Nitrogen Gas with Pre-action Sprinklers

Pre-action Sprinklers in commercial and industrial Fire Protection Systems (FPS) protect the property against damage that can be caused by leaks in the system.  A pre-action sprinkler system does NOT run water throughout the pipes at all times but rather runs a supervisory gas in place of water.  The air pressure maintains a pre-action valve that holds back water.  In case of a leak in the system, only air will be leaked, not water, saving the property from potential costly water damage.

A leak in a preaction FPS without an accompanying heat detection will cause a decrease in air pressure and trigger a notification alert for the FPS operator.  In a pre-action sprinkler system, water only flows to the sprinkler head when the heat detector reaches a pre-determined level.  At that point, the pre-action valve will open and allow the water to run to the sprinkler heads.

Pre-action FPS is particularly susceptible to corrosion because during testing or activation, residual water and moisture inevitably remains in the system.  This moisture enclosed in metal piping and exposed to oxygen from the supervisory compressed air creates an ideal environment for oxidation or corrosion, ultimately causing pinhole leaks and leading to costly damage to the entire pre-action FPS.

Nitrogen As A Supervisory Gas in Pre-Action FPS

A solution to combating and preventing oxidation and corrosion is to use Nitrogen as the supervisory gas in the pre-action FPS instead of compressed air.  Nitrogen is a clean, dry, inert gas that is often used for purging.  In the case of pre-action FPS, Nitrogen gas can safely and efficiently be used in place of compressed air.  Since N2 gas works to eliminate the presence of oxygen and absorb moisture, it can effectively alter the atmosphere to prevent corrosion from developing.

The N2-Blast™ Corrosion Inhibiting System from South-Tek Systems is designed for dry and pre-action FPS to prevent corrosion and reduce the potential for costly damages due to pinhole leaks.

Contact South-Tek Systems today to learn how the N2-Blast™ System can benefit your FPS: 888-526-6284.