CT 5550 Pumping stations and
transport pipelines
Guest lecture on waterhammer
Anton Heinsbroek Ph.D. / Ivo Pothof
ivo.pothof@deltares.nl
Learning goals
Understand basic waterhammer phenomena
Key notions for preliminary risk assessment
Pipe period characteristic time
Wave speed
Joukowsky pressure
Mitigating measures to reduce transient pressures
Waterhammer problems in practice
Pipe burst during commissioning
tests of 150 km, 1.6 m Diam.
Pipe.
Control valve closed too early
Waterhammer problems in practice
Check valve closure caused
severe pipe motion
Waterhammer problems in practice
Movie from Youtube
waterhammer on the highway
Waterhammer on the highway
Water hammer
Pressurised systems
Exchange of kinetic and potential energy:
velocity changes
pressure changes
Changes are propagated through the pipeline system as high
speed waves (pressure surges, water hammer)
The water hammer phenomenon
H
v
The water hammer phenomenon
The water hammer phenomenon
The water hammer phenomenon
+ H
- H
Overpressure and negative pressure waves
Head and velocity are interrelated
Pressure waves travel trough system
11
Water hammer essentials
Equations
Assumptions
Wave propagation speed
characteristic time
Joukowsky pressure pulse
Water hammer equations
Momentum:
Continuity:
H
s
v
s
8 A/ P
g
c2
v
t
v v
H
t
w ith
c2
in w h ic h
1
K
H ( s, t )
1 dA
A dp
and
v ( s, t )
1 d s
s dp
Assumptions
Momentum
uniform velocity
velocity head is negligible
dv
v vx
dt
quasi-steady friction applies
Continuity
s
v
s
v
p
s
s
p
t
Wave speed
axial stress in pipe is zero => c1 = 1
Wave propagation speed
Pipe elasticity, Youngs modulus (E [Pa]), +
liquid bulk modulus (K [Pa]), +
density ( [kg/m3], diameter - wall thickness ratio (D/e [-]), -
c =
1
C1 D + 1
eE
K
15
Wave propagation speed in water
steel
cast iron
Ductile iron
concrete
Asbestos cement
GRP (woven)
GRP (fibre)
perspex
PVC
PVC (ductile)
HDPE
LDPE
16
Characteristic time
2L
c
Travel time of a pressure wave to return to the source of the
wave
c
+ H
v
pomp
klep
17
Water hammer first estimate
Joukowski:
c
v or:
g
c v
H
H
v
L
2L c
v- v v- v
Water hammer first estimate
Reflections:
closed end (Q)
open reservoir (H)
Water Hammer first estimate
Reflections on branches or diameter changes:
A2
+
A3
reflection:
A1
2 A1
Ai
i 1
transmission:
r 1
If A1 = A2 = A3:
r
2A
3A
1
3
1
3
1
1
2
3
Examples in WANDA
Valve closure (cases 1, 2)
Diameter change (cases 8, 9)
Mitigation of waterhammer
Prevention of unacceptable transient pressures
Reduce c
Reduce rate of v
Limit local pressures
Geometrical modifications
v
g
Reduce c
c =
1
D
+
K
eE
Other pipe material (E)
Increase free gas concentration (K) (tricky measure)
Thinner pipe wall (e), not realistic
Reduce rate of v - overview
Air vessel
Water tower
soft start/stop or frequency driven pumps
Slower valve manipulations
Flywheel on pumps
Air vessels
reduce rate of v
Pros
luchtuitlaat
compressor
Applicable at any pressure
discharge combination
Cons (depends on installation)
Air volume must be maintained (air
dissolves) with compressor, which
requires maintenance
Air vessels in side branches are
vulnerable for biological
contamination
"onbelucht"
Be- en
NOTE: check
valve
ontluchter
requirements
Fast closing check valve or
"belucht"
damped
check valve is required
Sufficient distance between air
vessel and suction level
Anchor forces
See also presentation on check
valves
Effect air vessel (1)
reduce rate of v
B1
H: 25.0000 (m)
A1
Windketel
A
E
D
P1
L: 100.000 (m)
B2
H: 0.00000 (m)
V1
B3
H: 25.0000 (m)
B4
H: 0.00000 (m)
J
I
P2
L: 100.000 (m)
V2
Effect air vessel (2)
reduce rate of v
