- Home
- Fire Protection
- Products
- Dry-Flo®
Resources
Dry-Flo®
Dry-Flo® is a patented, DNV-certified dry deluge testing system that verifies firewater system performance using low-pressure air and sensors, providing audit-ready proof without flowing water.
Overview
Dry deluge testing without flowing firewater is now possible with Dry-Flo®: Paradigm’s patented, digital compliance verification technology for water-based fire protection and deluge systems. Dry-Flo® uses controlled low-pressure air, strategically placed sensors and proprietary software to test, map and record system performance while the deluge system remains live and fully operational. It delivers real-time, audit-ready evidence to support compliance verification and helps operators identify restrictions or underperformance before they becomesafety-critical failures.
Applications
Dry-Flo® is used for commissioning, baseline performance validation and ongoing ITM (inspection, testing and maintenance) where wet testing is disruptive, risky or restricted. Typical applications include:
- Offshore & marine: offshore production, FPSO/FLNG, and other assets needing NFPA/IMO-aligned evidence without seawater discharge or production interruption.
- Onshore oil & gas / petrochemical: refineries, LNG, process plants—reduce wastewater handling and corrosion-driven maintenance.
- Infrastructure & transport: tunnels and large projects where wet testing causes access issues, visibility hazards and schedule delays.
Sensitive facilities: data centers, pharma, power and other sites where water ingress risks equipment damage or contamination.
Features & Benefits
Dry-Flo® combines waterless deluge performance testing with digital inspection and reporting to reduce operational and integrity risk:
- Waterless, online testing: no firewater saturation, no bagging-off, minimal disruption and no wastewater disposal.
- Real-time diagnostics: live graphical/numerical feedback to pinpoint restrictions in pipes and nozzles and guide targeted remediation.
- Empirical, audit-ready evidence: traceable records to support compliance verification; DNV-qualified technology enabling substitution of wet tests for up to a notional 10-year interval (subject to asset/authority review).
Proven project impact: demonstrated major schedule and water savings on large tunnel commissioning programs.
Dry-Flo® is used for commissioning, baseline performance validation and ongoing ITM (inspection, testing and maintenance) where wet testing is disruptive, risky or restricted. Typical applications include:
- Offshore & marine: offshore production, FPSO/FLNG, and other assets needing NFPA/IMO-aligned evidence without seawater discharge or production interruption.
- Onshore oil & gas / petrochemical: refineries, LNG, process plants—reduce wastewater handling and corrosion-driven maintenance.
- Infrastructure & transport: tunnels and large projects where wet testing causes access issues, visibility hazards and schedule delays.
- Sensitive facilities: data centers, pharma, power and other sites where water ingress risks equipment damage or contamination.
Dry-Flo®, a DNV
certified technology
Our DNV-certified Dry-Flo® technology allows us to verify that deluge systems are effectively managed according to the highest industry standards. With Dry-Flo®, we can conduct waterless performance verification, providing essential empirical evidence such as flow and pressure to ensure all performance criteria are met.
FAQ
What is Dry-Flo waterless deluge system testing?
Dry-Flo® is an advanced testing and inspection method that enables water- and foam-based fire protection systems to be evaluated safely and efficiently, without system discharge. It uses controlled low-pressure air and strategically placed sensors to capture a repeatable pneumatic signature of your deluge system. This data can be compared year-on-year to identify degradation, restrictions, or anomalies. The result is digital reporting, targeted inspections, and ongoing condition monitoring, while the system remains live.
If you’d like to see how Dry-Flo fits your asset, request a demo or screening call.
Frequently Can Dry-Flo replace annual wet deluge testing?
Dry-Flo is a DNV-certified technology qualified as a substitute for traditional wet testing for a defined interval. It can significantly reduce the frequency of disruptive wet tests, but it does not remove the requirement altogether. The methodology begins with a validated baseline, typically a wet test followed by a Dry-Flo test. Subsequent Dry-Flo testing is then used to monitor system performance and detect changes over time. Under DNV qualification, Dry-Flo may be used in place of wet testing for a notional interval of up to 10 years, meaning a wet test is still required at least once every 10 years to maintain compliance.
How does Dry-Flo detect blocked nozzles or restrictions?
Dry-Flo detects restrictions by measuring how system pressures behave versus a known baseline and by identifying changes in friction/flow behaviour across sections and nozzles. It can pinpoint where issues sit (pipe section vs. nozzle inlet/filter) without “pushing” debris through the system like a wet test might. If a deviation is found, targeted follow-up (e.g., borescope inspection at the identified location) can confirm the obstruction and guide remediation. Want a quick assessment plan? Talk to an engineer.
Does Dry-Flo meet NFPA 25 requirements?
Dry-Flo supports NFPA-aligned verification by providing recordable evidence of system performance trends, while visual inspection still covers nozzle orientation, damage, and external obstructions. In practice, the last verified wet test is used as the performance baseline, then Dry-Flo confirms the system is still receiving the intended supply to the nozzles; visual inspection confirms correct positioning and that discharge patterns won’t be obstructed. This combination aligns with NFPA expectations where full discharge is impractical or hazardous. Book a short workshop to align Dry-Flo with your NFPA program.
Will Dry-Flo reduce corrosion and contaminated water discharge?
Yes, Dry-Flo reduces repeated seawater/freshwater cycling in deluge pipework because it avoids routine wet discharges for testing. Frequent wet testing can accelerate corrosion and disturb debris, whereas Dry-Flo keeps corrosion drivers lower and helps identify internal debris or developing restrictions early, so you can intervene surgically instead of flushing the whole network. This also reduces operational disruption and the risk of water ingress into sensitive areas during testing. If sustainability and uptime matter, request a budgetary quote and test plan.
Contact Paradigm
Do you wish to discuss a project, have a technical product application question or need to know more about a product or service? Leave us your contact details and an expert from our team will be in touch with you shortly.
Paradigm Group BV is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, and we’ll only use your personal information to administer your account and to provide the products and services you requested from us. From time to time, we would like to contact you about our products and services, as well as other content that may be of interest to you. You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit button, you consent to allow Paradigm Group BV to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.