Rapid suppression of incipient fires is essential for reducing casualties and property damage, and the effectiveness of response often depends on the activation speed of indoor fire hydrant systems. This study examines delays caused by manual activation and evaluates the efficiency of automated solutions. Controlled experiments were conducted with 10 participants operating hydrant cabinets equipped with electronically actuated solenoid valves, motorised valves and old- and new-type angle valves. Each participant performed five activation trials per valve type from a distance of 3 m. Operating time, defined as the interval from cabinet opening to water discharge, was averaged for comparison. Results showed clear differences: electronically actuated valves ranged from 6.74 to 13.4 s, old-type angle valves from 10.2 to 17.8 s, and motorised valves were fastest at 3.81 to 6.55 s. Automated valve systems consistently outperformed manual valves, demonstrating that electronically controlled and motorised solutions significantly improve response speed and reliability in indoor fire hydrant systems.
Kim et al. (Wed,) studied this question.