Draft - Do Not Distribute Further

API RP 2001-2011 Fire Protection in Refineries Candidate Ballot Draft 7-23-2011 Updated 8-3/4-2011
Where the fire protection water system is intended to supply only monitors and hose
streams in support of manual fire fighting and suppression, sample flow rate ranges may be
estimated using values suggested in Table 1.
Table 1
EXAMPLE WATER FLOW RATES FOR MANUAL FIRE FIGHTING1, 2
SCENARIO AREA
of INTEREST

FIREWATER FLOW RANGES,

Per Minute in
Thousands of Gallons
(Thousands of Liters)

EXAMPLE FLOW RATE

RANGES
Based on Protected Area
2
2
GPM/Ft or LPM/M

Radiant Heat Protection

2

0.1 gpm/ft (4.1 lpm/m )

PROCESS AREAS
handling flammable
liquids or high pressure
flammable gases

PROCESS AREAS
handling gases or
combustible liquids
TANK STORAGE
flammable and
combustible liquids in
atmospheric tanks

4,000 to 10,000 gpm

(15,000 to 38,000 lpm)

Cooling:

0.2 to 0.3 gpm/ft

2
(8.2 to 12.3 lpm/m )

Suppression: 0.3 to 0.5 gpm/ft

2
(12.3 to 20.4 lpm/m )

3,000 to 5,000 gpm

(11,000 to 19,000 lpm)
2

0.16 to 0.3 gpm/ ft

2
(6.5 to 13 l/min-m )
(application rate increases with
tank diameter)

0.20 to 0.30 gpm/ft

2
(8.2 to 12.3 lpm/m )

See API RP 2021 & NFPA 11

LPG STORAGE tanks and

2
vessels

See API 2510, API 2510A

and NFPA 58
[250 to 500 gpm at point of impingement by a
high-velocity jet flame API RP 2510A]

WAREHOUSES

See applicable Building and Fire

Codes

BUILDINGS, Offices,
Laboratories, and similar
structures

See applicable Building and Fire

Codes

Candidate Ballot Draft for API 2001 9th Edition

Page 45 of 101

Updated thru 7-23-2011& 8-3/4-2011

K. C. Crawford