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Automatic Fire Sprinkler System Essay

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The automatic fire sprinkler system was one of the earliest sprinkler systems placed into effect. The origin of the modern day automatic sprinkler system dates back to the early 1800’s. The first automatic sprinkler system was created in England in the 1806 by John Carey. It consisted of a pipe with valves held closed by counterweights attached by string. When flames burned through the string the counterweight dropped to the floor, which opened the valve that released the water and extinguished the fire. As the 1800’s progressed, the basic pipe system for sprinklers was becoming more prevalent across England. It began to pop up in textile mills all through out the country. In 1864, as sprinkler system use grew, Major Stewart Harrison of …show more content…

It operates basically the same as in the late 1800’s, just a bit more efficiently. A fusible link in a sprinkler head that is set to break at a predetermined temperature breaks when that temperature is reached. Water then pours out of that hole that is created hitting the sprinkler head and raining down in an umbrella pattern over the source of the hear, usually fire. Not only does this cool what ever material is heated, but it can pre-cool any materials that are not yet heated or involved in the fire. This helps prevent the spread of that fire through the structure saving the structure and protecting its contents from further fire and water damage. Although the automatic sprinkler system is the most widely used type of fire protection system, it does have its limitations and uses inside certain building types. As previously stated, it is generally used in commercial buildings. This is because there are usually no special hazardous materials in these buildings, or any large quantity of materials that would react negatively with the application of water. It is installed in buildings such as hospitals, schools, and office buildings for life safety first, then building preservation. Since a proper functioning sprinkler system will reduce the fire size and prevent its spread, it will allow for more time of evacuation for these buildings. This is especially useful in hospitals and nursing home settings where there may be a large number of

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