Fire Protection: Water Wall
Protect personnel, evacuation muster areas, equipment and structures from heat radiation
Water is used as a barrier to shield against radiant heat, harmful gases, and flames to provide protection for personnel and equipment.
Download the BETE Fire Protection Brochure (PDF - 1.4MB)
BETE Nozzles for Fire Protection (PDF - 25 KB)
Typical operating conditions for this application are listed for each nozzle
A water wall is a spray of water that acts as a barrier to shield personnel and equipment against radiant heat, harmful gases, and flames. The more water that is sprayed to form the suppression wall, the better the fire protection and shielding. High pressure and flow rates project water faster and further to form a larger buffer between the heat source and the protected areas.
Flat fan nozzles are sometimes believed to produce an adequate barrier. However, full cone nozzles, particularly wide coverage spiral nozzles, are usually superior as they form a cone of liquid rather than a very thin plane of liquid. Spiral nozzles provide multiple cones comprised of small droplet sizes which absorb more heat than a thin plane of droplets produced by a flat fan nozzle. More volume and surface area from a deluge of droplets allows for greater protection and heat absorption.
Selecting a Water Wall Fire Protection Nozzle:
Spiral design nozzles provide 30-50% smaller drops than their non-spiral counterparts of equivalent flow and spray angle. Spiral nozzles are also a one-piece construction; making them more durable and resistant to breaking, and are inherently resistant to clogging. They can also provide multiple cones to increase the layers of protection. For water wall fire suppression, BETE recommends its N series or TF series.
The spray pattern of BETE’s N spiral nozzles consist of two concentric cones for multiple zones of security. The droplets have an exceptionally large surface area to volume ratio to enhance cooling fog and wet contact. The N series is FM approved, UL approved, and carries Lloyd’s Register type approval. Some models are also US Coast Guard approved. A full list of third-party approvals for all BETE products may be found here.
For flow rates outside the range of the N series, TF spiral nozzles produce wide coverage and spray multiple concentric cones (up to three), each acting as walls to fight fire. High flow rates greatly amplify fire suppression and safety by producing more and smaller droplets. Our brass TF8NN, TF8FCN, and TF24-150 nozzles are FM approved.
If a flat fan spray is required, BETE offers the FF and NF nozzles, both of one-piece construction. The FF nozzle sprays a deflected wide angle, is good for wall wetting, and has UL approved models. The NF produces a high impact, uniform distribution with angles up to 120°. Standard materials for both include brass, 303 stainless steel, and 316 stainless steel.
Standard connection styles are NPT and BSP pipe thread. Our experienced engineers can determine which nozzle is best for your application.
Common Water Wall Uses / Installations:
Water walls create escape pathways for personnel during fire events and protect offshore platforms from heat generated by flare gas booms during normal operation. Water walls may be employed as part of the overall fire protection plan to curtain off wellheads, storage tanks, machinery, tools, and the water supply pumps used for suppressing a fire.
FM and UL Approved
TF24-150 is FM Approved