NFPA 13E Fire Protection Systems – Hydrants, Sprinklers, And Standpipes Practice Test

Standpipe systems differ by how water is stored in the piping and how it is released to the hose connections. If the piping is kept dry (not filled with water) and is connected to a water supply that can meet the system demand, water is admitted into the system only when a control device is triggered. When a remote signal activates a device such as a deluge valve, water is released into the standpipe and becomes available at the hose connections. This describes a semiautomatic dry standpipe system. The remote-control deluge valve is the hallmark here: it allows the system to stay dry and require a remote actuation to supply water to the hose connections. This setup provides guaranteed connection to a capable water supply at all times, but water only actually flows into the standpipe when the remote control triggers the valve. This is in contrast to a wet standpipe, which is always full of water, or a dry standpipe that relies on different triggering mechanisms, or a manual wet standpipe that requires a person to open a valve at the hose connection.