Press Release
PIONEERING GROUNDWATER SPRINKLER SYSTEM
DEPENDS ON ADVANCED DRIVES
A recently completed hotel adjacent to the Rotterdam Zoo,
featuring a pioneering system for utilizing groundwater in the fire
sprinkler system, has at its heart two Affinity variable frequency
AC drives from Control Techniques.
The system, designed and installed at the Domina Inn by Quintess
B.V. of Holland in conjunction with Control Techniques’ Rotterdam
Drive Centre, is believed to be the first system of its type
controlled by inverter drives and eliminates the need for a high
volume mains water supply or roof-mounted water tanks.
“We chose the Affinity range to power the pumps because of its
‘Fire’ mode,” explained Quintess’ general manager, Paul Caspers.
“This gives us a guaranteed 150% of rated current with no trip
during the emergency operation. One drive and pump is sufficient to
provide maximum flow and the second pair give 100% redundancy
cover.”
The six-floor, 200 room Domina Inn and Conference Centre,
located between Rotterdam airport and the city centre features this
unique sprinkler system that utilizes groundwater pumped up from a
sand layer 60 metres underground.
The Melotte low inertia submersible pumps are installed in
boreholes (wells), some 15 metres below the surface., These
boreholes do have slots in the filter sections enabling the
groundwater to enter the borehole and provide a flow of 125
cu.metres/hr to the sprinkler system.
“We were asked to look into a system that is independent of the
mains drinking water or the need for water tanks,” explains Paul
Caspers. “Traditionally, the pumps would be started with Star/Delta
starters, but, with the high starting torque required, we proposed
the use of inverter drives.
In cooperation with Installect, the mechanical design consultant
for the project, we had to convince the client, that this would be
a better solution and, with help from Control Techniques and
detailed information on waveforms, product quality and drive
performance, we were able to achieve this.”
The Affinity AC drives are heavy-duty rated at 37 kW (BA 4402)
and are fitted with both RFI filters and PWM correction to provide
a near perfect waveform, required by the unusual operating
characteristics of the pump motors. The system provides a pressure
of 8 Bar (10 Bar on the manifold) with a minimum water flow of 20
cu.metres/hr rising to a maximum of 125 cu.metres/hr. The system
has to be capable of accelerating from start up to maximum flow in
three seconds.
As standard drives have integrated network connectivity with
Metasys N2, Modbus RTU and this building’s BACnet network /
building management system, this provides communication with a PLC
controlled fire control panel providing sprinkler control over 47
areas of the hotel. There is a hard control link between the drives
and this PLC. Via Ethernet, Quintess can access the drives at any
time to check operational readiness, set parameters and pump motor
condition.>>>>>>>
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