CLARENCE "SMILEY" WHITE
MFRI Field Instructor
Fredrick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association, Training Committee
Instructor Guide
Session Reference: 1
Topic: Review of Hydraulics and Pump Components
Level of Instruction:
Time Required: 3 hours
Materials:
References:
- Pump Operator Student Manual, Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute
Preparation
Motivation:
Objective (SPO) 2-1:
The student will demonstrate a basic understanding of fluid hydraulics, centrifugal pump components, and fireground hydraulics through class discussion and participation.
Overview:
Session 1
Review of Hydraulics and Pump Components
| SPO 1-1 |
The student will demonstrate a basic understanding of fluid hydraulics, centrifugal pump components, and fireground hydraulics through class discussion and participation. |
| 1-1 |
Demonstrate an understanding of basic fluid hydraulics as they relate to the operation of a pump on motorized fire apparatus. |
| 1-2 |
Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose and operation of the various components of a centrifugal pump on motorized fire apparatus. |
| 1-3 |
Demonstrate an understanding of nozzle pressure, friction loss, and the calculation of water to produce adequate fire streams. |
Instructional Guide
The Pumps Refresher course is designed for individuals who are currently or have been pump operators and who have successfully completed a pumps course. There should be a lot of interaction rather than lecture.
- Introduction to Fluids (1-1)
- Water is incompressible
- Components affecting movement of water
- Flow (GPM)
- Pressure (PSI)
- Resistance (FL)
- Basic principles of water
- A column of water one foot high exerts .434 PSI at the base/.434 PSI required to lift column of water one foot (rounded to .5 PSI per foot)
- A column of water 2.304 feet high produces 1 PSI at the base/1 PSI is required to lift a column of water 2.304 feet
- 1 gallon of water weights 8.35 lbs.
- 1 cubic foot of water contains 5 gallons and weights 41.75 lbs.
- Nozzle restricts flow of water thereby creating pressure at tip
- Centrifugal Pump Components (1-2)
- Power Train
- Pump shift - initiates transfers power from road transmission to pump transmission
- Transfer case - location of gears to change engine power from road operations to pump operations
- Pump shaft - shaft on which pump impellers ride
- Pump Housing
- Impeller(s) - number dependent on number of stages
- Casing - houses impeller(s) and controls flow of water
- Clearance rings - seal between impeller(s) and casing
- Packing - provides seal where shaft passes through casing
- Transfer valve - changes flow of water in casing on multi-stage pumps
- Pump Panel Control
- Valves
- intake - controls incoming water flow
- discharge - controls outgoing water flow
- pressure/volume or series/parallel - operates transfer valve on multi-stage pumps
- bleeder - relieves pressure on intakes or discharges
- drain - allows water to be drained from pump
- tank to pump - allows water to flow from booster tank to pump
- tank fill - allows booster tank to be filled through pump
- Pressure control
- relief valve - dumps excess pressure back into intake side of pump
- pressure governor - controls pressure by reducing engine speed
- intake relief - dumps excess on intake side of pump to ground
- Gauges
- intake - registers intake pressure from pressurized sources
- discharge - registers discharge pressure on lines charged
- master - registers highest discharge pressure
- individual - registers discharge pressure for individual lines
- tachometer - registers engine speed
- oil pressure - registers engine oil pressure
- water level - registers water level in booster tank
- temperature - registers engine temperature
- Other
- primer - creates vacuum in casing for drafting operations
- auxiliary cooler - circulates water between pump and radiator
- Radiator fill - transfers water from pump to radiator
- Hydraulics review (1-3)
- Nozzle pressures
- Straight tip
- 50 PSI handlines
- 80 PSI master streams
- Fog tip - 100 PSI handlines and master streams
- Automatic nozzles - 100 PSI handlines
- Friction loss principles
- Round flow to nearest 50 gallons
- Supply lines - based on 3-inch hose (using hand method)
- 3-inch hose - Q2 (in hundreds of gallons)
- 4-inch hose - Q2 (in hundreds of gallons) divided by 5
- 5-inch hose - Q2 (in hundreds of gallons) divided by 15
- 2-1/2-inch hose - Q2 (in hundreds of gallons) times 2
- If quantity is between hundreds, multiply lower and upper quantities together. For example, 350 gallons, multiply 3 times 4 for a total of 12 PSI per 100 feet between for 3-inch hose. Convert for 2-1/2-, 4-, or 5-inch hose.
- Attack lines up to and including 2 inch, 30 PSI per 100-feet
- Devices - 10 PSI per device
- Elevation - .5 PSI per foot
- Calculating friction loss
- Attack pumper
- EP = FL + D +/- EL + NP
- Supply pumper
- EP = FL + D +/- EL + 50 PSI
- Pressure control devices
- Intake
- Intake relief valve
- LDH relief valve
- Should be set no more than 20 PSI above the average water system pressure in response area
- Discharge
- Pressure governor
- Relief valve
- Should be set after lines are charged
- Characteristics of hose*