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Posted: Sep 8, 2016
By Bill Adams
In lieu of full-bodied pumps, apparatus manufacturers (OEMs) are using more end-suction pumps mounted in the traditional midship position.
One reason is the popularity of what I call the alphabet trucks-multifunctional apparatus with monikers such as PUC, eMAX, PRV, MVP, IPS, and PRO. That has started a trend to maximize storage space on most pump-equipped apparatus by shortening the length, size, and location of traditional pump houses. Numerous articles published about pump configurations, capacities, and subsequent benefits rarely mentioned what actually can happen behind the pump panel when end-suction pumps are midship mounted. Anything lost? Anything gained? What about performance?
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| 1 This full-bodied Qmax pump is NFPA-compliant to 2,250 gpm. Its spec sheet says it has 19 flanged discharge ports as well as eight standard and seven optional suction inlets. Use caution when specifying fire pumps-many are rated at 2,000 gpm or greater and are downrated to a customer-specified gallonage, such as 1,500 gpm. Others may only flow 1,500 gpm. Remember, NFPA ratings are from draft. (Photo courtesy of Hale Products.) |
I asked a cross section of industry principals about the advantages, disadvantages, and ramifications of using midship-mounted end-suction pumps. Their comments are revealing. Some, cautionary in nature, reflect what could be hidden behind the pump panel. Purchasers should be aware.
Responding were Gary Handwerk, president of US Fire Pump; Greg Geske, director, North American sales at Waterous; Jeff Van Meter, pump and module product manager for Hale; Jason Darley, North American accounts manager for W.S. Darley; Wyatt Compton, fleet sales application engineer at Spartan Motors; Jason Witmier, who was product manager at KME at press time; Dave Reichman, national sales manager for Rosenbauer; Joe Messmer, owner of Summit Fire Apparatus; Jim Kirvida, owner of CustomFIRE; and Tom Shand, senior partner at Emergency Vehicle Response.
Pedestal Pumps
Pedestal pump is a generic and misleading term I use for an end-suction pump, also called a volute pump. Apparatus and pump manufacturers (OEMs) have their own definitions. Handwerk says, “End-suction describes any single-stage (single-suction impeller) unmanifolded midship, rear, or front-mounted pump no matter which drive is integrated with the pump end or its flow rating. Pedestal refers to a single-stage, end-suction pump, which has no integrated gear box. The very few of these used domestically are mostly in rear-mounts.”
Kirvida states, “A pedestal pump, in my world, is one without a pump transmission and can be an end-suction or a full-body pump. It can be a simple end-suction volute body without suction or discharge manifolds or a full-body with integral discharge and suction passages. Pedestal pumps are typically not used in a midship location but instead as rear-mounts. In layman’s terms, the volute is the cavity in which the impeller spins. In the case of two impellers, there are two volutes, one for each impeller.”
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- Article rating: No rating
Posted: Sep 8, 2016
By Bill Adams
In lieu of full-bodied pumps, apparatus manufacturers (OEMs) are using more end-suction pumps mounted in the traditional midship position.
One reason is the popularity of what I call the alphabet trucks-multifunctional apparatus with monikers such as PUC, eMAX, PRV, MVP, IPS, and PRO. That has started a trend to maximize storage space on most pump-equipped apparatus by shortening the length, size, and location of traditional pump houses. Numerous articles published about pump configurations, capacities, and subsequent benefits rarely mentioned what actually can happen behind the pump panel when end-suction pumps are midship mounted. Anything lost? Anything gained? What about performance?
|
| 1 This full-bodied Qmax pump is NFPA-compliant to 2,250 gpm. Its spec sheet says it has 19 flanged discharge ports as well as eight standard and seven optional suction inlets. Use caution when specifying fire pumps-many are rated at 2,000 gpm or greater and are downrated to a customer-specified gallonage, such as 1,500 gpm. Others may only flow 1,500 gpm. Remember, NFPA ratings are from draft. (Photo courtesy of Hale Products.) |
I asked a cross section of industry principals about the advantages, disadvantages, and ramifications of using midship-mounted end-suction pumps. Their comments are revealing. Some, cautionary in nature, reflect what could be hidden behind the pump panel. Purchasers should be aware.
