DRY DECK
FOUNTAINS
How to choose the best
construction system
DRY DECK
FOUNTAINS
01
Introduction
02
What is a dry deck fountain?
03
How does a dry deck fountain work?
04
Construction system alternatives
05
What equipment does a dry deck
fountain require?
06
Final considerations
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
2
01 INTRODUCTION
A dry deck fountain is a common sight in any modern city. Seemingly from nowhere, jets of
water shoot into the sky in a dazzling combination of light and speed. People are greeted by
the sight of children running and giggling in these fountains during the hot summer months.
Fountains were not always for fun, though. They were first designed as a way to safely collect
and distribute water to ancient Egyptian and Sumerian populations. By the time Ancient
Rome rose to the fore, fountains were a public display of wealth and power. These sources
of water gave the impression that Rome was an empire so powerful it could provide for all its
citizens. Even if they were not being used for drinking, ornamental fountains offered a pow-
erful political message.
All across the European, Arabic and Asian world, fountains became ornamental wonders.
People would travel from afar to see how these marvels of engineering defied gravity by
shooting water into the air. However, it was the European Renaissance that saw the greatest
innovations, including the first dry deck fountain as far back as 1600.
These attractions started growing in popularity and complexity in our towns and cities over
the past few decades and city planners and parks management teams have been incorporating
them into their designs ever since. Dry deck fountains have become more ornate, intricate and
appealing, with engineers creating ever more inventive designs. This originality is what draws
people of all ages in to enjoy fountains in more ways than ever before.
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
3
02
WHAT IS A DRY
DECK FOUNTAIN?
There are two sides to the dry deck fountain: night and day. In the daytime, it is a place
where families can play and have fun as well as being ornamental. At night, however,
they transform into a stunning light and water show, providing a dramatic backdrop for
everyone to enjoy.
At its most basic, this type of fountain is constructed of a number of high-speed, adjustable,
vertical jets of water. A dry deck fountain can be augmented with a range of dazzling
lights or musical accompaniment. The pattern of the jets can be arranged so they seem to
be dancing in sync with the music.
These effects make the dry deck fountain the center of attention in a town square, avenue,
hotel, or municipal park. The fountain draws families from all walks of life to it with its mag-
ical combination of synchronized patterns of water with lights, color and music. These
elements dance together for the pleasure of the spectators.
The pattern of the jets
can be arranged so they
seem to be dancing in sync
with the music
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
4
03
HOW DOES A DRY DECK
FOUNTAIN WORK?
The dry deck fountain is a wide surface made up of jets distributed
in a predetermined pattern. The project manager will decide
how the jets are positioned depending on the desired visual effect.
Each individual jet will have a switch system that allows it to stop
and start at extremely fast, precise moments.
They can also be programmed independently to choreograph
the jet’s power, thus controlling the water’s height with frequency
inverters and solenoid valves.
Each nozzle has a precise working water pressure to reach 1.5
and 4.5 meters of height. Beneath these jets, there is a pump
system delivering a working pressure of 30-35 meters of water. It
will be calibrated to various measurements such as the location,
space size, manometric value and geometric drops in pressure.
The calculation of the flow from the pump to the jets must be
based on the type and diameter of the nozzle, the number of
nozzles and the height of water.
Each individual jet
will have a switch
system that allows
it to stop and start
at extremely fast,
precise moments
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
5
04
CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM
ALTERNATIVES
There are two major types of dry deck fountains. The first, which is more common, is the dry
deck fountain with niche. The second is a vessel fountain or floating pavement.
Dry deck fountain with niche
This kind of fountain is made of stainless steel or concrete niches that are installed under the
pavement. These niches have the capacity to store operational elements such as the switch
system, nozzle, lights, regulation valve, etc. With this kind of fountain, the pumps are located
in a separate technical room.
The water supply for this type of fountain is stored in a compensation tank. The amount of
water held in this tank is calculated by the sum of the flow of all the jets, ensuring that there
is enough water for each individual jet.
The filtration system consists of sand filters, a certain number of pumps per filter and valves
and pipes that control the flow of the water.
This system also includes a level sensor with an automatic pump that gauges and controls
the water level in the tank. It is a safety measure that maintains the ideal water level in the
system and helps prevent flooding and overflow.
This type of fountain is extremely strong and water is not stored directly beneath it. It can
support the weight of vehicles and its height can be adjusted if needed. It does require a
perimeter grill that drains the water around the fountain and returns it to the compensation
tank in the technical room.
