How to Determine the Right Connection for Fire Sprinklers

 

Pipes and fittings for fire protection devices and equipment are typically made of carbon steel or ductile iron. When it comes to manufacturing high-quality and robust fire fighting systems, the best material for pipe fittings is stainless steel. However, the material is not the only factor that matters. To ensure the robustness, structural integrity, and proper working of a fire protection device, you also need to choose the right type of connection.

To connect fire pipes and fittings, four types of connections can be used, namely:

·        Grooved connection

·        Flange connection

·        Butt-weld connection

·        Threaded connection

 Butt-weld connections are used in fire sprinklers that are not internally coated with anti-corrosive coating. However, you need to make sure that the welding work must be done according to relevant guidelines, standards, and specifications.

If fire pipe material is hot-dip galvanized, a butt-weld connection is not recommended. While making connections in an automatic sprinkler system, you should never use butt-weld connections. Instead, you should opt for thread connections, flange connections, and grooved connections.

Thread connections are suitable for galvanized fire sprinkler pipes with a diameter less than 100mm. It is worth noticing that there is nothing specified about not using the threaded connection for automatic sprinkler systems in the case of pipe diameter more than 100mm.

If the pipe material in fire pipeline water supply systems is galvanized steel and the diameter is more than 100 mm, you can use groove connections or flange connections. One should keep in mind that the flange and groove connections should be used at a certain distance on the pipe with a diameter greater than 100 mm.

To make groove connection, it is recommended to use stainless steel grooved fittings as they are corrosion resistant, robust, and have higher strength and durability.

What You Should Know About Groove Connections

While making a groove connection, you need to consider the diameter and pressure of the groove joint for fire pipes. The groove depth and the groove connection must conform to the requirements specified for the groove-type pipe joint.

The maximum working pressure for a grooved pipe joint with a nominal diameter DN250 or less is 2.5MPa. On the other hand, for a grooved pipe joint with a nominal diameter of DN300 or more, the maximum working pressure is 1.6 MPa.

While making a groove connection, a professional connects fitting through a groove on the pipe end without damaging the internal wall of the pipeline. However, it is not possible in the case of welding or flange connections because they damage the internal coatings. Thus, with welding and flange connections, one will need to fix the internal damage.

 

Fire pipe groove connection is also known as clamp connection. This connection is the most recommended connection type for liquid and gas pipe systems, especially in fire sprinkler pipe systems.

The Impeccable Perks of Stainless Steel!!

 

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that stainless steel is a sort of steel that comes with an idiosyncratic ability to combat corrosion and stain. Needless to mention, there are plenty of applications such as grooved fittings, etc where stainless steel is extensively utilized. Remember, switching stainless steel grooved fittings for other metals will only lead to loss of quality because of the superiority of the stainless steel process. 

Without any denial, stainless steel items are notable because of their presence in almost all the various industrial sectors known to an individual’s mind. To your knowledge, some of these industries include-

·          automotive

·          medical 

·          aviation

·          food processing and dairy

·          oil 

·          gas

This commonness of stainless steel is featured to its unmatchable perks that provide SS an edge over metals in this competitive market. Let’s discuss a few of its perks. 

The Advantages

1.       Enormous Ranges of Grades: Where metals such as iron, copper, and others have varied grades, stainless steel is accessible in a humongous variety. In today’s market, there are various kinds of stainless steel to give out different purposes making it possible to select a steel type that suits your exact needs. Temperature resistance, surface strength, flexibility, and other factors may differ as the client asks for. The main categories of Stainless steel are- ferritic, martensitic, precipitation-hardening, and duplex alloys.

2.       Cost for Value: One of the biggest advantages of using stainless steel products (stainless steel grooved fittings) is the cost value. However, the products manufactured by stainless steel are initially on the expensive side but, they are worth buying because of the extended lifespan in comparison to other materials making a more economical choice. Furthermore, the casting process of SS is relatively faster and permits it to achieve extreme precision. For instance, if we compare, iron part casting will need more finishing touch whereas, in the case of SS, only a bit of finishing is required. 

3.       Durability: Stainless steel has an anti-corrosive property, which helps increase its durability and safeguard it from rust and from getting polluted. Undoubtedly, the durability of SS products is unbeatable and better than other metals. However, people do commit mistakes by rushing after the cheap iron parts, but in the longer investing in iron parts is not less than a big loss. However, this loss can be prevented by going with stainless steel.

 4.       Heat and fire-resistant: Stainless steel’s resistance to high temperature made it exceptionally popular in the chemical processing of oil and gas industry for different heat exchangers, boilers, valves, and other applications where a high level of energy is set-free. 

There is no denying; money is tight for different kinds of businesses including mechanical, factory-based, etc. These businesses typically rely on equipment to work precisely without breaking down. Their whole sole aim is to generate better products in an efficient, cost-effective manner while incurring more profits. The only thing that can help you achieve such goals is Stainless steel.