 VFP
Fire Systems Installed Fire Sprinkler Systems to Protect
a Power Plant on Shemya Island
VFP Fire Systems installed fire sprinklers and two diesel fire pumps to protect
the building that houses the only power generating engines on Shemya Island,
Alaska. Shemya Island is the home of Eareckson Air Force Base. VFP along with
American Fire Technology were subcontractors to Fluor, the general contractor
to the Dept. of Defense. Shemya
is a two by four mile island located 1500 miles outside
of Anchorage. It is near the western end of the Aleutian
Island chain.
Shemya
Island is a strategic refueling stop for military aircraft,
as well as a link in the United State's long-range early
warning radar system. It is closer to Russia than it is
to the USA/Alaska mainland. |
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 The
Japanese occupied Attu Island, northwest of Shemya, and
several others in the Aleutian chain during WWII. More
men and equipment were lost due to the harsh climate on
Shemya Island than to the physical fighting between warring
sides.
The only
way to or from Shemya Island is via military plane/C-130
military airlift. Travel is hampered by weather most of
the time but on a good day it is a 5 hour flight from Anchorage
to the Island. |
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Paul
Whanger - Superintendent |
This project
took 6 months with an average crew of 10; including project
managers, pipe fitters and welders. It was a challenge for
the VFP crew because the weather on Shemya Island is unpredictable.
It can go from sunny to snowing to rain, then back to sunny
in the space of a few hours. At times it can be so windy
you have to grab onto others so you don't blow away.
At
one point there was an earthquake in Japan that caused
a tsunami (tidal wave) predicted to be 30 feet high and
engulf Shemya Island. Luckily it dissipated before reaching
the island.
VFP
has an outstanding reputation for performing challenging
projects like the installation of fire sprinkler systems
on Shemya Island. Because there is no margin for error
when it comes to fire protection systems, VFP consistently
delivers quality, customer satisfaction, professionalism,
integrity and value.
Mike
Gifford, Executive Vice President, wants to thank Paul
Whanger (shown in the picture) and the complete professional
team. They have consistently traveled, with no limits,
serving this nation with professionalism.
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| VFP
installed two types of fire sprinkler systems on Shemya Island;
wet pipe and preaction. |
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| Wet
Pipe Fire Sprinkler System |
Control
Valve on Wet Pipe Fire Sprinkler System |
The wet
pipe fire sprinkler system protects the high-bay of the generating
facility which houses the 13,600 V-generators.
Wet
pipe fire sprinkler systems are the most common fire
sprinkler system. A wet pipe system is one in which water
is constantly maintained within the sprinkler piping.
When a sprinkler activates this water is immediately
discharged onto the fire.
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Wet
Pipe Fire Sprinkler System Main Feed Going into
the Warehouse |
In the
picture to the right, VFP personnel are installing the main
feed going into the warehouse from the fire pumps. |
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2-4" +
8" Pipe Supplying the Wet Pipe Fire Sprinklers
in the Generating Building |
Here VFP
personnel are welding 8” pipe feeding from the diesel
pump to the high-bay area of the generating building. |
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| Preaction Fire
Sprinkler System |
Control
Valve on Preaction Fire Sprinkler System |
The preaction
fire sprinkler system protects the administrative offices,
break area and storage room. The system also protects the
control room panels and power generators in the switch gear
area. The control room panels run the power generators.
Preaction
systems are similar to dry pipe systems in that water
is not normally contained within the pipes. The difference,
however, is that water is held from piping by an electrically
operated solenoid valve, that in turn trips the preaction
valve.
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Fire
Alarm Control Panel |
To initiate
sprinkler discharge, the detection system must identify a developing
fire by independent flame, heat, or smoke detection.
The fire
alarm control panel is located inside the main control
panel which controls the building's alarm systems. The
fire alarm control panel sends a signal to the solenoid
valve to open the preaction valve in the case of a fire.
This allows water to flow into system piping, which effectively
creates a wet pipe sprinkler system.
Individual
sprinkler heads must release to permit water flow onto
the fire. This dual action provides an added level of protection
against inadvertent discharge. For this reason, preaction
systems are frequently employed in water sensitive environments. |
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VFP
Personnel Installing Galvanized Fire Protection
Piping from the 100,000 Gallon Fire Water Storage
Tank |
Galvanized
piping was used in the preaction fire sprinkler system to prevent
rusting. Pipes in preaction systems tend to rust faster because
they are exposed to the atmosphere unlike pipes in wet systems
that are constantly filled with water. |
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| General
System Information |
Diesel
Fire Pump |
Because
the fire sprinkler systems protect electric power generators,
it made sense to use an alternative power source (diesel) to
run the fire pumps. The fire pumps ensure adequate pressure
to the fire sprinkler system.
The picture
to the right is one of two diesel fire pumps. It protects
the generating facility, administrative office and radar
facility.
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The
relief valve is used in case the fire pumps start by mistake
and pressure builds up in the system. The valve relieves
pressure by directing some of the water back into the tank.
The blue
area in the picture below is the recirculating pump for heating
the water tank.
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View
of Relief Valve off the Diesel Fire Pump
#2 |
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Recirculating
Pump |
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Fire
Pump Flow Test |
In the picture
to the right, VFP personnel are performing a fire pump flow
test. This test ensures there is enough water volume according
to the Army Corps of Engineer's specifications. To test the
water flow, a pito tube is hand held in the center of a 1 3/4
inch smooth bore nozzle at the end of the hose. |
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Seismic
Earthquake Braces |
Seismic
earthquake braces are used on 6“and 8“ piping
to prevent the pipes from falling in the event of an earthquake.
Back
Flow Preventer |
In the
background is the stainless steel back flow preventer in
the picture to the right. The back flow preventer is a double
check valve assembly. If pressure is reduced the valves will
close, preventing the back flow of polluted water into the
water supply. |
