VALVE MAGAZINE Fall 2023

Water Hammer’s Impact on Valve Operation and Piping System Design The risks of water hammer to fluid systems can be catastrophic.

It’s a well-known fact that most liquids are inherently non-compressible, meaning no

this fluid carries inertia due to its mass, it abruptly halts the momentum, resulting in a rapid surge in pressure. Due to the non-elastic nature of the fluid, this excess energy cannot dissipate or be absorbed, leading to the creation of a pressure wave that travels through the pipe until it finds a way to dissipate the energy. This pressure spike is directly proportional to the volume, much like what would transpire if an unyielding object collided with a wall at high speed. For instance, a 50-kilometer-long pipe with a nominal diameter of 24 inches, filled with water, possesses an approximate mass of 16,000 tons. Any disruption to this mass’s momen

BY MARIA AGUIRRE

matter how much pressure is exerted on them, their volume remains unaltered. This characteristic proves invaluable in power transmission systems like hydraulic pistons. However, it can pose a risk of catastrophic accidents in piping sys tems. This article addresses this potential risk, that of water hammer. Water hammer, a phenomenon rooted in this non-com pressibility principle, occurs when a volume of fluid traveling through a pipe suddenly has its direction altered. Because

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A 700 mm cast iron water pipe that burst as a result of water hammer. Photo Credit: Cowan Dynamics