In fire protection systems, what does a "flow test" measure?

A flow test is conducted in fire protection systems to assess the amount of water flow available for fire suppression. This measurement is critical because it ensures that the water supply can deliver an adequate volume of water to extinguish a fire in case of an emergency. During a flow test, fire departments or qualified personnel measure the flow rate, which indicates how much water can be provided at a given pressure during firefighting operations.

Understanding the amount of water flow is essential for designing and maintaining fire protection systems, such as sprinklers and standpipes. It helps in determining the correct sizing and placement of these systems to ensure they can effectively control or extinguish fires.

While measuring the pressure in water supply lines is important, it does not provide a complete picture of the system's capability to fight fires as the flow rate does. Temperature of the water supply is not a direct factor influencing flow capacity, and efficiency assessments are unrelated to flow tests focused on water supply performance. Thus, measuring the available flow is a critical aspect of ensuring that fire protection systems will function properly when needed.