Nitrogen Generators for Dry Sprinkler Systems | ECS Guide

The primary cause of corrosion in all fire sprinkler systems is oxygen.

Whenever oxygen, liquid water and steel are in close contact, a chemical reaction takes place which causes the iron to bond with oxygen, creating iron-oxide. If you have experience with fire sprinkler systems you know that all fire sprinkler systems – even dry and pre-action – contain all three elements necessary for corrosion to occur.

The chemical reaction needed for oxygen corrosion to occur involves an electron donor (steel sprinkler pipe), an electron acceptor (oxygen), and an electrolyte (water). When raw iron ore is transformed into fire sprinkler pipe it is taken from a low energy state to a high energy state by adding an electron.

At the high energy state the steel is less stable then it was previously. The laws of nature dictate that all energy moves towards a lower energy state. Therefore, the steel is seeking an opportunity to give up an electron and return to a lower energy state. When the steel sprinkler pipe is put in close proximity of liquid water and oxygen this reaction occurs – and corrosion takes place.

Myth #1 – MIC (Microbiological Influenced Corrosion) is the primary cause of leaks in fire sprinkler systems.

Bacteria are always present, but oxygen is the primary cause of corrosion in fire sprinkler systems.1 (“Corrosion and Corrosion Mitigation in Fire Protection Systems” by Paul Su and David Fuller, FM Global Technical Report – July 2014)

Myth #2 – Bad Water causes fire sprinkler system leaks.

Almost all fire supply water comes from fresh, clean municipal water supplies that are not chemically corrosive within the temperatures and pressures to which a fire sprinkler system would be exposed.

Myth #3 – Material Defective Sprinkler Pipe causes leaks, particularly at the weld seam.

Pipe materials used today meet or exceed ASTM requirements incorporated in NFPA 13. Root cause analysis very rarely identifies material defect as the cause of failure.

Myth #4 – Galvanized pipe provides better internal corrosion protection than black steel pipe.

All systems, even dry and pre-action, will trap water. When a galvanized surface is subject to persistent moisture, such as an accumulation of water, it will detach from the base metal and leave the steel exposed. Once the steel is exposed all of the oxygen available to react will preferentially corrode the exposed steel resulting in an accelerated leak.

Myth #5 – Sprinkler systems with frequent leaks must be completely replaced.

Oxygen corrosion in fire sprinkler systems requires that oxygen, liquid water and steel pipe be in close proximity; corrosion is highly localized at air/water interfaces. On average, only 20% of system piping shows significant signs of corrosion.

Using a nitrogen dry sprinkler system as the source of supervisory gas in a dry pipe or pre-action fire sprinkler system will eliminate corrosion due to the lack of oxygen to support the corrosion reaction. The use of nitrogen as a supervisory gas has been approved by NFPA 13 (Section 7.2.6.1) and FM Global Data Sheet 2-1: Corrosion in Automatic Sprinkler Systems (Section 3.2, April 2018).

An economical way of providing a reliable source of nitrogen is with the use of a nitrogen generator. A nitrogen generator makes 98% nitrogen by taking compressed air that is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and other trace gases and separating it. ECS nitrogen generators achieve this by using membrane separation technology.

Nitrogen membrane separation diagram

MEMBRANE SEPARATION TECHNOLOGY

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Fill and Purge Breathing Advanced Corrosion Solutions

FILL AND PURGE BREATHING

ECS accomplishes the goal of removing oxygen from dry pipe sprinkler systems using fill and purge breathing, a patented pressure cycling process. ...

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Corrosion Management Equipment and Nitrogen Generation System

CORROSION MANAGEMENT PLAN

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ECS nitrogen generators are designed specifically for fire protection systems to meet the growing industry need for corrosion management. Our innovations and patented technologies provide a permanent solution to mitigate corrosion in dry-pipe and pre-action fire sprinkler systems. The Nitrogen Generators for fire protection from ECS include a fire protection air compressor, air filtration equipment, and nitrogen membranes required to help the generator operating efficiently.

Small to medium projects can generally be supplied with a pre-engineered nitrogen generator that includes an integral air compressor (PGEN-3/5/10/20). Projects with a larger cumulative sprinkler system capacity should be supplied with an engineered stand-alone nitrogen generator paired with a separate air compressor or house air (PGEN-30/40/50/60).

Capacity – Up to 2,000 gallons of sprinkler volume for wall mounts and 3,200 gallons for skid mounts.

Storage – Wall mount generators do not require any floor space. If your project is too big for a wall mount generator, the ECS skid mount generator (PGEN-20) is a compact, pre-engineered solution.

Optimal project types – These generators are a great fit for many small to medium projects. Whether the project consists of a small data center or converting an assisted living facility anti-freeze system to a dry system, the wall-mount series has demonstrated exceptional performance while requiring minimal installation time and space.

