In hydraulically designed systems, the size of pipe, number of sprinklers per branch, and the number of branch lines per cross main are limited by the available what?

• A. Pressure
• B. Space
• C. Financial resources
• D. Water supply

Answer: (D)

In hydraulically designed sprinkler systems, the network is sized to meet the available water supply. The pipe sizes, how many sprinklers can be fed on each branch, and how many branch lines fit into the cross main are all determined by how much water the source can deliver (flow) while maintaining adequate pressure at the heads. If the water supply is limited, you can’t push more heads or larger branches without dropping pressure below what’s required for reliable operation. So the limiting factor is the water supply. Pressure matters, but only as it’s related to the supply; space or finances don’t set the hydraulic capabilities.