Extra Large Orifice (ELO) Sprinkler. The ELO

The Extra Large Orifice (ELO) sprinkler was developed for use in lieu of standard, ½ in. (12.7 mm) and 17/32 in. (13.5 m) orifice, sprinklers, particularly for protection of high piled storage in warehouses. Because of the ELO sprinkler’s large, nominal 0.64 in. (16.3 mm) orifice, less pressure is required to achieve a given discharge density. Reduced pressures can be helpful in compensating for weak water supplies and thereby may eliminate the need for in-rack sprinklers, pumps and/or on-site water storage. A research program was developed to provide a performance-based evaluation, using full-scale fire testing, to verify the ELO sprinkler’s effectiveness. Data from duplicate tests conducted with standard sprinklers and the first ELO model demonstrate improved performance with the ELO. A comparison of test data from subsequent models shows similar results