AGF Manufacturing recently stated that a patent for their Purge & Vent valve was granted. The patent covers the company’s PURGENVENT sprinkler air vent product line, which will reduce corrosion in wet pipe fire sprinkler systems by releasing the trapped air.
The engineering team designed the PURGENVENT product line to be a flexible solution to fulfill new NFPA 13 requirements. The new code requires that all wet fire sprinkler systems with metallic pipe include an air vent near the high point of the system to release trapped air, thus reducing pipe corrosion.
The main features of the PURGENVENT Model 7900 automatic air venting valve is its integral isolation valve, barrel strainer, purge valve with a conical air release valve, purposely designed to prevent water discharge. The valve can speed up the system filling process, act as a vacuum break to expedite draining for service and allows easy access for strainer flushing to fulfill NFPA 25 requirements.
Model 7950ILV includes an expansion chamber to aid in the separation of air and water as the sprinkler pipe fills. The expansion chamber has an increased diameter that allows the water to sink to the bottom and air to rise into the high point and exit through the air scoop to be vented through the air release valve. As the water leaves the chamber, the smaller diameter forces the air back, where it rises through the patented quick vent channel in the air scoop.
Image credit: AGF Manufacturing