praktijkgeval - w indketel
24
22
20
18
14
12
1.5
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
0
Pressure H-node D
5
Time (s)
Pressure H-node I
Fluid level AIRVvn A1
10
Fluid level (m)
Pressure (bar)
16
Air vessels
reduce rate of v
Diverse windketels
Water tower
reduce rate of v
Pro
simple and reliable (no mechanical
components required)
Relatively large storage capacity (e.g. filling
up the water tower before the break of a
world cup final soccer)
Pompuitval
Cons
Application is limited
> height of tower must exceed pump shut off
head
> esthetic objections against high tower
capacity of tower cannot be increased on an
increase of the water demand
odour problems (sewerage)
risk for water quality deterioration
maintenance is expensive
Dichtdraaien afsluiter
Water tower
reduce rate of v
Diverse buffertorens
By-pass line
reduce rate of v
Pro
No special requirements for pump check valves
Cons
reservoir at sufficient level for effective by-pass
by-pass delivery starts only after the system pressure has dropped to
the suction level
Application is limited to rel. short systems lengths
By-pass line
reduce rate of v
Installatie by-pass leidingen
Soft-starters / FO pumps
reduce rate of v
Pro
Beneficial during normal operation
Cons
After power failure these measures provide no protection
Slower valve manipulation
reduce rate of v
Pro
No expensive anti-surge devices required
Cons
Manipulations must be slower than several (> 5) pipe periods
Pipeline cannot be blocked or opened very quickly
Flywheel
reduce rate of v
werkdruk
Pro
Cheep construction
Gradual check valve closure
Limited maintenance
Pomp
zonder
vliegwiel
Cons
effect is limited to several km
Pump motor must be large enough to
start the flywheel
No effect if impeller blocks
Pump start costs more energy. Only
economically feasible for pumps that run
continuously on fixed speed
werkdruk
Pomp
met
vliegwiel
Limit pressures - Overview
Local effect. Hence less effective than previous measures
Suitable if inadmissible pressure are local as well (e.g. high
points in cooling water system)
Safety valve / Pressure Relief Valve (PRV)
Air valve / vent / vacuum breaker
Pressure relief valve
Limit pressures
gas onder overdruk
Veerbelaste
drukbegrenzer
Pro
membraan
gasgevulde drukbegrenzer
Pressure is limited locally
Cons
Periodic maintenance required
Relief lines required to dump ejected liquids
Risk of hammering PRV, if PRV capacity is not well sized
Pressure relief valve
Limit pressures
Installatie Drukontlastkleppen
Damper/accumulator
Gas pocket separated by a membrane
Pro
No direct contact with liquid
Gas pocket does not dissolve
Set pressure provides flexibility
Cons
Volume limited
Activated only after set pressure is exceeded
Air valve
Limit pressures
Pro
Limit pressure locally
Cons
All incoming air should be released afterwards
Correct installation and location are paramount for correct operation
Vulnerable for fouling, blocking. Hence periodic maintenance required
Installatie be/ontluchters
Feed tank
Pro
Simple construction
Self refilling
Cons
Limits negative pressure only
Risk of poor water quality in
feed tank
Geometrical modifications
Increase pipe diameter
Reduce average system pressure
Minimise number of bends, etc.
Reduce downstream boundary head
Exercise 8
Fast valve opening
H=+20 m
C = 500 m/s
H=+10 m
A
2.0 km
3.0 km
L = 1000 m
D1 = 300 mm; D2 = 424 mm
frictionless pipe, conveying water
Draw time graphs of head at 0 km, 2.5 km and 5 km (first 22 s)
Exercise 9
Derive Joukowskys Law from Newtons second law of motion. You
may assume the wave speed equals c.
