Comparison between NFPA and TAC rules for Power plants

NFPA. TAC
1 NFPA 850 is standard for power stations TAC does not have similar code although
where cross reference is made to following there is a IS code for power plants which is a
main standards recommendatory code. Following are the
only standards with TAC
NFPA 13,14,15,24 and 850
F P Manual, Rules for spk installations and
Rules for Spray systems
2 City mains are accepted as an approved City mains are not accepted
source of supply
3 Combined fire service and general water Combined fire service and general water
mains are allowed mains are not allowed
4 Hydraulic calculations are must Thumb rule systems are permitted
5 Rivers are allowed as approved water Rivers are not allowed as approved water
source source
6 Monitors are must in coal yards. Hydrants are permitted in coal yards
7 Fire protection systems should be automatic Hydrant system being separate from other
in operation water based systems can also be non
automatic in nature. Other systems must be
automatic
8 When multiple fire pumps are required, TAC does not require standby pumps,
pumps should not be subject to common however, all pumps should not have the
failure. They should be of sufficient capacity same drive.
to meet the demand with largest pump out
of service Both electrical pumps are acceptable
provided supply is given from 2 independent
sources like grid supply and a captive plant
or DG set
9 Minimum pipe dia is 150mm. Velocity Pipes smaller than 6 inches are permissible
restriction is 3m/s. subject to velocity restriction of 5m/s
10 Elaborate requirements are given for No such details are given
various types of thrust blocks to be provided
in pipe systems
11 No, outlets size of main hydrant valve Hydrants should conform to IS :5290
opening and size of hydrant stand-post
should be suitable for protection. Normally
2, 2 and ½ inch outlets are provided on a 6
inch standpost
12 Authority having jurisdiction decides on Spacings are 30, 45 and 60m for High
spacing of hydrants no of risers required Medium and Light hazard risks. Pipe sizes
and size of pipes and no of risers are given in the rules.
13 Provision of automatic fire alarm system is This is optional
must
14 Hydrant spacing in main plant area is 91.4m Spacing is 45m throughout. Hoses are 15m
and in remote areas like coal yards is long on ground and 7.5 m on upper levels.
152.4m. Hoses are 15or 22.5m on upper Minimum Terminal pressure is 3.5 Bars

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 floors and 30m long on ground. Minimum
Terminal pressure is 6.9 bars.
15 Hydraulic calculations are required to Only half the flow is discharged at
discharge entire flow at farthest and hydraulically remotest point, other half being
hydraulically remotest points considering discharged at most vulnerable point en-route
most direct path out of service
16 All Valves except underground valves are There is no such provision
supervised from a central station to ensure
that they are kept in open position at all
times
17 Hydrant stand posts are 150mm dia Minimum stand post dia is 80mm
18 A valve is required on every hydrant No such requirement
19 Hydrants are located at minimum 12.2m Minimum distance is 2m and max 15m
from buildings
20 Steel pipes are externally coated and Internal galvanizing is not required
wrapped and internally galvanized
21 Working pressures are 10.3 bars Working pressures are 7,8.8 or 10.5 Bars
22 PVC pressure pipes and chlorinated PVC Plastic pipes are not allowed in ordinary and
threaded fittings as per schedule 80 are high hazard risks
permitted
23 Concrete pipes are allowed Concrete pipes are not
allowed
24 Flushing of hydrant, sprinkler pipes after There is no specific requirement
erection is must
25 Pipes are hydraulically pressure tested at Pipes are hydraulically tested at 150% of
13.2 bars or 3.5 bars above working working pressure for 2 hours
pressure for 2 hrs
26 2 hours supply water reservoir should be There is no refilling requirement
refilled in 8 hrs time
27 Water supply requirement for power plants Water supply requirement is 40/90 minutes
is is 2 hours supply for largest Fixed fire supply for largest water spray system
suppression system demand plus hose demand and hose stream demand of 1000
stream demand of 500 GPM GPM.
Protection of following areas by appropriate This is optional. TAC does not insist on any
fixed fire suppression systems is required to type of protection, although they may be
be provided desirable.

Thermal power plants.

 Transformer soak pits In the De-Tariff scenario Premium

 Indoor fuel pumping and heating adjustments are done by insurers based on
facilities level of protections achieved based on
 Outdoor fuel storages certification by accredited agencies
 Coal transfer houses
 Coal conveyors
 Coal handling Structures
 Underground Coal Conveyors

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  Stacker reclaimers
 Boiler burner Fronts
 Flue gas bag type dust collectors
 Transformers/rectifier sets
 Scrubber Buildings
 All areas beneath the operating
floor in Turbine building
 Lubricating oil Tanks, Oil handling
equipments and Oil lines above the
turbine floor
 Turbine Generator bearings
 Area inside a directly connected
exciter
 Clean and Dirty oil Storage Tanks
 false floors in Control Computer and
communication rooms
 Cable Tunnels
 Offices, storage rooms
 Warehouses containing high value
equipments and combustible
materials
 Fire pump rooms
 Cooling Towers

Combined Cycle power plants

 Flame and gas detectors in gas

turbine enclosures
 Total flooding gas or water mist or
high expansion foam system in
 gas turbine enclosures
 Appropriate systems on
 Exposed oil piping
 Turbo chargers on IC engines
 Lube oil reservoirs and handling
equipments
 Localized systems for
 units that are not enclosed
 Generator bearings
 Oil piping
 Starting equipments on combustion
turbines

28 Pipes are laid 0.8m below ground frost level Pipes are laid 1m below ground
29 For upper floors Maximum travel distance is Hose lengths on upper floors are 7.5m.
45.7m for non sprinklered buildings and Maximum travel distance is 30m. it can be
61m for sprinklered ones. A riser is provided increased to 45m with 15m hoses

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 in each exit stairway
30 Minimum size of risers is 4 inches Minimum size of risers is 3 inches
31 Minimum pressures required are 6.9 bars at Minimum pressures required at remotest
remotest point for class I systems and 4.5 point are 3.5 bars in moderate hazard risks
bars for other systems
32 Whilst considering pressure loss in risers Flow is taken as 125 GPM per hydrant. If
Minimum flow rate shall be 250 GPM per sprinkler demand is more, higher of the two
riser with a maximum of 1250 GPM for non- govern the design
sprinklered buildings and 1000 GPM for
sprinklered ones. If sprinkler demand is
more, higher of the two govern the design
33 For Class II and Class III systems 1and 1/2 Only 2 and ½ inch hydrants and hose pipes
inches hose reels are permitted in lieu of 2 are required near fire escape hydrants
and 1/2 inch hoses. 1 inch hose reels are
allowed in light hazard occupancies
34 No pressure regulating devises are Orifice plates can be provided
permitted except on risers where pressures
are limited to 6.9 bars on 1 and ½ inch
hoses and 12.2 bars on 2 and ½ inch hoses
35 Hydrants in remote areas can be fed by Fire water and service water mains are
general service mains always separate
36 Hoses conform to NFPA 1961 Hoses conform to IS 636
37 Hoses are kept in hose houses Hoses can be kept in hose boxes or central
fire stations
38 For Risks other than power plants Higher of the two demands govern the
Supplementary hose stream demand for a pumping and reservoir capacity for a
combined sprinkler and hydrant system is combined hydrant and sprinkler system
250 GPM for 90 minutes.
39 For Medium velocity Water spray systems, In TAC demand varies from 1150 LPM to
NFPA is silent on supplementary hose 4500LPM for durations ranging from 40
stream demand. minutes to 150 minutes for different
applications
40 For HVWS supplementary hose demand is For HVWS supplementary hose demand is
1134 LPM 1750 LPM.