Simple Hydraulic Calculator
Introduction
Welcome to the Simple Hydraulic Calculator (SHC for short). SHC is a powerful, flexible, and full featured computer application for fire sprinkler hydraulic calculations. SHC was designed, from the ground up, for automatic fire sprinkler system designers and engineers.
To learn SHC, work through the "Getting Started" pdf. A link to this pdf is placed on your Window's desktop when SHC is installed. You may also obtain a copy from the files page. SHC's expanded feature list may be found here.
Calculations
SHC uses the Hazen-Williams and/or Darcy-Weisbach friction loss equations to hydraulically calculate the fire sprinkler system in compliance with NFPA requirements. Any piping configuration may be calculated - trees, loops, grids, and completely custom layouts. Fire pumps, backflow preventers, and multiple water sources are all supported. SHC also has all the tools you need to evaluate your calculation:
The calculation results window is the primary tool for evaluating your sprinkler model. This window displays all relevant pipe, node, and system information in a clear tabular format. Pipes and nodes may be sorted by chosen values. Also, this window may be viewed while you continue to edit the input data.
At the top of the data input window, the "live look" bar will
display important calculation values for individual pipes and nodes
as your text, or mouse, cursor passes over the items in the editor.
This functionality is perfect for quick spot-checks of individual
pipes or nodes.
Additionally, the system demand graph and pressure loss pie graph may be displayed or saved as an image to use in other documents.
For a complete list of SHC's calculation abilities, see the feature list page.
Data Entry
SHC's data input method is superior to many other popular hydraulic calculation applications. Instead of locking you into a rigid spreadsheet style interface, SHC uses a command based data entry method with an advanced syntax highlighting data entry editor. This style of data entry is more flexible, more powerful, and - with some experience - faster than spreadsheet style input. The editor also has many built-in tools to aid data input:
'Pop-up' helpers eliminate the need to memorize fitting codes,
material codes, and c-factors.
Intelligent 'proposals' anticipate your next command or parameter value. Simply tap the 'Enter' key on your keyboard to accept the value. Or, simply keep typing to ignore the proposed value. Often, a group of nodes or pipes may be completely entered by simply holding down the 'Enter' key.
Group editing makes changing all k-factors, elevations, lengths, and so on, within a selection quick and painless.
SHC's "Getting Started" pdf will help you learn SHC's data input methodology.