Case study: Deschacht and Tubao design fire water basins for new BMW dealership
Tubao's galvanized steel pipes – for which Deschacht is the exclusive distributor – are gaining ground in the water management sector. Clients are increasingly appreciating their qualities in the construction of reservoirs for the collection and storage of rainwater, fire extinguishing water, etc. The speed of installation and the versatility of the typical corrugated pipes are increasingly convincing architects and engineering firms when drafting their specifications. The fact that they can rely on specialized engineering by manufacturer Tubao and distributor Deschacht is an additional argument.
Underground storage of fire extinguishing and sprinkler water
In Erembodegem near Aalst, a new BMW and Mini dealership is rising, complete with a large showroom, workshops, warehouse, and more. As with any commercial new construction project, the specifications include an extensive fire protection section. To protect the buildings and their valuable contents against fire, a sprinkler system is being installed, among other measures, which must be supplied with a sufficient amount of tap water. Another requirement was sufficient fire water for the fire department. For both applications, the architect and engineering firm provided two reservoirs, but instead of the traditional concrete basin, they specified a solution using Tubao pipes in the specifications.
Solution with Tubao pipes
Specifically, Tubao and Deschacht had to construct two underground watertight reservoirs. One of 360 m3 for rainwater harvesting to be used as firefighting water. A second tank had to be able to hold 240 m3 of tap water to supply the sprinkler system, also equipped with suction pipes. So the engineering departments of Tubao and Deschacht got to work.
Impressive piece of engineering
“For projects of this type, the engineering departments of Tubao and Deschacht work closely together,” says Geert Vanhecke of Tubao Benelux, “because a Tubao application is custom-made by definition. While our factory does produce pipes in various thicknesses, lengths, and diameters, achieving a usable end result with these, complete with all necessary provisions, is a matter of engineering. Depending on the application, regulations, and the like, we create a design that we populate with the required Tubao elements and provisions such as connections, pipelines, pumps, inspection shafts, emergency overflows, and so on. Together we sketch the intended application, have it validated by the client, after which the detailed plans are drawn up. These guarantee correct manufacturing according to our specifications and a quick, flawless installation and commissioning on-site.”