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
6
xxx
SWITCH
2% SLOPE SYSTEM
GRID AROUND THE
FOUNTAIN
TO COLLECT
WATER
TO TANK
TO TANK
PIPE Ø
PIPE Ø PIPE Ø
PIPE Ø PIPE Ø
ORNAMENTAL
LEVEL
EFFECT
SENSOR
SUPPLY
E.V.
WATER
ORNAMENTAL MANIFOLD
VALVE + FILLING E.V.
ELECTRIC CABLING
VENTILATED AT 50RPM
ROOM MUST BE
Q P
COMPENSATION FILT. PUMP
TANK (Q m3/h; P m head)
Ø Ø Ø
Ø
FILTRATION
ASPIRATION
Ø
Ø
FILTER CLEANING
FILTRATION
IMPULSION
CL PH ASTER FILTER ELECTRICAL PANEL
(ØXXXmm) WIND CONTROL
AUTOANALISER
TANK TANK FREQUENCY INVERTERS FOR PUMPS SENSOR
DMX CONTROL
DOSING PUMPS
OVERFLOW TANK
EMPTYING TO SEWAGE
TO SEWAGE
P&ID of a Dry Deck Fountain with Niche
Floating pavement dry deck fountain
This dry deck fountain is similar to the first except water is stored directly beneath the jets in a
vessel. It would be a great choice for projects where limitations of space and weight are
a concern. The controlling elements like switches are stored at water level and the nozzle jets
directly onto the pavement. In this case, the pumps are located either in a separate technical
room or directly beneath the fountain, in the vessel.
The size of the system is dictated by the size of the surface. The depth of the vessel is
calculated accordingly and should have a depth of approximately 0.5 to 0.6 meters. This
corresponds to the volume of water that will be filtered into the jets and onwards to the
ornamental display.
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
7
Similar to the niche fountain, the floating pavement fountain has a filtration system. The
system uses sand filters, but the amount depends on the volume of the vessel. There is a
certain number of pumps per filter and valves and pipes that control the flow of the water.
This system also includes a level sensor with an automatic pump that gauges and controls
the water level in the tank. It is a safety measure that maintains the ideal water level in the
system and helps prevent flooding and overflow.
This system is ideal for areas where space is limited. This is because the pumps can be stored
in the vessel itself instead of a separate technical room. However, the vessel may require a
bit more height compared to the niche fountain.
xxx
2% SLOPE SWITCH SYSTEM 2% SLOPE
PAVEMENT
PROTECTION
IMPERMEABILIZATION
#PIPE
FITTING 1 12"
OVERFLOW
50cm #BRETURN
#CABLE INLET
JUNCTION BOX
# GLANDS PIPE Ø AND #GLANDS
VESSEL FLOOR LEVEL
EMPTYING DRAIN SENSOR
TO ROOM MUST BE
SEWAGE
VENTILATED AT
50RPM
Q P
# UNITS
FILTRATION
ELECTRIC CABLING
FILT. PUMP
(Q m3/h; P m head) Electric
Ø Ø Ø
WATER Valve
Ø
SUPPLY
FILTRATION
ASPIRATION
VALVE + FILLING E.V.
Ø
Ø
FILTER CLEANING
FILTRATION
IMPULSION
ASTER FILTER CL PH ELECTRICAL PANEL
(ØXXXmm) WIND CONTROL
TANK TANK
AUTOANALISER FREQUENCY INVERTERS FOR PUMPS SENSOR
DOSING PUMPS
DMX CONTROL
TO SEWAGE
P&ID of a Dry Deck Fountain Floating Pavement
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
8
WHAT EQUIPMENT DOES
05 A DRY DECK FOUNTAIN
REQUIRE?
5.1 Spear nozzle
The spear nozzle is the most versatile nozzle
available for this kind of project. The system delivers
streams of water to these vertical nozzle-type jets.
They have a Ø12 mm - Ø16 mm diameter and
a maximum height of 1 to 4 meters. These jets
guarantee safety and accuracy for people running
between the spurts of water or watching the display.
Spear Nozzle- AISI304 Stainless Steel
5.2 Switch systems
The chosen nozzle will require a switch system at-
tached to it. This part is what makes the fountain
dynamic, interactive and fun. It controls the
flow of each individual jet, switching it on and off
to correspond with the pre-programmed pattern.
There are two options here, the Switch S System
and the Switch L System. The L system includes
a niche which is ideally suited to the vessel foun-
tain system. They are connected to an independent
power supply, the output of which depends on the
number of switches in the system. Switch System L – Switch Niche
5.3 Pumping system
The system of pumps must be perfectly installed and
calibrated to ensure that the right amount of water
is entering the system. The pumps provide high pres-
sure, which guarantees precision. For vessel foun-
tains, the pump may be submersible and will there-
fore need to be adjusted for pressure.
