Water Hammer

University of Tasmania
School of Engineering

Experimental Procedure Experimental Records

Aim: Measure transient pressure variation due to water hammer for a known initial flow speed During the lab, you will collect a number of transient pressure records following water hammer events.
These records will appear similar to those shown in Figure 2.
Procedure:
1. Measure: pipe section lengths, heights, diameter, thickness
2. Calibrate the pressure transducers by sequentially exposing each to atmospheric pressure and then
static head + atmospheric pressure
3. Measure steady state flow rate using V-notch weir
4. Acquire water hammer transient records using the LabView software

Apparatus
A basic sketch of the apparatus is shown in Figure 1. It consists of a pump drawing fluid from the lower
Figure 2: Typical transient pressure record following a water hammer event.
reservoir into a header tank of approximately constant head which is maintained by a large overflow
rate within the tank, such that the flow drawn through the pipeline is relatively small compared to the
overflow.
Analysis
Predict the pressure rise, wave speed and transient timing of the first positive pressure wave and first
Water flows through a copper pipe which is fitted with two pressure transducers located at approximately
suction wave. As the system is open to atmosphere the suction wave amplitude is restricted atmospheric
L/3 and 2L/3, where L is the distance from the reservoir to the outlet. At the downstream end a series
pressure + static head. Use the predictions to construct a theoretical transient pressure record and
of control valves are installed to control the flow and allow air to be bled from the system. The last
compare to experimental data.
valve on the pipeline is a rapid acting axial valve which is used to generate water hammer events. A
v-notch weir is positioned after the outlet to enable steady flow rates to be measured.
NOTE: The pressure transducer calibration is negative. i.e. A negative voltage peak corresponds to a
positive pressure peak.
Water Hammer Valve The wave speed for the pressure front in an elastic pipe is given by

Upstream Pressure Transducer

Downstream Pressure Transducer

And the amplitude of the pressure wave is given by
U d𝑃 = 𝜌 c d𝑢
Water Hammer Valve
l1
l2 Nomenclature
l3
z1 z2 ρ - Fluid density [kg m−3] K - Bulk Modulus [Pa]
E - Young’s Modulus D - Inner pipe diameter [m]
e - Pipe wall thickness [m] dU - Change in flow speed [m s−1]
c - Wave Speed [m s ]−1 dP - Pressure change due to water hammer [Pa]
Figure 1: A rough sketch of the apparatus indicating the major features.