Responding were Gary Handwerk, president of US Fire Pump; Greg Geske, director, North American sales at Waterous; Jeff Van Meter, pump and module product manager for Hale; Jason Darley, North American accounts manager for W.S. Darley; Wyatt Compton, fleet sales application engineer at Spartan Motors; Jason Witmier, who was product manager at KME at press time; Dave Reichman, national sales manager for Rosenbauer; Joe Messmer, owner of Summit Fire Apparatus; Jim Kirvida, owner of CustomFIRE; and Tom Shand, senior partner at Emergency Vehicle Response.
Pedestal Pumps
Pedestal pump is a generic and misleading term I use for an end-suction pump, also called a volute pump. Apparatus and pump manufacturers (OEMs) have their own definitions. Handwerk says, “End-suction describes any single-stage (single-suction impeller) unmanifolded midship, rear, or front-mounted pump no matter which drive is integrated with the pump end or its flow rating. Pedestal refers to a single-stage, end-suction pump, which has no integrated gear box. The very few of these used domestically are mostly in rear-mounts.”
Kirvida states, “A pedestal pump, in my world, is one without a pump transmission and can be an end-suction or a full-body pump. It can be a simple end-suction volute body without suction or discharge manifolds or a full-body with integral discharge and suction passages. Pedestal pumps are typically not used in a midship location but instead as rear-mounts. In layman’s terms, the volute is the cavity in which the impeller spins. In the case of two impellers, there are two volutes, one for each impeller.”
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Posted: Sep 8, 2016
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Chris Mc Loone |
July 2016 didn’t have many good news stories to report when it came to fire apparatus. There were the usual new delivery stories reporting on the trucks themselves along with the excitement that comes with them for both the public and fire department personnel.
But, there were a few stories that we should all be aware of so we can learn from their outcomes.
In Nevada, a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) vehicle carrying three firefighters in their 20s rolled over and killed two of the passengers. Officials pointed toward possible tire failure in the accident. In Hoyt, Kansas, a fire apparatus crash claimed the life of a tanker/tender driver and injured another. A tire blowout is blamed for the accident. And near Shelton, Nebraska, a fire apparatus tire blew out, causing the apparatus to leave the road, hit a grain bin, and come to rest on a mound of dirt.
The common denominator here I want to talk about is not the tires blowing out. True, I’ve gone on rants before about preventable accidents, driving under control, and knowing your vehicles. That’s not where I’m going to go. And, I’m not going to go into preventive maintenance (PM), which would be an obvious approach to take. That wouldn’t be fair though. Not only are details on each fire department’s PM programs unavailable, but even the most comprehensive PM program available cannot account for the unexpected occurring. No, the common denominator I wish to discuss is that all three of these were instances of accidents occurring while apparatus were returning from incidents or travelling at nonemergency speed to an event—a parade, in the case of the Hoyt, Kansas, tragedy.
I call attention to these three because we often feel that driving at emergency speed with lights and sirens is the truly dangerous part of our responses. But, as these three incidents highlight, and which a former chief of mine used to drill into us constantly, returning from the fire—and often backing into the firehouse, probably the shortest part of the trip—can be the most dangerous part of the trip.
Never let your guard down. I know that, for many, this might be obvious, but we know that these types of tragedies show no age discrimination whatsoever. To be young is to be full of confidence. To be old is to be full of wisdom, but there is a confidence that comes from possessing that wisdom. Never be overconfident behind the wheel of a fire apparatus. Always be on the lookout for the unexpected and be ready to react to it. Tragedies occur; this we know. And sometimes you can do everything right but still end up with a negative outcome. In “Fire Apparatus Tire Blowouts, Case Studies and Causes, Part 1,” available at www.fireapparatus.com, author Chris Daly states, “While many may think that the catastrophic failure of a tire is a rare event, they are actually much more common than we might think. The fire apparatus operator must be trained and prepared to handle the sudden and violent loss of control associated with a tire blowout.” In the month of July alone, we heard of three of these catastrophic events. How many more did we not hear about?
The intent here is not to judge the apparatus operators or their departments. Rather, the purpose is to use these three incidents as talking points. Ask your operators if they feel confident that they could bring an apparatus to a safe stop if a tire blew out during or after a response. If there is any doubt whatsoever, plan a training
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