New NFPA Air Vent Requirement

Posted by Experts in Nitrogen Generators and Automatic Air Vents on Jun 29, 2015 4:32:56 AM

NFPA Recognizes Importance of a sprinkler system air vent in Wet Pipe Systems

Engineered Corrosion Solutions has long been a pioneer in the use of automatic air vents for wet pipe fire sprinkler systems - developing and improving upon the first sprinkler system air vent, specifically designed for use in fire sprinkler systems. The 2016 Edition of NFPA 13 - The Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems - will require a means of venting all new wet pipe sprinkler systems.

In addition to providing a cost-effective corrosion control solution, an automatic vent installed on a wet pipe fire sprinkler system will also decrease water delivery time and reduce false water flow alarms.

The specific language in the new NFPA 13 is as follows:

7.1.5  Air Venting. A single air vent with a connection conforming to 8.16.6 shall be provided on each wet pipe system utilizing metallic pipe.
7.1.5.1  Venting from multiple points on each system shall not be required.

8.16.6  Air Venting. The vent required by 7.1.5 shall be located near a high point in the system to allow air to be removed from that portion of the system by one of the following methods:

(1) Manual valve, minimum 1/2" size
(2) Automatic air vent
(3) Other approved means

Adding a manual or automatic vent to a wet pipe sprinkler system is the most cost-effective method for reducing corrosion activity and thereby reducing the amount of debris and corrosion by-product present in the system. Further, including an automatic vent eliminates the possibility of human error should the manual vent not be used properly during system filling. A single vent will not eliminate corrosion completely, but the relationship between corrosion and volume of trapped oxygen in a sprinkler system is linear: when you eliminate 50% of the trapped oxygen in a system, you will reduce corrosion activity by 50%.

 

ECS Offers Multiple Corrosion Solutions for Wet Pipe Sprinkler Systems

Engineered Corrosion Solutions offers the ECS Ejector Automatic Air Vent, which is FM approved for use in fire sprinkler systems. The patented redundant float valve design is not required to be plumbed to drain and allows for passage of small amounts of water through the primary float valve, which is very common with system pressure fluctuations, without discharging water to the protected area below or rendering the entire device inoperable with a one-time use water and gas shut off valve like alternative products.

If your system demands a level of corrosion protection beyond air venting then Wet Pipe Nitrogen Inerting (WPNI) is a simple, cost-effective solution. It is the only corrosion control method that completely eliminates oxygen from wet pipe sprinkler systems with 5 years of data validating the successful approach.

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