Which centrifugal pump configuration is NOT permitted for fire pumps?

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Multiple Choice

Which centrifugal pump configuration is NOT permitted for fire pumps?

Vertical turbine pumps aren’t approved for standard fire pump service. Fire pumps must be reliable, easy to prime, and straightforward to service in a fire situation, and the configurations normally used—end-suction, horizontal split-case, and vertical inline—fit those requirements well. They are compact, have favorable suction characteristics, and are readily primed and maintained in typical pump rooms. A vertical turbine pump, while excellent for deep-suction or high-head applications such as wells, involves a different installation and priming setup that NFPA 20 does not designate for standard fire protection duty. It’s not considered a permitted fire pump configuration, hence the choice.

Vertical turbine pumps aren’t approved for standard fire pump service. Fire pumps must be reliable, easy to prime, and straightforward to service in a fire situation, and the configurations normally used—end-suction, horizontal split-case, and vertical inline—fit those requirements well. They are compact, have favorable suction characteristics, and are readily primed and maintained in typical pump rooms. A vertical turbine pump, while excellent for deep-suction or high-head applications such as wells, involves a different installation and priming setup that NFPA 20 does not designate for standard fire protection duty. It’s not considered a permitted fire pump configuration, hence the choice.

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