THE

CAUSE
OF
CORROSION
IN YOUR
FIRE
SPRINKLER
SYSTEM:
WHITE PAPER

THE CAUSE OF CORROSION IN

YOUR FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM
The main cause of corrosion in your fire sprinkler system is oxygen. So frequently,
people think the main factor of corrosion in piping is produced by microbiologically
influenced corrosion (MIC).
But the truth is, the solids that are created by the reaction of the oxygen on metal piping
produce conditions that help increase bacteria in the system.

Two direct results transpire

when oxygen dissolves in
water and come in touch with
the sprinkler piping:

1. It dissolves within the

water and leaves a void in
the pipe wall

In a standard 1000 gallon wet fire sprinkler system, the

oxygen that is confined will be completely absorbed.
After 30 days, the oxygen from captured air in the water will have delivered nearly 34 pounds of solids. These
solids manage to sink into low spots of the pipes and the
corrosion process will start. Any other time fresh oxygen
has entered into the fire sprinkler system, the process will
restart and regain momentum.

Its not all different when talking about dry and preaction
systems. Corrosion is much more
common in dry pipe systems, where there is various
amounts of moisture. Corrosion can be more proactive in these systems because of the
beads of moisture reacting with the iron in the pipe.
2. It quickly forms rust.

THERE ARE SIX AGENTS THAT WILL ACCELERATE THE RATE OF CORROSION:

1. Oxygen becomes available

- Oxygen will instantly cause metal loss when air dissolves in the water.

2. Solids in the piping

- Corrosion will become more aggressive, and pitting attack of the pipe wall will occur.

Solids provide an ideal environment for bacteria to colonize.

3. MIC in your system

- There are many mechanisms that come under the heading microbiologically influenced

corrosion, and they can accelerate the process.

4. Mechanical deposit removal

- A fresh new site for oxygen attack can occur when the pipe is removed to be

cleaned mechanically.

5. Draining and refilling the system

- When a wet fire sprinkler system is drained and filled with water, the oxygen level that
exists with the fresh supply of air will remove more metal from the pipe walls.

6. The low pH of condensate (dry and preaction systems)

- When the temperature alternates, compressed air in the system falls beneath the dew

point, and water will condense into small droplets that expedite corrosion.

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2014 Ryan FireProtection, Inc. Intellectual Property. All Rights Reserved.

CAUSE OF PIPE CORROSION

Bacteria can almost always be found in water and deposit samples that are collected for
evaluation from fire sprinkler systems. However, these results do not lessen the fact that
oxygen corrosion is the main reason for corrosive attack. Microbiologically influenced
corrosion (MIC) is common but is almost always a secondary cause of the corrosion that is
found.

NEED FOR A SOLUTION

Many fire protection companies attempt to control corrosion in your fire sprinkler systems
by removing bacteria, and not labeling oxygen as the cause. These companies are wasting
valuable time and money.
The most certain way to control corrosion is to attack the oxygen thats dissolved in the
water. This is valid for wet, dry and preaction fire protection systems. By doing so, you will
maintain the oxygen AND MIC by discarding solids that promote the increase of bacteria.

SOLUTION
Nitrogen does not contribute to corrosion in metal because it does not respond to metal or
water.
With raising the percentage of nitrogen in your systems piping, you can reduce the oxygen
level in the water itself. The oxygen then is not able to corrode any of the metal in the pipe.
This method works with both wet and dry pipe systems.
By adding nitrogen into piping, it displaces and consumes the oxygen. Thus, if water is
stripped of its dissolved gases (mostly oxygen and carbon dioxide) it is no longer corrosive.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE

POSSIBLE CORROSION IN YOUR SYSTEM?
Register Now for a consultation
with Ryan Fireprotection.

RESOURCES
Engineered Corrosion Solutions, LLC. (2009) Engineered Corrosion white paper on using nitrogen gas to remove corrosive gases
from fire sprinkler water [White paper]
Engineered Corrosion Solutions, LLC (2009) Engineered Corrosion white paper on microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is
not the primary cause of corrosion in fire sprinkler systems [White paper]

VISIT RYANFP.COM FOR MORE

2014 Ryan FireProtection, Inc. Intellectual Property. All Rights Reserved.