--- title: California Mall | Engineered Corrosion Solutions description: "ECS Case Study: California Mall. Drastic reduction in leaks on damaged thin wall piping of the 54 fire sprinkler systems 10 months after nitrogen inerting." image: https://www.ecscorrosion.com/hubfs/california-mall.png --- [![Engineered Corrosion Solutions logo](https://www.ecscorrosion.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/Logos/ECS_CorporateLogo_NOTAG_WHITE.png?width=311&name=ECS_CorporateLogo_NOTAG_WHITE.png)](https://www.ecscorrosion.com) [![Engineered Corrosion Solutions logo](https://www.ecscorrosion.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PRI_Programs_Registrar_Certified_ISO9001_WH.png?width=311&name=PRI_Programs_Registrar_Certified_ISO9001_WH.png)](https://www.ecscorrosion.com/hubfs/PRI_Programs_Registrar_Certified_ISO9001_WH.pdf) WPNI With an average of one corrosion-related leak every two weeks in 2014, this mall had a high risk of damaging tenant goods and interfering with business operations. WPNI: Wet Pipe Nitrogen Inerting ## Project Overview #### Project Type: Large, Multi Tenant Shopping Mall #### Location: California, USA #### Sprinkler Systems: 1,400,000 sq. ft. of coverage area 54 wet pipe risers, average size 1,000 - 1,500 gallons #### Nitrogen Introduced: September, 2016 ![Mulple%20Leak%20Repairs%20on%20a%20Single%20Branch%20Line](https://www.ecscorrosion.com/hubfs/Mulple%20Leak%20Repairs%20on%20a%20Single%20Branch%20Line.png) Multiple leak repairs on a single branch line # CASE STUDY: California Mall ### WPNI: Wet Pipe Nitrogen Inerting ![Interior of Sprinkler Pipe](https://www.ecscorrosion.com/hubfs/california-mall.png) #### **History and Background** **Specifics on subject building** - Multi Tenant Shopping Mall in California - 1,400,000 sq. ft. of fire sprinkler system coverage area - Eight (8) remote riser rooms containing a total of fifty‐four (54) wet pipe risers serving the building - Average system volume 1,000 ‐ 1,500 gallons **Corrosion related leak history** - Long history of fire sprinkler leak repair and pipe replacement - Partial replacement of sprinkler piping in select tenant spaces - During 2014 the facility averaged one corrosion related leak every two weeks which required repair - High risk liability due to fire sprinkler water leak damage to tenant goods and interference with mall operations **Fire sprinkler piping materials** - Schedule 10 black steel supply mains with schedule 7 black steel branch line piping - Fire sprinkler systems installed in early 1990’s The root cause for corrosion within the systems was oxygen attack of the black steel piping. The majority of leaks have occurred at the air/water interface in the branch line piping over the tenant spaces. The unique characteristics of mall operations result in frequent tenant space modifications and build‐outs. The high frequency of system draining events causes frequent introduction of fresh air into the system piping, resulting in extremely high localized corrosion rates.   ## Download Now ** ## Wet Pipe Nitrogen Inerting To mitigate the risk of oxygen corrosion in the wet pipe systems serving the mall, it was determined that the ECS Wet Pipe Nitrogen Inerting (WPNI) protocol be implemented to remove oxygen from the system piping and prevent its re‐entry. The mall opted not to replace any damaged piping, but rather implement the corrosion control strategy and replace pipe in the future on an as‐needed basis. The ECS equipment installed to facilitate the WPNI protocols includes the following: 1. A high capacity ECS Nitrogen Generator, gas storage tank, and 1¼” nitrogen supply line to provide a permanent, on demand source of nitrogen gas to each of the 8 sprinkler riser rooms 2. ECS Nitrogen Inerting Manifolds installed in each riser room to easily distribute nitrogen to each wet pipe sprinkler riser 3. ECS Protector Nitrogen Injection Ports on each of the wet pipe sprinkler risers 4. ECS Protector Nitrogen Inerting Vents on each of the wet pipe sprinkler systems ![ECS Nitrogen Inerting Vent](https://www.ecscorrosion.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PAV-WN%20QD%20SE%20Iso1.png?width=300&name=PAV-WN%20QD%20SE%20Iso1.png) **ECS Nitrogen Inerting Vent** ###### Results and Conclusions: After installation of the ECS WPNI equipment and the nitrogen supply line to each sprinkler riser room, ECS and the local fire sprinkler contractor began inerting the individual wet pipe fire sprinkler systems the week of September 11th, 2016. The inerting of all systems was completed by the end of the month. Approximately 10 months after the inerting was completed, the mall operations manager stated that there has been a drastic reduction in leaks on the damaged thin wall piping of the 54 fire sprinkler systems, despite no pipe replacement having been performed. The operations manager noted that the drastic reduction in fire sprinkler leaks has allowed mall maintenance personnel to spend time on other important facility. ![Pressurized Cylinders providing nitrogen gas](https://www.ecscorrosion.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2.png?width=300&name=2.png) **Pressurized Cylinders providing nitrogen gas** ### Get Your Project Started with ECS Today [![Learn More](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4773030/8fd9b9e0-ce92-479c-8f9a-9b9a810f2b39.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4773030/8fd9b9e0-ce92-479c-8f9a-9b9a810f2b39) ## Elevate Your Corrosion Expertise Get the latest fire protection research, compliance guides, and technical resources delivered to your inbox from the leaders in nitrogen inerting technology. 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