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Procedia Engineering 127 (2015) 1158 – 1164

International Conference on Computational Heat and Mass Transfer-2015

Fluid transients and wave propagation in pressurized conduits due to

valve closure
Ruben Nerella, E.Venkata Rathnam*
a
Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, 506004, India

Abstract

Transient analysis of the pipe flow is often more important than the analysis of the steady state operating conditions that
engineers normally use to withstand the additional loads resulting from instantaneous rapid valve closures. The flow rate and
fluid pressures in the system may change from significantly high to an extremely low magnitude after some time interval of valve
closure. These types of unsteady flows are frequently encountered in sudden closing of upstream valve of a turbine in
hydroelectric power station. The governing equations of unsteady flows in closed conduits are partial differential equations of
hyperbolic type. One simple numerical solution technique available in the literature is the method of characteristics (MOC). In
the current paper, the MOC model is explained through one case study of valve closure. One bench mark problem of reservoir on
upstream end and a valve on the downstream of pipeline end is demonstrated in this paper. Fluid pressure and flow rate variations
in pipeline with respect to time after the valve closure are arrived from MOC model. It is observed that pressure head increased
after development of first pressure wave which is due to instantaneous closure of the valve at the downstream end of the pipe.
The pressure head and flow rates are not dampened but they were found to be oscillating by increasing and decreasing in the total
simulation time which may be due to wave propagation time and consideration of series pipe of different diameters in the current
study.
© 2015 The
© 2015 TheAuthors.
Authors.Published
Publishedbyby Elsevier
Elsevier B.V.
Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of ICCHMT – 2015.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of ICCHMT – 2015
Keywords:Fluid transients, valveclosure, numerical simulation,method of characteristics,wave speed, boundary conditions.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: + 91 8332969246; fax: + 91 870 2459547.

E-mail address: evr@nitw.ac.in

1877-7058 © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of ICCHMT – 2015
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2015.11.454
 Ruben Nerella and E.Venkata Rathnam / Procedia Engineering 127 (2015) 1158 – 1164 1159

1. Introduction

Hydraulic transient analysis plays a very important role in the design of pressurized pipe systems. It is also
equally important in the operation stage of an existing system for the diagnosis of malfunction problems or causes of
pipe bursts [1]. Transients can be caused due to sudden valve opening or and closing of flow to the turbines. The
basic unsteady flow equations in the pipeline due to closing of the valve near the turbine are hyperbolic type partial
differential equations (PDEs).The following section deals with the research works on different solution techniques
available for PDEs.
Wylie and Streeter [2] developed a numerical model by using a constant value of turbulent friction factor. One
method of solution exist and is called the method of characteristics(MOC) which converts the non-linear, hyperbolic
partial differential equations into a straight forward ordinary differential equations. The finite difference approach of
the ordinary differential equations can be easily implemented in computer programming. The physical flow system
can be easily demonstrated with the MOC approach which is essentially describing the physical pressure wave
propagation as characteristic directions in the time-space plane. Goldberg and Wylie [3] used MOC technique to
model a variety of wave propagation phenomena. They mentioned that MOC based methods are relatively easy to
implement. A fixed rectangular grid has been chosen in the time-distance domain in order to attain numerical
stability. Pezzinga [4] used a quasi – 2D model to compare the dispersion model with experimental as well as with
conventional 1DModel. Transients were generated by the operation of a ball valve in a reservoir-pipe system to get
experimental results. The result shows that 2D models require higher computation time than for 1D model.
Izquierdo and Iglesias [5] developed a computer program called DYAGATES and is used for solving simple pump-
pipeline system. Their computer code consists of simple generalized boundary conditions. Izquierdo and Iglesias [6]
improved the program with a unified algorithm called ARhIETE which reduces the computer time and code
compilation. Bergantet al. [7] made an attempt to review the various research works since late 19thcentury. A
comprehensive survey of laboratory tests and field measurements were given in their review. The pressure
fluctuations in the system can also be captured as pressure signals which in turn can be assessed by most powerful
tool called wavelet analysis [8]. Zhao and Ghidaoui [9] used a new approach called Finite Volume (FV) Godunov –
type scheme which was used earlier for gas dynamics and open channel flows. This schemes ability was compared
with Conventional MOC for a case of a reservoir-pipe-valve system. The second-order Godunov- scheme has been
proved to be simple, and takes less CPU. This can be implemented to Courant number less than or equal to one.
The purpose of the current paper is to describe the governing equations of fluid transients in the pressurized
pipes and to develop a model for reservoir-pipe-valve system with the required boundary conditions. The model
assumes the flow is one-dimensional and the conservation equations are hyperbolic PDEs. One physical system of
reservoir-pipe-valve is solved with this numerical solution technique. The model is applicable to all flow conditions
ranging from laminar to turbulent.

