First match the valve to the system. A wet pipe sprinkler system, with water in the pipes at all times, uses an alarm (alarm check) valve: the HD Fire Model H in 80 to 200 NB, the New Age alarm check valve in 4 and 6 inch, or the Tyco AV-1-300 in DN65 to DN200. A deluge system with open nozzles or sprinklers, such as transformer spray or foam protection, uses a deluge valve that opens on a detection signal: HD Fire Models A, H2, H3 and H5 in 50 to 200 mm, the Tyco DV-5A in DN40 to DN200 or the Tyco SV-1 in DN80 to DN200. Where the pipes must stay dry, the Tyco DPV-1 dry pipe valve (DN65 to DN150) opens when a sprinkler releases the air, and preaction valves keep water out of the pipes until detection operates.
Next choose how the valve is released. Deluge and preaction valves can be tripped by a wet pilot line, a dry pilot line of air or nitrogen, or an electric signal from a releasing panel, and Tyco lists a separate DV-5A trim for each, plus remote-resetting and pressure-reducing versions. Single interlock preaction opens on detection alone, while double interlock (electric/electric or electric/pneumatic) needs both detection and an opened sprinkler, for refrigerated spaces and other areas where accidental flooding of the pipes must be avoided. HD Fire builds both types on its H3 deluge valve and CH check valve in 50 to 200 NB, and Tyco offers DV-5A preaction trims and EN 12845 Preaction Type A (DV-5A) and Type B (DPV-1) valves.
Then check body material, pressure and how much comes assembled. HD Fire deluge valves come in cast iron (Model A, 175 psi), cast steel WCB (H2), ductile iron (H3) or nickel aluminium bronze for sea water (H5). Tyco DV-5A valves are epoxy coated ductile iron for corrosive and outdoor sites with a working pressure of 20 to 300 psi, the AV-1-300 alarm valve is rated 300 psi, and the European Conformity editions of the DPV-1 and WMA-1 are rated 16 bar. To cut site work, HD Fire offers factory tested DSK deluge skids, D-PACK deluge cabinets, multi-line skids for up to 8 valves and Pre-Pack preaction cabinets, and Tyco offers pre-assembled, pre-wired DV-5A Red-E Cabinets for deluge or preaction.
Finally list the trim and monitoring. An alarm valve needs an alarm device: a water motor gong (HD Fire, Tyco WMA-1) gives an outdoor hydraulic alarm, and a retard chamber (HD Fire 3.8 litre, Tyco RC-1) stops false alarms where the supply pressure varies. For each floor or zone, HD Fire zone control manifolds, Tyco RM-2 riser manifolds and HD Fire or Tyco TD-2 test and drain valves let you test flow and drain the pipes, while System Sensor WFD and WFDT waterflow detectors and PIB-V2 and OSY2 supervisory switches tell the fire alarm panel when water flows or a control valve leaves its open position. Dry pipe and preaction systems also need an air supply, kept steady by Tyco AMD-1, AMD-2 or AMD-3 devices, the HD Fire PMD-1 or a Tyco supervisory air compressor.