WATER HAMMER - DO WE NEED TO PROTECT AGAINST IT? HOW TO PREDICT IT AND PREVENT IT DAMAGING PIPELINES AND EQUIPMENT

摘要

Water hammer is a real phenomenon that can cause spectacular damage to pipes. The reasons for its low profile are that few people are aware of its widespread presence and problems have to be acute enough to notice readily. Perhaps more significant is the chronic effect of repeated pressure transients on pipes, leading to early failure of joints rather than failure of the pipes themselves. Damage to pipe supports, with possible collateral damage to other pipes on the same pipe racks or bridges, is usually a more significant worry than burst pipes. It is possible to rapidly assess if there is a risk of water hammer damage. Engineers should be aware of this risk and make proper use of modern techniques and software to ensure that water hammer problems are dealt with appropriately.