2. Fluid transients-Elastic model

The following are one-dimensional momentum and continuity equations [2] for transient flow in elastic pipes.

߲‫ܪ‬ ߲ܳ
݃‫ܣ‬ ൅ ܽଶ ൌͲ (1)
߲‫ݐ‬ ߲‫ݔ‬
డு డொ ொȁொȁ
݃‫ܣ‬ ൅ ൅݂ =0 (2)
డ௫ డ௧ ଶ஽஺
1160 Ruben Nerella and E.Venkata Rathnam / Procedia Engineering 127 (2015) 1158 – 1164

where, ࡴ=piezometric head, ࢚= time, ࢇ= wave celerity, ࢍ= acceleration due to gravity, ࡭= cross sectional area of
pipe, ࡽ ൌflow rate, ࢞=distance, ࢌ= friction factor (dimensionless) and ࡰ =pipe diameter respectively. The following
is the wave speed propagation for transient flow condition in the pipe [2].

௄
ఘ
ܽൌඩ ௄ ஽
(3)
ͳ ൅ ቀ ቁቀ ቁ
ா ௘

where, ࡷ = bulk modulus of elasticity of the fluid; ࣋= mass density of the fluid; ࡱ = Young’s modulus of elasticity
of the pipe; ࢋ = pipe wall thickness. The momentum and continuity equations which are of hyperbolic type partial
differential equations and these can be transformed into two ordinary differential equations (ODE) which are valid
along the characteristic lines. The following are the two compatibility equations along the characteristic lines.

‫ܥ‬௣ ͳ
‫ ܥ‬ା ǣ ‫ܪ‬௜௡ାଵ ൌ ൬ ൰ ൅ ሺܳ௨ ሻ௡ାଵ
௜ (4)
‫ܥ‬௔ ‫ܥ‬௔

‫ܥ‬௡ ͳ
‫ ି ܥ‬ǣ ‫ܪ‬௜௡ାଵ ൌ ൬ ൰ െ ሺሻ௡ାଵ
௜ (5)
‫ܥ‬௔ ‫ܥ‬௔

where,࡯࢖ , ࡯࢔ are constants known for each time step, and ࡯ࢇ andࡾ depends upon the conduit properties; ࡽ࢛ and
‫ۿ‬are upstream and downstream discharges. The following are the equations for ࡯࢖ ,࡯࢔ ǡ ࡯ࢇ and ࡾ respectively [8].
௡ ௡
‫ܥ‬௣ ൌ ܳ௜ିଵ ൅ ‫ܥ‬௔ ‫ܪ‬௜ିଵ െ ܴο‫ݐ‬ሺܳ௨ ሻ௡௜ିଵ ȁሺܳ௨ ሻ௡௜ିଵ ȁ (6)

௡ ௡ ௡ ௡
‫ܥ‬௡ ൌ ܳ௜ାଵ െ ‫ܥ‬௔ ‫ܪ‬௜ାଵ െ ܴο‫ܳݐ‬௜ାଵ ȁܳ௜ାଵ ȁ (7)

݃‫ܣ‬
‫ܥ‬௔ ൌ (8)
ܽ

݂
ܴൌ (9)
ʹ‫ܣܦ‬

2.1 Boundary Conditions

2.1.1 Valve at downstream

At downstream, the principle of orifice is taken to evaluate the valves up to complete closure and finite
difference equation along positive characteristics is evaluated respectively. The following is the equation for steady
state flow through an orifice, which is fully open and will be closed at a specific time [11].

