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Visit the website >>What is Water Hammer or Hydraulic shock?
By Blacoh and Burt Process
Water Hammer is a momentary increase in pressure in a liquid handling system due to a sudden change in velocity and/or direction of the liquid flowing in the system.
Water hammer is sometimes referred to as hydraulic shock and is caused when flow velocity changes rapidly, creating an acoustic pressure wave that reverberates in the piping system and sounds like a hammer banging on the pipe. These pressure waves travel at the speed of sound which, in water, can be as fast as 4,700 ft/sec. Lower internal pressure fluctuations in a system will result in slower oscillation of the fluid and a less severe form of water hammer. Whenever fluid moves at or above 5 ft/sec, it's best to assume water hammer can occur and plan accordingly during the design phase.
The most common causes of water hammer are:
- Valve opening/closing quickly
- Pump start/stop
- Pump power failure
- Piping profile/direction change
- Column separation
In each case, there is a force created by mass and velocity. When the velocity changes rapidly, kinetic energy is converted to pressure energy with potentially disastrous results.
There are some other factors that can influence the intensity of the pressure wave:
- Entrained air
- Type of pipe
- System profile
- Liquid temperature
HOW DO BLACOH SURGE SUPPRESSORS WORK?
Hydraulic shock, or water hammer, occurs when a valve is quickly closed while the liquid is coming full force through the pipe. If a surge suppressor is properly charged, sized correctly, and placed upstream of the valve, the fluid flow is directed up into the surge suppressor which acts as a spring and absorbs the wave. This gives the flow a place to slow down, no pressure spike is created, and the energy reverses its direction, resulting in no component failure.
To avoid water hammer, you can use any of the following methods and equipment. The main idea is that you should either contain, prevent or transform the energy surge in your piping system.
- Slow the liquid velocity to under 5 ft/sec
- Use slow-closing valves such as gate valves
- Incorporate stronger pipes and braces
- Install relief valves
- Utilize a surge tank or standpipe. Note: in a standpipe, the air cannot be kept separate from the liquid, so it waterlogs and eventually loses its effectiveness.
- Bladder Surge Suppressors offer the best, most permanent, and lowest maintenance solutions to control flow surges and water hammer because it keeps the gas separate from the liquid.
If water hammer is left uncontrolled, there can be very serious consequences. Systems should be analyzed and issues addressed before problems occur. For complicated systems, calculations may be lengthy. Pipeline software can be used for analysis. For complicated systems, professional consultants should be contacted. Burt Process offers free technical consultations with our pump and piping system experts.
