The Corrosion Testing Laboratories demonstrated that VpCI protection is up to seven times more effective.
Cortec Corporation supplies its Vapour phase Corrosion Inhibitors (VpCI) to Vapor Pipe Shield, a patented corrosion protection system from General Air Products released in 2023 that is employed in dry and pre-action fire sprinkler systems. New independent test results have now demonstrated the clear advantages of Vapor Pipe Shield, promising to reshape the approach to corrosion protection in fire sprinkler systems.
Dry pipe fire sprinkler systems are critical to fire protection strategies in areas subject to freezing temperatures and sensitive areas such as hospitals, museums, data centres and any facility where sprinkler pipes are left unfilled due to the prospect of water leaking on delicate artifacts and equipment. Preventing corrosion inside these systems is critical to maintaining reliability and reducing the risk of costly sprinkler pipe replacements, frequent repairs and failure.
The Vapour phase Corrosion Inhibitors developed by Cortec are extremely easy to apply and require little maintenance, protecting even in the presence of corrosive materials – when it is not possible to completely remove oxygen, water or chlorides. In addition, unlike a standalone nitrogen generator, the VpCI delivery system is not dependent on a source of electricity, protecting in the liquid phase, vapour phase and at the air-water interface, diffusing even into hard-to-reach areas like branch lines.
To compare the effectiveness of the VpCI used in Vapor Pipe Shield against compressed air (simulating untreated systems) and 98% nitrogen, General Air Products commissioned Corrosion Testing Laboratories to conduct five years of testing on the subject. The first year of test data was released in December 2024, indicating that VpCI protection was up to seven times more effective on carbon steel coupons partially submerged in water than the protection of 98% nitrogen.
Now, in the newly released version (2025 edition) of NFPA 13, the 120 C-Factor allowance has been extended to Vapour phase Corrosion Inhibitor delivery systems including Vapor Pipe Shield. This important change validates the effectiveness of Vapor Pipe Shield to inhibit corrosion in these systems and its rapid adoption by the fire protection industry.