ܳ௜௡ ൌ ሺ‫ܥ‬ௗ ‫ܣ‬௏ ሻ଴ ඥʹ݃‫ܪ‬௜௡  (10)

in which, subscript Ͳǡ ݊ indicates steady-state conditions, ‫ܥ‬ௗ = coefficient of discharge, ‫ܪ‬௜௡ = head upstream of the
valve at݊thtime step, and ‫ܣ‬௏ = Area of the valve opening. For transient state flows, the equation for (݊ ൅ ͳ)th time
step can be written similar to the steady flow equation [11].
 Ruben Nerella and E.Venkata Rathnam / Procedia Engineering 127 (2015) 1158 – 1164 1161

ܳ௜௡ାଵ ൌ ሺ‫ܥ‬ௗ ‫ܣ‬௏ ሻටʹ݃‫ܪ‬௜௡ାଵ  (11)

The following equations can be derived for relative valve opening (߬ሻand flow rate for (݊ ൅ ͳ)th time steps.

ሺ‫ܥ‬ௗ ‫ܣ‬௏ ሻ
߬ൌ (12)
ሺ‫ܥ‬ௗ ‫ܣ‬௏ ሻ଴

ܳ௜௡
ܳ௜௡ାଵ ൌ ߬ξο‫ܪ‬ (13)
ඥ‫ܪ‬௜௡

where, ο‫ ܪ‬is the head loss through the valve. For the steady state condition in which the flow through the valve is
ܳ௜௡ under a head of‫ܪ‬௜௡ , then ߬ ൌ ͳand when the valve is simultaneously closed, ߬ ൌ Ͳǡ and the pressure heads can
be calculated from characteristic lines‫ ܥ‬ା and ‫ ି ܥ‬.

2.1.2 Series Junction

A series junction is a junction of two pipes having different diameters, wall thickness, wall materials and
friction factors. If the difference between the velocity heads at sections and the head losses at the junction are
neglected, then it follows that, the positive and negative characteristic equations for the junction and can be obtained
from characteristic lines ‫ ܥ‬ା and ‫ ି ܥ‬.

2.1.3 Constant level upstream Reservoir

For a reservoir which exist upstream of the pipe, following assumptions are made: Exit loss and the velocity
head are negligible. Then‫ܪ‬௜௡ାଵ ൌ ‫ܪ‬௥௘௦ and the discharge is calculated from characteristic lines‫ ܥ‬ା .

ܳ௜௡ାଵ ൌ ‫ܥ‬௣ ൅ ‫ܥ‬௔ ‫ܪ‬௥௘௦  (14)

3. Numerical Simulation

A series pipe is chosen for the analysis of transient pressures in reservoir-pipe valve system [10]. The
parameters of the system are: reservoir surface elevation=300m, the exit Pressure head =280.71m. Two pipes in
series were connected between the reservoir and the pipe. The parameters for different pipes are: for pipe 1,
diameter =305mm, friction factor=0.02, wave speed = 900m/s. For pipe 2, diameter=153mm, friction factor=0.02,
and wave speed = 900m/s. The valve closure time is equal to 1sec.
To analyse the pressure transients in the system, a constant level reservoir has been considered at the upstream
section of the pipe and a valve at downstream section of the pipe. The transient event was simulated by using the
MOC based classical elastic model. The head loss for steady state conditions between the upstream reservoir and
valve was determined as 19.3m, which is the difference between the piezometric head at reservoir (0+300=300m)
and at valve (+280.71m). The Darcy-Weisbach formulation has been used for head loss calculation in which the
friction factor was determined as ݂ =0.02.The numerical results obtained by using elastic transient solver
immediately downstream of the check valve are presented in Fig.1. Similarly the associated discharge in the pipe
with time is shown in Fig.2.The sequence of events following the valve closure can be shown in table 1.

