GFS Fire Water Tanks for Data Centers: NFPA 22 Compliance and Sizing

A data center fire-water tank is a life-safety asset. It must hold the reserve demanded by the fire-protection design, stay available through standby, and pass inspection on day one and year fifteen. Glass-Fused-to-Steel (GFS) bolted tanks are a natural fit, but only if the sizing and the standard basis are handled correctly.

A GFS fire-water tank for a data center should be designed and erected to NFPA 22 for the storage and AWWA D103-09 for the bolted steel structure, with capacity set by the required fire duration and pump demand, a clean gravity or suction arrangement, freeze protection where needed, and seismic bracing per the site. The fired glass shell stays corrosion-free through long standby, which is exactly what a fire reserve needs.

NFPA 22 sets the rules for private fire-service water storage - capacity, overflow, access and protection - while AWWA D103-09 governs the bolted steel tank structure. The GFS enamel face is covered by ISO 28765. Together they give an inspector a clear, code-based acceptance path.

Capacity comes from the fire-protection design: the required duration (commonly two to four hours for data centers) multiplied by the system demand, plus any hose/standpipe allowance, minus incoming water if credited. The tank supplies this through an NFPA 20 pump. Set the outlet depth and elevation to the pump suction needs.

• Duration x demand = reserve.
• Credit incoming water only where allowed.
• Match outlet to pump suction.

Fire water sits unused for long periods, which is where painted steel rusts and galvanized steel eventually consumes its zinc. The GFS fired glass face does neither - it stays inert through standby, so the tank passes inspection years later without a recoat program. The Indonesia fire-water tower at 34.8 m (2018, the tallest GFS tank by an Asian manufacturer) is a delivered fire-duty example.

• Indonesia 2018: 34.8 m GFS fire-water tower.
• GFS inert through long standby.
• No recoat to stay code-ready.

Cold sites need freeze protection (insulation or heat trace at the wetted components); seismic sites need braced anchorage to the foundation load. The bolted GFS shell is engineered to the local wind and seismic load, and the Ecuador installation that survived a 7.8 earthquake in 2016 shows the structural resilience available.

• Freeze: insulate/trace wetted parts.
• Seismic: braced anchorage to load plan.
• Ecuador 2016: stable after 7.8 quake.

GFS and related bolted fire-water tanks have been delivered across climates: UAE Dubai 652 m3 (2025), USA Porsche speedway fire-water tanks (2016), Guyana 162 m3 (2025), Guatemala 598 m3 (2024), and Niger CNNC fire-water tanks (2009). These are real fire-duty references that demonstrate the tank type in service.

• UAE Dubai 2025: 652 m3 fire water.
• USA 2016: Porsche speedway fire tanks.
• Guyana 2025 / Guatemala 2024: fire water.
• Niger 2009: CNNC fire-water tanks.

Center Enamel designs bolted tanks to AWWA D103-09 with ISO 28765 enamel, supplies fire-water tanks across climates with the load and freeze/seismic basis documented, and provides the coating test record for inspection.

NFPA 22 for the fire water storage and AWWA D103-09 for the bolted structure, with ISO 28765 for the GFS enamel face.

Reserve = required duration times system demand plus allowances, minus any credited incoming water, then match the outlet to the NFPA 20 pump suction.

It stays corrosion-free through long standby, so the tank remains code-ready for years without a recoat program.

Insulate or heat-trace the wetted components; the tank itself is inert, but the appurtenances need protection in cold climates.

It is engineered to the local wind and seismic load with braced anchorage to the foundation plan, as demonstrated by the Ecuador 2016 earthquake-survivor installation.

Yes - UAE Dubai 652 m3 (2025), USA Porsche speedway (2016), Guyana 162 m3 (2025), Guatemala 598 m3 (2024) and Niger CNNC (2009) are delivered fire-duty references.

A GFS fire-water tank earns its place in a data center by pairing NFPA 22 / AWWA D103-09 compliance with a shell that stays corrosion-free through years of standby. Size it to the fire duration and pump demand, protect it for the climate, and it will pass inspection on day one and a decade later.

Suggested CTA: Send us your fire-protection demand, duration and site loads and we will size a GFS fire-water tank with the NFPA 22 / AWWA D103-09 basis and freeze/seismic detailing.