When selecting a deluge valve for your fire protection system, one of the most important things to consider is flow capacity with low head loss. In a fire protection situation, every second is critical. It is essential for water/foam to reach the fire as soon as possible after the detection system is activated . Even a short delay can be catastrophic, especially where flammable materials are present. A valve’s specific design will affect both the volume and speed with which fluid can pass through the unit. These in turn have a significant effect on system performance, and on the eventual outcome should a fire event occur.
Designed especially for the fire protection industry, BERMAD’s 400Y Torrent Deluge valve offers the highest flow capacity and lower head loss of any valve available on the market today. Its unique hydrodynamic Y shape allows straight flow path through the valve.
The 400Y is also constructed without the use of internal structures such as supporting cages, ribs or shafts that can restrict flow and result in pressure loss. The result is the highest flow capacity fire protection deluge valve available.
High Flow Capacity Fire Protection Applications
The 400Y Torrent Deluge valve is ideal for a wide range of industrial fire protection applications. It is especially well suited to the high flow needs associated with the following scenarios:
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Minimal Head loss
When there is a major fire event there is an extremely high demand for fire water and a high pressure loss (way higher then calculated for normal fire event). With high pressure loss it is critical that there will be a minimal head loss in the deluge valve or else the fire system will not be able to operate.
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High Capacity Valve Sizing and Cost Reduction
A trending application for the high capacity Torrent valve is to use it in place of a larger conventional deluge valve in a fire protection system. For instance, an engineer may specify an 8” valve for use with an 8” pipe. The design flow for an 8” pipe is around 900. This can be achieved with only a 6” Torrent valve, due to its superior flow capacity. The potential advantages to specifying the smaller, high capacity valve include reduced system cost as well as space savings in the case of tight installations such as shipyards or power plants where space is at a premium.
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Dry-Pipeline Frozen areas
Where temperatures dip below freezing, water lines must be completely drained when not in use to avoid splitting and breaking due to the expansion of water as it freezes. That means the lines must go directly from fully empty to full pressure. A high capacity valve enables this to happen as fast as possible to minimize delays in response time.
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Long Pipelines
Ideally, a deluge valve will be installed close to the system discharge nozzles . However, in some situations this is simply impossible to accomplish, and the valve must be located a significant distance from the fire protection system. That means there can be a very long pipeline to fill. In this case, a high flow valve is necessary to fill the line fast so that the fire can be extinguished as quickly as possible. Most Deluge valves available on the market are not suitable for this application, because they are based on a design developed for use in municipal water supply where considerably low flow is required —and adapted for fire protection. The Torrent valve was designed from the ground up specifically for high flow capacity and fast pipeline fill.
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High demand systems
Another scenario in which a high flow capacity valve is desirable occurs with a fire protection system that calls for above average flow, such as one that contains a large number of sprinklers. Where there is high system demand, you need a valve capable of filling that demand. Otherwise the valve itself can act as a flow restrictor in the system.
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Standard applications
The Torrent valve is not just for special situations. Many designers prefer its high flow design even in a standard fire protection application because of its faster actuation, as well as its durable construction and ease of maintenance.
Preventing Head Loss
Finally, the Torrent’s unique flow-through design and leak-free diaphragm help to reduce head loss in the system. This keeps costs in check because it requires a smaller investment of energy to move fluid from one area to another. It also benefits the designer and the system by helping maintain system effectiveness in the event of a fire.
Considering the BERMAD 400Y Torrent Deluge Valve for Your Fire Protection System?
The Torrent valve is available in a wide variety of deluge configurations, controlled electrically, hydraulically, pneumatically or electro-pneumatically, pre-action and dry pipe. It can be used with all kinds of fire protection solutions, including fire water, foam solution, seawater, and foam concentrates. Where the 400Y is not explicitly specified, it can typically be substituted for conventional valves with a simple change of specs, with no need to change the design of the system.
