NACE Paper 05548-2015 PDF

Full title and description

St NACE Paper 05548-2015 — "Corrosion of Sprinkler Piping Under Compressed Nitrogen and Air Supervision". This is a technical conference paper presented at CORROSION 2015 (NACE International) that reports experimental testing of sprinkler piping pressurized with compressed air versus high-purity nitrogen and evaluates corrosion mechanisms, rates, and the projected effect on service life for typical sprinkler materials.

Abstract

This paper describes laboratory and long-term exposure testing that compared the internal corrosion of black steel and galvanized sprinkler piping when supervised with ordinary compressed air and when supervised with dry nitrogen produced by a nitrogen generator. Results show nitrogen supervision (high-purity, low-dew-point) greatly reduces oxygen-driven corrosion, changes the dominant corrosion mode, and can dramatically extend predicted service life for both black and galvanized steel in dry and pre-action systems. Key quantitative findings reported include substantial reductions in corrosion penetration rates (examples include ~64% reduction for black steel and up to ~94% reduction for galvanized pipe under high-purity nitrogen compared with compressed air), along with projected increases in practical service life estimates when nitrogen supervision is applied.

General information

• Status: Conference paper (technical report from CORROSION 2015); commonly listed as active/available in NACE/technical paper collections.
• Publication date: 2015 (presented at CORROSION 2015).
• Publisher: NACE International (publisher of the CORROSION conference proceedings in 2015).
• ICS / categories: Corrosion of metals; fire protection / sprinkler systems; materials testing and durability; corrosion control and mitigation. (Applicable technical categories: corrosion engineering, fire protection engineering, materials performance.)
• Edition / version: Paper reference: NACE Paper 05548-2015 (single 2015 conference publication).
• Number of pages: Approximately 15 pages (conference paper length / technical report format).

Scope

The paper investigates how supervisory gas composition and quality affect internal corrosion in dry and pre-action sprinkler piping. It covers controlled testing using a nitrogen generator to supply low-dew-point, high-purity nitrogen versus typical compressed air, evaluates corrosion product development and mechanisms (uniform vs localized/pitting), compares results for black steel and galvanized steel, and provides estimates of corrosion penetration rates and projected service-life implications for building fire protection systems. The work is aimed at informing corrosion mitigation strategies and system-specification decisions for owners, designers, and maintenance professionals.

Key topics and requirements

• Testing of sprinkler piping under compressed air and under high-purity nitrogen supervision.
• Comparison of corrosion mechanisms: uniform wall thinning versus localized pitting.
• Quantified corrosion penetration rate differences and estimated service-life improvements when using nitrogen.
• Material-specific behavior: differences between black steel and galvanized steel corrosion responses.
• Use and configuration of a nitrogen generator (inerting system) for continuous supervision of sprinkler piping.
• Implications for inspection, testing, and maintenance practices for dry and pre-action sprinkler systems (relevance to NFPA guidance on nitrogen use).

Typical use and users

Intended users include fire protection engineers, facility managers, sprinkler contractors, corrosion engineers, insurance technical staff, and researchers. The paper is used to support specifications for supervisory gas selection (air vs nitrogen), to justify installation of nitrogen-generation systems in dry/pre-action systems, and to inform risk assessments, life-cycle cost analyses, and inspection/test intervals. It is also useful for standards committees and AHJs evaluating the practical benefits of nitrogen supervision for corrosion control.

Related standards

Relevant standards and documents typically referenced alongside this paper include NFPA 13 (Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems) and NFPA 25 (Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems), which address design, testing and maintenance practices for dry and pre-action systems and now include considerations for nitrogen use. In addition, AMPP/NACE recommended practices and guidance on corrosion monitoring and mitigation are complementary resources for implementing findings (for example, guidance on corrosion assessment and mitigation measures for piping systems).

Keywords

sprinkler piping; corrosion; nitrogen inerting; compressed air; dry pipe; pre-action systems; black steel; galvanized steel; nitrogen generator; service life; NACE CORROSION 2015; corrosion mitigation.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: This is not a formal standards document but a technical conference paper (NACE Paper 05548-2015) reporting experimental research and results presented at the CORROSION 2015 conference. It is a technical reference rather than an enforceable code.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers experimental comparisons of internal corrosion in sprinkler piping charged with ordinary compressed air versus piping charged with high-purity, low-dew-point nitrogen from a nitrogen generator. The paper documents corrosion mechanisms, measured penetration rates, and projected effects on expected service life for black and galvanized steel.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Fire protection designers, contractors, facility owners, corrosion engineers, insurance loss-prevention engineers, and standards/committee members consult the paper to evaluate the technical evidence for adopting nitrogen supervision and to inform inspection and maintenance practices.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The paper is a record of experimental results from 2015. It remains a useful technical reference; however, users should check for subsequent studies, guidance updates (for example, NFPA and industry documents) and more recent research before making decisions. NFPA and other codes/guidance have continued to evolve since 2015 to acknowledge nitrogen use in certain systems.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is one paper in the CORROSION (NACE) 2015 conference proceedings and may be cited alongside other NACE/AMPP conference papers and technical reports on sprinkler system corrosion and nitrogen supervision. It is not part of a formal numbered standard series but is catalogued within NACE technical paper collections.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: sprinkler piping; corrosion; nitrogen; compressed air; dry pipe; pre-action; black steel; galvanized steel; nitrogen generator; service life; NACE CORROSION 2015.