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Inspection & Testing of Water-Based Systems To build on this concept and further prepare for your NICET Level I exam, check out our resources! To learn more about hydraulic calculations, see these online courses: Beginner / Level I: Hydraulic Calculation L1 Intermediate / Level II: Hydraulic Calculations L2 Advanced / Level III: Hydraulic Calculations 元 Developing an understanding for the topics that show up on the NICET exams will not only help you pass the test, but it will make you a better worker in this life safety industry. This mindset of understanding the particulars of an industry concept do not just apply to mathematical equations, but everything in the fire protection industry. When faced with more advanced concepts that will show up on higher level NICET exams, knowing the basics of the problem becomes very important. Hydraulic calculations become much more digestible when we know what is really going on behind the equation. Plug everything in, and our formula will look like:
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Now that we have all the pieces, lets put this puzzle together with a practice problem! What is the K-Factor of a sprinkler head that is flowing at 18 psi at a flow rate of 28 gpm? The question is asking for the K-Factor, so we know to use: The basic hydraulic formula can be re-arranged in three different ways as follows: Solving for K-Factor Now that we have the definitions out of the way, lets look closer at the basic hydraulic formula itself. If pressure is held constant and k increases, it results in a larger flow rate. Large k-factors yield larger flows and small k-factors yield smaller flows. A sprinkler with a low K-Factor will restrict the flow of water, whereas a sprinkler with a higher K-factor will allow more water to pass through the sprinkler head.
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The K-Factor depends on the orifice diameter of the sprinkler. A sprinkler with a lower pressure will yield a slower stream of water, where a sprinkler with a higher pressure will produce a much faster stream.
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This one is simple it is basically the pressure at which the water flows from the sprinkler, measured in pounds per square inch (psi). P = Pressure at the sprinkler head (psi). The flow rate is the amount of water that flows through the sprinkler head and is measured in gallons per minute (gpm). There are three variables that are used for this equation, so let’s break those down. It all starts with a fundamental equation found in NFPA 13, which is used throughout the calculation process: K = Q ÷ √P This equation shows the relationship between flow rate, pressure, and the orifice size of the sprinkler. First, let’s answer the question: What are Hydraulic Calculations? Hydraulic calculations are used to determine the pressure and output of water (flow) for a given sprinkler system. So here are a few tips in hopes that you don’t end up like me in geometry class when you take the NICET exams. Many individuals who take the NICET exams encounter a similar issue when it comes to the concept of hydraulic calculations.
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My issue with geometry was that I knew how to plug in the numbers, but I did not know what the numbers really meant. While I was good at math in high school, I was taught a harsh lesson during my first geometry test: I had memorized all the right equations, but I had no idea how to solve the actual problems. If you are not confident in math as a subject, then you can build upon some basic math concepts to master a more complex concept: HYDRAULIC CALCULATIONS! When studying for a test, you never really figure out how well prepared you are until test day comes around. Not knowing the math basics needed for hydraulic calculations is intimidating and lack of confidence on top of that can keep you from advancing to the next level in your career. We know that learning higher math concepts can make you feel a little queasy.