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Dry Sprinklers
BY BRIAN O'CONNOR

Dry sprinklers are a type of sprinkler that are able to

extend into a cold space while holding the water back in
a space that can be maintained at temperatures where
freezing isn’t a concern. Although there are several other
methods for installing sprinkler systems in areas
subject to freezing, dry sprinklers allow a wet pipe
system to be installed while also being able to protect
ancillary areas that might be subject to freezing
temperatures. Common examples of where you might
see dry sprinklers installed include loading bays or
balconies that are exposed to the outside ambient
temperatures and refrigerated spaces like freezer
rooms.

Heat transfer basics

When thinking about how a dry sprinkler works, we need

to consider some heat transfer basics. First, heat always
moves from warm to cold and heat transfer occurs in
three different ways, conduction, convection and
radiation. Below is a brief description of each.

Conduction: Conduction is the transfer of energy within

a solid, liquid or gas. In terms of dry sprinklers, this is
when the cold air in the refrigerated space removes heat
from the sprinkler which then removes heat from the
piping. This transfer of heat from the sprinkler system
into the refrigerated space is what causes the risk of
water freezing within the sprinkler piping.

Convection: Convection is the transfer of energy

between a solid surface and a moving ^uid, such as air
and water. This comes into play with sprinkler systems
when sprinklers are installed outdoors or in other areas
where it can be both cold and windy. Windy conditions
increase the rate of heat transfer, meaning that the
sprinkler piping looses heat to the outside air more
quickly. This starts a chain reaction of heat transfer with
the outside air cooling the sprinkler pipe and water
inside the pipe located in the heated space loosing heat
to the cold sprinkler pipe . If the wind speed increases
so much that the sprinkler piping is losing heat faster
than the indoor ambient air can provide heat then there
is a risk of the water in the pipe freezing.

Radiation: Radiation is the exchange of energy through

electromagnetic waves. Think of this as the sun heating
up the interior of your car hotter than the outside air.
That extra heat comes from radiation. This doesn’t often
come into play when dealing with sprinkler systems, but
if the sprinklers are in an area heated by the sun during
the day, the risk of freezing may increase overnight
when the sun goes down.

How does a dry sprinkler work?

Dry sprinklers work by preventing water from being

within the part of the sprinkler piping that will be
exposed to cold temperatures. If you are familiar with
how a dry _re hydrant works, this is very similar to that.
Dry sprinklers include a portion of piping (often referred
to as the barrel) where the water will be sealed off from
until the heat element in the sprinkler operated and
releases air which in turn releases the seal, allowing
water to ^ow through the ori_ce of the sprinkler and
impact the de^ector to discharge on the _re.

Under certain ambient conditions, wet pipe systems

having dry sprinklers can freeze due to heat loss by
conduction. Therefore, due consideration should be
given to the amount of heat maintained in the heated
space, the length of the pipe in the heated space, the
temperatures anticipated in the non-heated space and
other relevant factors.

Installation requirements for dry sprinklers

Dry sprinklers must be long enough to avoid freezing the

water-_lled pipes due to conduction along the barrel. To
ensure the barrel of the dry sprinkler is long enough
NFPA 13 contains the following table in Chapter 15
(2022 edition) which gives the minimum exposed barrel
length based off of the temperature that the discharge
end of the sprinkler will be exposed to.

Dry sprinkler manufacturers have minimum required

lengths to ensure that the dry sprinkler is properly
installed and that the point of attachment to the wet
pipe sprinkler system will be properly protected against
condensation, freezing, and ice plugs. While dry
sprinklers are available in many different lengths for
various applications where used in conjunction with a
wet pipe sprinkler system, care should be taken to
ensure that the minimum required lengths are met
based on the manufacturer’s recommendations and the
expected exposed temperature. For example, in a
freezer application, where the branch line can be located
directly above the freezer, it might be necessary to
elevate the branch line to ensure that the minimum
distance is maintained between the cold region and the
point of connection to the wet pipe system. It is the
length of the barrel exposed to warm air that is
important, not the overall length of the dry barrel
sprinkler.

Ultimately sprinkler systems can be con_gured in a

number of different ways and it is the job of the
engineer/designer is to try and make it as e3cient as
possible. Sometimes this means using dry sprinklers to
prevent the water inside of the sprinkler piping from
freezing but this isn’t the only method available. Other
options include:

1. Dry pipe sprinkler systems,

2. Preaction sprinkler systems,
3. Heat tracing on sprinkler pipe,
4. Listed anti-freeze solution.

Whatever method you are using, it is important to

understand that there are options out there and that
each one of those options has speci_c design criteria
and unique installation requirements that need to be
followed to meet the indented objectives. Dry sprinklers
may be an effective way of achieving this for ancillary
spaces included in a wet pipe system. For more
information on the different types of sprinklers, sprinkler
systems and other methods for protecting your sprinkler
system from freezing check out the following blogs:

Options for Installing Sprinklers in Areas Subject to

Freezing
Types of Sprinkler Systems
Types of Sprinklers

Important Notice: Any opinion expressed in this column (blog, article) is

the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the o3cial
position of NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this piece is
neither intended, nor should it be relied upon, to provide professional
consultation or services.

TOPICS: Fire Protection Systems

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BRIAN O'CONNOR
Technical Services Engineer

READ MORE BY BRIAN O'CONNOR

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Khawaja Haris 7 months ago

K
All NFPA codes are available. Fell free for
discounted rate: haris4325949@gmail.com
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Chris Broughton 7 months ago

C
Great information in your post, loved it!
Reply 0 0

Brian o'connor 7 months ago

B
Glad you liked it, thanks again for
letting me use you image!
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