WATER HAMMER

 Water hammer is the term used to express the resulting shock caused by the sudden
decrease in the motion (velocity) of a fluid.
 In a pipeline the time of travel of the pressure wave up and back (round trip) is given
by
length of pipe in m
Time (round trip) in s = 2 x celerity of pressure wave in m/s

2L
or T =
c
(1)

Rapid closure is meant any time ≤ 2L/c

 The increase in pressure caused by the sudden closing of a valve is calculated by

change in pressure.
Change in pressure = density x celerity x change in velocity

dp = ρcdV or dh = dp/ρg = cdV/g (2)

where dh is the change in pressure head.

 For rigid pipes, the velocity (celerity) of the pressure wave is

bulk modulus of fluid EB

c = density of fluid
=
ρ
(3)

 For non-rigid pipes the expression is

EB
c =
ρ[1  (E B /E)(d/t)]
(4)

where E = modulus of elasticity of pipe walls, N/m2

d = inner diameter of pipe in m
t = thickness of wall of pipe in m.

 Bulk Modulus of Elasticity (E)

The bulk modulus of elasticity (E) expresses the compressibility of a fluid. It is the
ratio of the change in unit pressure to the corresponding volume change per unit of
volume.
dp'
E = = Pa/(m3/m3) = Pa (or N/m2)
( dv/v)
(5)

Example 1.

Schm-SURYA DARMA 1
 Compare the velocities of the pressure waves traveling along a rigid pipe containing (a)
water at 16oC, (b) glycerin at 20oC and (c) oil of rl dn (relative density) 0.800. Use values
of bulk modulus for glycerin and oil of 3.34 x 109 and 1.38 x 109 (ten to the ninth power)
N/m2 respectively.

Solution:
bulk modulus of fluid EB
c= density of fluid
=
ρ

(a) For rigid pipes, the velocity (celerity) of the pressure wave of water at 16oC is

bulk modulus of water at 16 o C EB (water at 16 o C)

c(water at 16oC) = =
density of water at 16 o C ρ(water at 16 o C)

EB(water at 16oC) = 2.16 x 109 N/m2 = 2.16 x 109 (kg.m/s2)/m2 = 2.16 x 109 kg/m.s2,
ρ(water at 16oC) = 1000 kg/m3.

2.16 x 109 kg/m.s 2

c(water at 16oC) = = 1470 m/s
1000 kg/m3

(b) For rigid pipes, the velocity (celerity) of the pressure wave of glycerin at 20oC is

bulk modulus of glycerin at 20o C E B (glycerin at 20o C)

c(glycerin at 20oC) = =
density of glycerin at 20o C ρ(glycerin at 20o C)

EB(glycerin at 20oC) = 4.34 x 109 N/m2 = 4.34 x 109 (kg.m/s2)/m2 = 4.34 x 109 kg/m.s2,
ρ(glycerin at 20oC) = 1262 kg/m3.

4.34 x 109 kg/m.s 2

c(glycerin at 20oC) = = 1850 m/s
1262 kg/m3

(c) For rigid pipes, the velocity (celerity) of the pressure wave of oil is

bulk modulus of oil EB (oil)

c(oil) = density of oil
=
ρ(oil)

EB(oil) = 1.38 x 109 N/m2 = 1.38 x 109 (kg.m/s2)/m2 = 1.38 x 109 kg/m.s2,
ρ(oil) = 800 kg/m3.

1.38 x 109 kg/m.s 2

c(oil) = = 1310 m/s
800 kg/m3

Schm-SURYA DARMA 2
Example 2.
In Example (Problem) 1, had these liquids been flowing in a 0.3 m pipe at 1.2 m/s and
had the flow been stopped suddenly, what increase in pressure could be expected, assu-
ming the pipe to be rigid?

Solution:
The change (increase) in pressure = density x celerity x change in velocity = ρcdV.
dV = (1.2 – 0)m/s = 1.2 m/s

(a) Increase in pressure of water at 16oC = (1000 kg/m3)(1470 m/s)(1.2 m/s)

= 17.64 x 105 N/m2 = 17.64 bar

(b) Increase in pressure of glycerin at 20oC = (1262 kg/m3)(1850 m/s)(1.2 m/s)

= 28.0164 x 105 N/m2 = 28.0164 bar

(c) Increase in pressure of oil = (800 kg/m3)(1310 m/s)(1.2 m/s)

= 12.576 x 105 N/m2 = 12.576 bar

Example 3.
A 1.2 m steel pipe, 10 mm thick, modulus of elasticity for steel 207x10 9 N/m2, carries
water at 16oC at a velocity of 1.8 m/s. If the pipe line is 3000 m long and if a valve at the
discharge end is shut in 2.50 s, what increase in pressure?

Solution:
The celerity of the pressure wave for a non-rigid pipe is given by

EB
c=
ρ[1  (E B /E)(d/t)]

2.16x109 N/m 2
c=
1000 kg/m3 [1  (2.16x109 N/m 2 /207x109 N/m 2 )(1.2m/0.010m)]
c = 979.323 m/s

length of pipe in m
Time (round trip) in s = 2 x celerity of pressure wave in m/s
2L 2x3000m
T= = = 6.12 s
c 979.323 m/s

But the valve was closed in 2.5 s, this equivalent to a sudden closure.

Increase in pressure = ρc(dV) = 1000 kg/m3 x 979.323 m/s x (1.8 m/s) = 17.62x105 N/m2
= 17.62 bar.

Schm-SURYA DARMA 3