A jockey pump is also known as a pressure maintenance system pump. The pump is a very important component in a fire pump system as well as the entire fire protection system. It is designed to maintain the pressure in a fire sprinkler protection system elevated to a certain level when the system is not active. This is meant to ensure that the fire pump does not have to operate constantly and they system does not go off randomly. It also designed to protect the fire sprinkler system from damage in case a fire breaks out and water leaks into the pipes. The jockey pump consists of a three-part assembly, and in most places, there are strict guidelines for installation to ensure it works as intended.
How it works
In order to understand how the jockey pump works, it is important to understand how the fire sprinkler system works. The sprinkler system consists of pipes with pressurized water and heads designed to start operating when a certain high temperature is detected. As the heads open, the water pressure within the pipes decreases because water is flowing out. When this occurs, a fire pump automatically starts sending more water through the piping system in order to continue putting out the fire.
The main purpose of the jockey pump is to maintain the water pressure within the pipes within a certain range when there is no fire so that the sprinklers do not randomly go off. The jockey pump also ensures that pressure in the pipes is maintained at normal pressure by refilling water into leaking pipes. In case of a fire break out and the pressure significantly drops, a jockey pump cannot keep up, and the low pressure will trigger the fire pump to start pumping water.
Additionally, the jockey pump prevents the fire sprinkler system from being damaged whenever the larger fire pump begins sending water through the system. If a fire system lacks a jockey pump to keep it pressurized, the system will develop relatively low pressure. This can lead to damage on the system as a result of the sudden change in pressure when the fire pump begins pumping water.
Main Types
Any jockey pump consists of three components that include a motor, a controller and a pump. The two major types of jockey pumps are regenerative turbine pumps and centrifugal pumps. The centrifugal type is less energy efficient but requires minimal maintenance than a regenerative turbine pump. On the other hand, a regenerative turbine pump can generate high pressures with little power, but this can create excess pressure in the system. This therefore means that it requires more maintenance.