The pump has a built-in prefilter that prevents dust
and microparticles from entering the system and
interrupting the jets. This is an extra precaution de-
signed to reduce the possibility of breakdowns. NB Pump
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
9
5.4 Dry deck fountain lighting
Alongside the dramatic hydraulics, lights can be used to great effect to enliven and trans-
form the fountain display. Each individual jet can be illuminated by a stand-alone light source.
This could be the LED DMX RGB+W or the RGB high-power submersible which has an IP-68
waterproof rating and an IK7 impact resistance rating. This light is crated from polished
stainless steel and special protective glass sources.
The power of these lights combined with their protective features mean they can illumi-
nate the entire height of the jet without fear of breaking. The LEDs are placed directly around
the nozzle which ensures that each jet can be lit independently from the others.
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
10
5.5 Complementary products
1. Level control sensor
The system includes a sensor that, as mentioned,
prevents overflowing or flooding the tank or ves-
sel system. It works as a safety measure to reduce
the risk of the system breaking down. The sensor
works directly with the level control unit so that ac-
tion can be taken if an excess of water is detected.
Level Control Sensors
2. A
nemometer (wind control)
The anemometer measures prevailing wind condi-
tions. It can either adjust the flow of jets depending
on the strength of the wind or shut them off entirely. It
calculates the best height of the jet according to wind
conditions to prevent unsuspecting passers-by from
getting wet.
The anemometer includes its own wind control unit.
Anemometer
WIND TYPE ORNAMENTAL FOUNTAIN BEHAVIOUR
Light wind conditions The fountain works normally
Strong wind conditions The height of the water jets its reduced to half
Very strong wind conditions The fountain stops working until wind conditions are better
Note: In order to reduce the height of the water, frequency inverters will need to be installed in the pumps.
3. Electrical valve
This is an electromechanical valve designed to
control the passage of water through the conduit or
pipe. It is located in the fountain fill system. The
valve is opened and closed by a solenoid coil.
Electrical valve
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
11
4. Syncronorm control and interactivity
This is where the magic happens. Syncronorn is a product that helps design and control the
pattern of lights, colors and sound and the way they interact. Furthermore, it offers the
potential to program different shows, features and lighting environments plus different
parameters, patterns and movements. The designer can adapt the show to requirements and
include synchronized music. The movements of the fountain can be set to automatically
follow the flow of the music.
5. Interactivity sensors
Dry deck fountains can be installed with sensors that respond to human pressure and
touch. These sensors, which sense when a person is playing among the jets, can respond in
a range of programmed ways. They can increase or reduce the pressure of the jets, turn
them off entirely or surprise the user and soak them in an instant! They can also be pro-
grammed to respond in a more choreographed pattern, depending on the fountain’s needs.
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
12
06 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
Equipment room
Large equipment used to control the fountain must be kept in an enclosed room near the
fountain. This equipment will include the individual controls, the filtration systems, the pumps,
control panels and electrical connections. The room must be wide and well-ventilated enough
to accommodate all this equipment.
Filtration and water treatment
It is extremely important that ornamental fountains provide the right hygiene safeguards to
prevent the spread of microorganisms in the water (e.g., Legionnaire’s disease). The water
will need to be stored for approximately five hours, so any assessments should take this into
account. The chemical product application system must be automated and effective enough
to keep the water clean for this amount of time. The following products make it possible to
ensure optimal water quality and freshness:
Aster Filter Controller pH / Redox
Construction recommendations
Well designed vessels have a minimum impact on the surrounding area for several reasons.
1. All cable and pipe exits and entrances will be concealed by special wall passes to ensure that the
vessels are watertight.
2. Visible trenches have to be reduced to a minimum. All the installations and components have
to be kept inside the basin, respecting the immediate environment during construction and
thereafter.
3. All installations with submersible pumps will go inside the vessel for each impulsion system and will
be hidden from view. It will only be accessible for maintenance and finished with a stain-
less-steel frame and ‘tramex’ grill cover.
4. To minimize impact, placing the electrical panels inside an existing technical room is recommended.
DRY DECK FOUNTAINS
13
"This information contains general recommendations
that must be taken into consideration on a case-by-
case basis. This information is not an instruction man-
ual and cannot be considered as such for any purpose.
Any implementation or installation to be made must
be made by a professional and under the appropriate
guidelines. In this regard, each user is responsible
for the application it makes of the information con-
tained herein. Fluidra will not be responsible for its
use. Consequently, under no circumstances will Flu-
idra be liable or responsible for any claim, damages
or loss that may arise as a consequence of the use of
this information".
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