Table 1. Pressure head and discharge variation at valve and upstream reservoir location
1162 Ruben Nerella and E.Venkata Rathnam / Procedia Engineering 127 (2015) 1158 – 1164

Time(after valve Steady

L/a 2L/a 3L/a 4L/a
closure) State
pressure head at
280 391 281 229 400
valve(m)
discharge(m3/s) at
0.006 0 0 0 0
valve
discharge(m3/s) at
0.006 0.006 -0.004 -0.004 0.006
U/s reservoir

450
400
350
Pressure head(m)

300
250
200
150
100
50
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Time(s)

Fig.1. Pressure head vs. time up to 6 seconds by MOC model (at valve)

0.050
0.040
0.030
0.020
Discharge(m3/s)

0.010
0.000
-0.010 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
-0.020
-0.030
-0.040
-0.050

At valve At upstream reservoir

Fig.2. Discharge vs. time up to 6 seconds by MOC model

3.1 Discussion

The MOC model is capable for analysing pipe systems having complex boundary conditions (Viz., pump, series
 Ruben Nerella and E.Venkata Rathnam / Procedia Engineering 127 (2015) 1158 – 1164 1163

pipe, valves, surge tanks, air chambers, stand pipes, pressure relief valves). It simulates the peak pressure heads and
its associated flows during pressure wave propagation [11]. The other methods that are available for solving first
order nonlinear hyperbolic differential equations are: (i) Wave plan method and (ii) Finite difference method. It is
known from the literature that time-line interpolation of MOC is more preferred when common time step (ǻt) is
required for any complex boundary conditions (per example when the pipe system having different pipe diameters);
and it can be solved by the relaxation of wave speed parameter [3]. The wave plan method is based on rigid water
column theory. As frictional effects are not considered in calculating pressure and flow rate variations, it may not
produce the actual field results [12].
In the finite difference method, because of non-linear terms in the governing equations, it consumes large
amount of computing time for the analysis of complex boundary conditions by iterative process [11]. Hence only
MOC model calculations are presented in the paper. The computational time by using MOC method is 0.03 seconds
for the considered time step of (ο‫= )ݐ‬0.11sec.
In the transient analysis, it is customary to investigate extreme values of pressure head and flow rate only.
Obviously these two parameters can provide sufficient information of other flow parameters which are
interdependent. In the current problem, as the discharge valve closes instantaneously, the flow magnitude becomes
zero at the valve. So at any other instant of time duration the flow remains zero only.

4. Conclusions

The objective of the research is to investigate peak pressure fluctuations with flow variations for the case of
sudden closure of valve on the downstream side of the complex pipe system by using explicit finite difference
method of MOC model. The considered pipe system is decrease in diameter from 305mm to 153mm.
It is observed that wave propagation is not dampened but it was found to be oscillating by increasing and
decreasing for the total simulation period of 6 seconds. This oscillating peak pressure head could be considered for
the design of pipe systems. As the valve closes instantaneously i.e., within 1 second, the velocity in the pipe reduces
to zero and pressure rise occurred. As the time increases, peak pressure fluctuations have taken place with the
development of pressure wave propagation which is the function of compressibility of pipe material and fluid water.
When valve closure time is less than the period of wave propagation (4L/a), then the operation of the valve is called
instantaneous. In the present study, the valve closure time is given as 1 second which is less than wave propagation
time i.e., 2.6 seconds (4*600/900=2.6).
In the current paper, the MOC model is explained through one numerical case study of valve closure. One
bench mark problem of reservoir-pipe-valve system and its boundary conditions are presented. Pressure head
fluctuations are observed in the numerical analysis, which are reason for change in flow rate conditions and are in
turn function of valve closure operations. Pressure wave propagation is accounted for variation of discharge from
0.046 m3/s to -0.046m3/s due to instantaneous valve closure. It has been observed that the pressure head increased
after first pressure wave. This may be due to the series pipes and the pipe junction is considered as one boundary
condition.

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