Fire Hydrant (Most Disadvantaged)

The term "most hydraulically disadvantaged hydrant" refers to a specific fire hydrant landing valve within the water distribution system of a fire hydrant system that is at a significant hydraulic disadvantage compared to other hydrants in the system. There are two main factors that determine the hydraulically disadvantaged hydrant:

1. Distance from the incoming water main: In a typical water distribution system, water is supplied through a main pipe, and fire hydrants are connected to this main. The hydraulically disadvantaged hydrant is the one that is farthest from the point where the water enters the system. This means it has to overcome more friction loss and pressure drop due to the length of the piping network, resulting in reduced water flow and pressure at that hydrant.
2. Elevation in multi-level buildings: In the case of a multi-level building, the hydraulically disadvantaged hydrant is located at the highest level. Since water pressure decreases with increasing elevation, the hydrant at the highest level will experience lower water pressure compared to hydrants at lower levels.

Identifying the most hydraulically disadvantaged hydrant is crucial to determine the performamce of a fire hydrant system at the most disadvantaged point within the system.