PGEN-5 Nitrogen Dry Sprinkler System and Fire Sprinkler Corrosion

PGEN-3 / PGEN-5

Features

Up to 675/950 gallons total sprinkler system capacity
FM Approved
CE Certified
UL 508A Listed Industrial Control Panel
Integrated oil-less air compressor
Wall-mount ready
Air bypass and leak monitoring alarm signals included
Equipped with multiple monitoring outputs
Specifications
Nitrogen Purity: 98%+
Electrical: 120VAC, 6 amps
Dimensions: 36.5” (H) x 24.5” (W) x 9.25” (D)

PGEN-10 Fire Sprinkler Corrosion and Nitrogen Generator

PGEN-10

Features

Up to 2,000 gallons total sprinkler system capacity
FM Approved
CE Certified
UL 508A Listed Industrial Control Panel
Integrated oil-less air compressor
Wall-mount ready
Air bypass and leak monitoring alarm signals included
Equipped with multiple monitoring outputs
Specifications
Nitrogen Purity: 98%+
Electrical: 120VAC, 24amps
Dimensions: 36.5” (H) x 28.5” (W) x 11.5” (D)

PGEN-20 Nitrogen Generator and Fire Sprinkler System

PGEN-20

Features

Up to 3,200 gallons total sprinkler system capacity
FM Approved
CE Certified
UL 508A Listed Industrial Control Panel
Integrated oil-less air compressor w/ air receiver tank
All equipment skid-mounted
Air bypass and leak monitoring alarm signals included
Equipped with multiple monitoring outputs
Specifications
Nitrogen Purity: 98%+
Electrical: 120VAC, 2 amps (generator) 208/480VAC, 3 phase (compressor)
Dimensions: 57” (H) x 32” (W) x 40” (D)

PGEN-30 / PGEN-40

Features

Up to 6,500 / 11,000 gallons total sprinkler system capacity
FM Approved
CE Certified
UL 508A Listed Industrial Control Panel
Paired with 5 or 7.5 hp oil lubricated air compressor
Stand-alone cabinet
Air bypass and leak monitoring alarm signals included
Equipped with multiple monitoring outputs
Specifications
Nitrogen Purity: 98%+
Electrical: 120VAC, 2 amps
Dimensions: 52.5” (H) x 24.5” (W) x 8.5” (D)

PGEN-50 Sprinkler System Vent

PGEN-50 / PGEN-60

Features

Up to 18,500/22,500 gallons total sprinkler system capacity
FM Approved
CE Certified
UL 508A Listed Industrial Control Panel
Paired with 7.5 or 10 hp oil lubricated air compressor
Stand-alone cabinet
Air bypass and leak monitoring alarm signals included
Equipped with multiple monitoring outputs
Specifications
Nitrogen Purity: 98%+
Electrical: 120VAC, 2 amps
Dimensions: 76” (H) x 24.5” (W) x 12.5” (D)

A nitrogen generator system for dry pipe and pre-action fire sprinkler systems is not complete without a venting device.

The primary function of a dry system vent is to allow removal of corrosive oxygen from the fire sprinkler system. Without a vent, the nitrogen generator will only provide high purity nitrogen gas as the system depressurizes through natural system leakage, allowing the oxygen trapped inside to continue to corrode for 90 to 120 days before being consumed. By comparison, a fire sprinkler system with a nitrogen generator and a vent will completely remove oxygen in 14 days or less, offering a significant benefit in corrosion control.

We offer two different models of dry system vents to remove oxygen from the fire sprinkler system. The ECS Protector Dry Vent (PAV-D) offers a lower upfront cost and does not require any electrical connections. The ECS Protector Dry SMART Vent (PSV-D) offers more functionality and automation, closing automatically in 14 days once the sprinkler system reaches the desired concentration. Both vents are installed at the fire sprinkler riser and facilitate the fill and purge breathing process.

Learn more about the ECS Oxygen Removal Vent (PAV-D) in our product demo video:

Protector Dry Vent (PAV-D) and Fire Sprinkler Corrosion

Protector Dry Vent (PAV-D)

Features

Installed at fire sprinkler riser, no remote installation required
Facilitates patented “fill and purge” breathing process
Sprinkler system reaches 98% nitrogen within two (2) weeks
Pressure regulator prevents system depressurization
Float valve prevents water discharge
Requires no plumbing to drain
No electric required

Protector Dry SMART Vent (PSV-D) and Nitrogen Generator for Fire Protection

Protector Dry SMART Vent (PSV-D)

Features

Installed at fire sprinkler riser, no remote installation required
Facilitates patented “fill and purge” breathing process
Automatically closes once 98% nitrogen has been reached
Pressure regulator prevents system depressurization
Float valve prevents water discharge
Requires no plumbing to drain Includes control box enclosure, requires 120V power supply

ECS sells directly to fire sprinkler contractors

We do not sell equipment through traditional fire sprinkler distribution channels. This means that our project engineers can work alongside your teams to provide system design and product selection assistance for every project.

ECS nitrogen generators are the simplest, most compact solutions on the market

ECS generators are quick to install, operate and maintain. We do not require nitrogen storage tanks or air dryers. Our wall mount nitrogen generator series requires no floor space and can serve up to 2,000 gallons of total system volume while meeting the NFPA 13 fill requirement for up to 1,120 gallons.

Our vents can be installed at the riser

They are not required to be located at the end of the dry or preaction system. This saves time and money when installing and maintaining the system. No longer will you be required to coordinate power to the end of the system for an electronic vent or run tubing from the end of the system to the valve room for a gas analyzer. With ECS equipment everything is installed in the riser room.

ECS has the industry best lead times, hands down

We guarantee that all orders are processed and shipped within 72 hours of receipt of an order. There is no need to go through traditional fire sprinkler distribution channels.

ECS offers support and training for new dry and wet pipe fire sprinkler system installations

ECS engineers are on call 24/7/365 to provide technical assistance, trouble-shooting and commissioning/start-up support. Additional corrosion education from ECS includes:

Contractor field office training
Joint calls with fire sprinkler contractor clients
ECS University at the ECS St. Louis headquarters with classroom and hands on sessions

Step 1 Contact Us

Talk to an ECS engineer to get help and answer any questions you have about corrosion, our products and services, and pricing.

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Step 2 Get Your Corrosion Product Quickly

We’ll educate you on our products and help you find the right one for the job. From there, you can get your product shipped within 72 hours.

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