $1,590 $1,940 $2,364 $2,772 $1,124
Present Value of Installation
and Yearly Maintenance and
$58,304 $65,250 $110,463 $91,492 $47,609
Operating Cost Over 20
Years @ 10% Interest

VII. SUMMARY

Table 7 provides a comparison of the present value cost of installation, maintenance

and operating costs, for each of the 5 sample installations, each with the following
fire pump driver and power source and electric cost combinations:

1. Electric Motor Driven

o Single Utility Source

§ Testing During Peak Demand
§ Testing During Non-Peak Demand
§ No Demand Charges

o Dual Utility Source from Two Subststions

§ Testing During Peak Demand
§ Testing During Non-Peak Demand
§ No Demand Charges

o Single Utility Source with Generator Back-up

§ Testing During Peak Demand
§ Testing During Non-Peak Demand
§ No Demand Charges

2. Diesel Engine Driven

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 - 12 - September 20, 2003

 A. Cost Summary Table 7

Table 7
COMPARISON OF PRESENT VALUE INSTALLED, OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVEN, ELECTRIC MOTOR WITH GENERATOR BACKUP,
AND DIESEL ENGINE DRIVEN FIRE PUMPS
3
Pump I.D. 1 2 4 5
(2 pumps)
Rated Flow (gpm) 1,500 1,500 1,000 2,500 750
Rated Pressure 100 150 150 150 100
(psi)
Electric Motor with Across the Line Starting
with Single Utility $68,471 $92,084 $158,954 $127,560 $125,030
When with Two Utilities $127,028 $156,808 $239,856 $201,038 $180,924
Testing with Gen Back-Up $119,487 $154,993 $286,166 $228,806 $166,069
During Electric Motor with Reduced Voltage Starting
Peak with Single Utility $74,771 $97,624 $171,554 $137,380 $128,800
Demand with Two Utilities $133,328 $162,348 $252,456 $210,858 $184,694
Rates
with Gen Back-Up $125,787 $162,533 $298,766 $238,626 $169,839
Diesel Engine
$58,304 $65,250 $110,463 $91,492 $47,609
Electric Motor with Across the Line Starting
with Single Utility $47,325 $62,725 $111,249 $89,027 $77,325
When with Two Utilities $105,881 $127,449 $192,151 $162,505 $133,219
Testing
with Gen Back-Up $98,341 $125,634 $238,461 $190,273 $118,364
During
Non-
Electric Motor with Reduced Voltage Starting
Peak with Single Utility $53,625 $68,265 $123,849 $98,847 $81,095
Demand with Two Utilities $112,181 $132,989 $204,751 $172,325 $136,989
Rates with Gen Back-Up $104,641 $133,174 $251,061 $200,093 $122,134
Diesel Engine
$58,304 $65,250 $110,463 $91,492 $47,609
Electric Motor with Across the Line Starting
with Single Utility $46,557 $55,561 $85,907 $69,123 $37,374
with Two Utilities $105,114 $120,285 $166,809 $142,601 $93,268
with Gen Back-up $97,573 $118,470 $213,119 $170,369 $78,413
No
Electric Motor with Reduced Voltage Starting
Demand
Charges with Single Utility $52,857 $61,101 $98,507 $78,943 $41,144
with Two Utilities $111,414 $125,825 $179,409 $152,421 $97,038
with Gen Back-up $103,873 $126,010 $225,719 $180,189 $82,183
Diesel Engine
$58,304 $65,250 $110,463 $91,492 $47,609

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 - 13 - September 20, 2003

 Design, reliability, installation cost, and current value cost issues have been
reviewed for diesel engine and electric motor driven fire pumps. Reliability is
summarized in Table 2 based on the author’s best estimate and assumptions as
outlined in this article.

Diesel engine driven fire pumps are more reliable than electric motor driven fire
pumps with power from a single utility, or two substations. The reliability of a
diesel engine driven fire pump is slightly less than an electric motor driven fire pump
with power available from both a utility and an emergency generator. The simplified
expected loss shown in Table 2 provides a way of evaluating reliability. When
exposed values exceed $10 million, increased reliability (diesel engine driven fire
pump or electric motor driven fire pump with emergency generator back-up) is
clearly justified.

VIII. CONCLUSIONS

A. In general, when the transformer is supplied by the utility and the feeder is
not too long, electric motor driven pumps with a single utility power source
and utility furnished transformer can be installed for less than diesel engine
driven pumps. The cost differential is less when a reduced voltage starter is
required for the electric motor driven fire pump. The other significant
variable in the total installed cost is the length of the electric feed from the
transformer to the electric motor. This can quickly make the electric motor
driven fire pump more expensive than the diesel driven fire pump. When the
exposed value is low ($10 million or less) the decreased reliability of an
electric motor driven fire pump with power from a single utility may be
acceptable (expected loss increases by $90,972).

B. Diesel engine driven pumps provide a better value when considering installed
cost and expected loss when the exposed value is moderate ($10 million to
$100 million).

C. The installed cost of diesel engine driven fire pumps is less than electric
motor driven fire pumps with a dual power source (i.e., an emergency
generator or two substations), and provides nearly the equivalent reliability to
a system with an emergency generator and greater reliability than two
substations.

D. For high exposed value (>$100 million), dual pumps (two diesel engine
driven or one diesel engine driven and one electric motor driven) with
independent water supplies, are needed to provide suitable reliability.

E. Some events that cause a power outage may also cause a fire (i.e. lightning,
tornados, hurricanes). Th is effect is not factored into the numerical estimates
of this analysis.

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 - 14 - September 20, 2003

 F. In areas that may be subjected to prolonged power outages, the reliability of
an electric fire pump supplied from a utility without emergency power
decreases and the expected loss increases accordingly. The cost
justification of installing a more reliable pump may be realized at significantly
lower exposed values than identified in Conclusion A.

G. Increased reliability should also be provided whenever there are significant

life safety considerations. Many health care facilities, i.e. nursing homes and
assisted care living facilities, have immobile patients who are difficult to
evacuate. Assembly occupancies have high population densities where
crowd control and evacuation issues necessitate increased fire pump
reliability.

H. Lastly, the electricity demand charge has a significant impact on yearly

maintenance and present value cost for electric fire pumps. In general, in
areas with significant demand charges for electricity, present value cost for a
diesel engine is less than for an electric motor driven fire pump when the
pump's electrical demand exceeds electrical demand for other uses. Caution
should be exercised when selecting a fire pump driver based upon No
Demand Charges for electricity. Most utility companies will have some
demand charge in their rate structure. It may also be difficult, in actual
practice, to limit fire pump testing to Non-Peak Demand hours.

The break points between low, medium, and high exposed values used for this
article are somewhat arbitrary and should be reviewed with the loss prevention
department and the insurance company for the facility under consideration.

IX. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection.
NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based
Fire Protection Systems.
NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code.
NFPA 110, Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems.

SEC Project No. 1803007-000 - 15 - September 20, 2003