India's Independent Engineering Audit Authority | Since 2010
Fire Pump Testing at Steel Manufacturing Facility in Jamshedpur – Case Study
Elion Technologies & Consulting Pvt. Ltd. conducted annual fire pump performance testing at JCAPCPL’s facility in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
JCAPCPL operates in the production of cold-rolled steel products for the automotive passenger-vehicle industry. The report describes the company as a joint venture originally established between Tata Steel Ltd. and Nippon Steel Corporation, with a dedicated facility for continuous-annealed cold-rolled steel products.
The assignment was conducted on 11 November 2025 and covered jockey pumps, main electric fire pumps and a diesel-driven fire pump.
Client Info
- JCAPCPL
- Jamshedpur, Jharkhand
- Steel Manufacturing / Automotive Steel
- Annual Fire Pump Performance Testing
🔥 Quick Answer: Annual Fire Pump Testing
Annual fire pump testing runs each pump at churn (no flow), rated flow and maximum flow, recording flow, discharge pressure, current and run time. NFPA 25 calls for it yearly, with readings compared against the pump curve. At a Noida electronics plant, four pumps reached 112–122% of rated flow in 10-minute runs.
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Scope
Objective of the Fire Pump Test
The purpose of the annual flow test was to verify:
Actual fire-pump flow and pressure
Integrity of the fire-water supply
Performance against design criteria
Pump performance at churn condition
Pump performance at rated flow
Pump performance at maximum achievable/high-flow condition
Continuous running capability
The applicable references listed in the report include:
- NFPA 20
- NFPA 25
- IS 15301
- NFPA 14
National Building Code of India 2016, Part 4
Testing Approach
The pumps were assessed at multiple flow conditions:
Churn / No-Flow Condition – The pump was operated at or near zero flow to assess shut-off operating behaviour and pressure.
100% Rated Flow – The pump was tested around its rated design flow to verify its ability to meet expected fire-water demand.
Maximum Achievable Flow – Higher-flow performance was evaluated to determine the pump’s ability to respond under increased fire-water demand.
The report records current, power, flow, pressure and running duration for the electrically driven pumps.
Jockey Pump CP #07A
The jockey pump had:
Parameter | Value |
Rated Flow | 11 m³/hr |
Rated Head | 88 m |
Motor Rating | 7.5 kW |
Its measured performance included:
Condition | Flow Achieved | Pressure |
Churn | 0–0.2 m³/hr | 11.5 kg/cm² |
Rated-flow condition | 10.6–11.8 m³/hr | 5.5 kg/cm² |
Maximum achievable | 12.3–14.1 m³/hr | 5.2 kg/cm² |
The pump achieved a maximum flow of 14.1 m³/hr, approximately 128.18% of rated capacity, and operated continuously for 10 minutes.
All evaluated test conditions were recorded as PASSED.
Jockey Pump CP #07B
A second jockey pump, also rated at 11 m³/hr, was tested. The pump achieved up to 13.5 m³/hr, approximately 122.72% of rated capacity, while operating continuously for 10 minutes.
Main Electric Fire Pump CP #06A
The main electric pump had:
Parameter | Value |
Rated Flow | 273 m³/hr |
Rated Head | 88 m |
Motor Rating | 125 kW |
Measured performance included:
Condition | Flow Achieved | Pressure |
Churn | 0–0.9 m³/hr | 9.5 kg/cm² |
Rated-flow condition | 270–281 m³/hr | 8.5 kg/cm² |
Maximum achievable | 327–335 m³/hr | 8.0 kg/cm² |
The pump achieved a maximum flow of 335 m³/hr, equivalent to approximately 122.71% of rated flow, and successfully operated for 10 minutes.
Main Electric Fire Pump CP #06B
A second main pump with the same rated flow of 273 m³/hr was also tested.
Its recorded performance included:
Condition | Flow Achieved | Pressure |
Churn | 0–0.7 m³/hr | 10.0 kg/cm² |
Rated-flow condition | 270–292 m³/hr | 9.0 kg/cm² |
Maximum achievable | 482–499.3 m³/hr | 7.3 kg/cm² |
The pump achieved a maximum measured flow of 499.3 m³/hr, approximately 182.89% of its rated capacity, while operating continuously for 10 minutes.
All test conditions were recorded as PASSED.
Diesel Fire Pump DP #02
The diesel-driven fire pump had:
Parameter | Value |
Rated Flow | 273 m³/hr |
Rated Head | 88 m |
Its test results included:
Condition | Flow Achieved | Pressure |
Churn | 0–0.8 m³/hr | 12.0 kg/cm² |
Rated-flow condition | 263–278 m³/hr | 5.5 kg/cm² |
Maximum achievable | 310–318 m³/hr | 4.8 kg/cm² |
The pump achieved up to 318 m³/hr, approximately 116.48% of rated capacity, and operated continuously for 10 minutes without interruption.
Overall Test Outcome
The report concluded that the fire pump testing was successfully completed and that the tested pumps were operating within the required performance parameters.
It also recorded that:
- adequate water flow and pressure were available,
- no excessive noise or vibration was observed,
- hydrant-line pressure was within acceptable range,
- no significant issues were identified,
and the fire protection system was considered operationally ready.
Why Fire Pump Testing Is Important in Steel Manufacturing Facilities
Steel and automotive-component manufacturing facilities contain extensive electrical systems, production equipment, process areas and high-value assets.
A successful pump start alone does not confirm the system’s ability to deliver adequate fire-water flow.
Annual performance testing can verify:
- actual flow available from the pumps,
- discharge pressure under different flow conditions,
- motor loading,
- diesel-pump capability,
- performance deterioration,
- continuous running capability,
- and fire-water-system readiness.
This helps facility management maintain documented evidence of actual fire-pump performance rather than relying solely on equipment nameplate values.
About Us
About Elion Technologies & Consulting
Elion Technologies & Consulting Pvt. Ltd. provides independent Fire Pump Testing Service and fire-safety engineering services for industrial, manufacturing, commercial and infrastructure facilities across India.
Annual fire pump testing
Fire pump performance testing
Fire pump flow testing
Hydrant pump testing
Sprinkler pump testing
Diesel fire pump testing
Electric fire pump testing
Jockey pump testing
Fire-water network assessment
Fire safety audit
Need Fire Pump Testing in Noida or NCR?
Elion undertakes third-party fire pump testing in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand and industrial facilities across India.
Testing can include actual flow measurement, pressure measurement, electrical measurements, operating-condition assessment and detailed technical reporting.
Contact Elion Technologies & Consulting Pvt. Ltd. for fire pump testing requirements.
FAQ
What is an annual fire pump flow test?
An annual flow test evaluates the pump’s actual flow and pressure performance at different operating points to verify its readiness for emergency fire-water demand.
Can electric and diesel fire pumps be tested together?
Yes. This assignment included electric main pumps, jockey pumps and a diesel-driven fire pump.
What parameters are recorded during fire pump testing?
Depending on the pump type and installation, parameters can include flow, pressure, current, power and continuous running duration.
Does Elion provide fire pump testing in Jamshedpur?
Yes. Elion carries out fire pump testing for industrial and commercial facilities in Jharkhand and across India.