Hydraulics

Abstract

Hydraulics may be regarded as the application of knowledge about how liquids behave in static and flowing conditions to solve practical fluid related problems. It is generally held to describe the behavior and effects of water in motion in both closed conduits and open channels. In the field of fire protection we are concerned primarily with the closed conduit flow regime. In this chapter we will restrict our discussion to the behavior and properties of water flowing inpipes as the phenomenon of paramount interest, although other fluids such as antifreezes at room temperature and foam/water solutions are similar enough to water that the discussion will be applicable to them as well. Additionally some of the principles presented here also apply to system designs utilizing other fluids such as foam concentrate or antifreeze at low temperatures.