After you have determined the size of fuel tank you need for a diesel fire pump, what are the general requirements for installation? Assuming that you are under under the International Building/Fire Codes, you would go through the following chain of code references: IFC (2021 edition) 5701.2 Nonapplicability. This chapter shall not apply to liquids as otherwise provided in other laws or regulations or chapters of this code, including: ... (4) Storage and use of fuel oil in tanks and containers connected to oil-burning equipment. Such storage and use shall be in accordance with Section 605. For abandonment of fuel oil tanks, this chapter applies.. IFC (2021 edition) 605.1 General. The design, construction, installation, operation, alteration, repair and maintenance of nonportable gas-fired appliances and systems shall comply with the provisions of this section and the International Fuel Gas Code. The design, construction, installation, operation, alter...
Guidance for the sizing diesel fuel tanks is quite straight forward due to the prescriptive requirements of the code. Just take your engine HP x 1.10 and the result in gallons is the minimum required diesel fuel storage tank size. The exact code reference from NFPA 20 (2010 edition) is provided below: 11.4.2* Fuel Supply Tank and Capacity. 11.4.2.1* Fuel supply tank(s) shall have a capacity at least equal to 1 gal per hp (5.07 L per kW), plus 5 percent volume for expansion and 5 percent volume for sump. A.11.4.2 The quantity 1 gal per hp (5.07 L per kW) is equivalent to 1 pint per hp (0.634 L per kW) per hour for 8 hours. Where prompt replenishment of fuel supply is unlikely, a reserve supply should be provided along with facilities for transfer to the main tanks. How the committee arrived at these simplified guidelines is as follows. First, lets look at the conditions for when we expect the fire pump to run: Quarterly Refilling of the Fuel Tank (approx 12...