Water hammer tutorials

Attempt the tutorials and check your answers against the solutions given.
1. The elasticity and dimensions of the pipe are such that celerity of the pressure wave is 970 m/s.
Suppose the pipe has the length of 1600 m and a diameter of 1.2 m. and an initially flow of 0.85 .
a. Find the water hammer pressure for instantaneous valve closure.
b. How much time should be allowed for closing a valve to avoid water hammer?
c. Find the appropriate water hammer pressure of the valve if it is closed in 4 secs.
2. A valve is suddenly closed in a 200 mm diameter pipe. The increase in pressure is 700kPa. Assuming
that the pipe is rigid and the bulk modulus of water is 2.07 .
a. Calculate the celerity of the pressure wave.
b. Calculate the maximum discharge.
c. If the length of the pipe is 800 m. long, compute the water hammer pressure at the valve if it is
closed in 3 sec.
3. Water from a reservoir flowing through a non rigid 600 mm diameter pipe with a velocity of 2.5 m/s is
completely stopped by a closure of a valve situated 1050 m. from the reservoir. Assume that the
pressure increases at a uniform rate and that there is no damping of the pressure wave. The pipe has a
thickness of 18 mm. Bulk modulus of water is 2060 MPa and modulus of elasticity of steel is 200,000
MPa.
a. Calculate the velocity of sound in water. (Ans: C=1238.35 m/s)
b. Determine the maximum rise of pressure in kPa above that corresponding to uniform flow when
the valve closure takes places in 1 sec.(ans: 3095.9 kPa)
c. Determine the maximum rise of pressure when the valve closure takes place in five seconds.
( )
4. A rigid pipe has a diameter of 150 mm and a length of 1020 m. Water having a bulk modulus of
2.0164 flows in the pipe.
a. Calculate the velocity of sound in the water. (ans: C=1420 m/s)
b. Calculate the maximum permissible discharge in litres per second if the water hammer pressure
does not exceed 1400 kPa when the outlet valve is suddenly closed.(ans: Q = 17.4litres/second)
Calculate the rise in pressure due to sudden closure of the outlet valve when the valve closure takes 4
seconds. ( )
c.
5. A non-rigid steel pipe 60 cm in diameter, is to carry a maximum static head of 350 m, of water and
additional pressure due to water hammer when quick closing valve stops a flow of 0.85 . The pipe
has a thickness of 18 mm and a bulk modulus of for steel.
a. Calculate the celerity of the pressure wave. (ans: C = 1240.24 m/s)
b. Calculate the total pressure on the pipe after the closure of the valve. ( )
c. Calculate the maximum stress acting on the pipe. (S = 119.24 MPa)

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 6. The elasticity and dimensions of a pipe are such that the celerity of pressure wave is 975 m/s. The pipe
diameter is 1.2 m. and a valve is located 600 m. downstream. Water is flowing initially at 0.85 .
a. Find the water hammer pressure for instantaneous valve closure. ( )
b. What is the approximate water-hammer pressure if the valve is closed in 4 sec. (
)
c. What is the water-hammer pressure if the valve is manipulated so that the flow rate drops almost
instantly from 0.85 to 0.28 .( )
7. A valve is suddenly closed in a 200 mm pipe. The increase in pressure is 700 kPa. Assuming that the
pipe is rigid and the bulk modulus of water is 2.07 N/ .
a. Calculate the celerity of the pressure wave.(C =1438.75 m/s)
b. Calculate the velocity of flow. (V=0.486 m/s)
c. If the length of the pipe is 650 m. long, compute the water hammer pressure at the valve if it is
closed in 3 sec. ( )
8. Water from a reservoir flowing through a pipe having a diameter of 600 mm with a velocity of 1.75
m/s is completely stopped by a closure of a valve situated 150 m. from the reservoir. Assume that the
pressure increases at a uniform rate and there is no damping of the pressure wave. The pipe has a
thickness of 20 mm and bulk modulus of water is 2.2 N/ and modulus of elasticity of steel is
1.4 N/
a. Calculate the celerity of the pressure wave. (C = 1223 m/s)
b. Calculate the equivalent bulk modulus of water. )
c. Calculate the pressure on the pipe after the closure of the valve. ( )

9. Water from a reservoir flowing through a non rigid 600 mm diameter pipe with a velocity of 2.5 m/s is
completely stopped by a closure of a valve situated 400m. from the reservoir. Assume that the
pressure increases at a uniform rate and that there is no damping of the pressure wave. The pipe has a
thickness of 20 mm. Bulk modulus of water is 2.2 Pa and modulus of elasticity of steel is
1.4 Pa.
a. Calculate the celerity of pressure wave. (C = 1223 m/s)
b. How much time should be allowed for closing a valve to avoid water hammer? (T=0.65 s)
c. Find the water hammer pressure for instantaneous valve closure. ( )

10. Water flows through a 600 mm diameter pipe with a velocity of 2.7 m/s. Bulk modulus of water is 2060
N/ and a modulus of elasticity of steel of 200,000 N/ The pipe has a thickness of 18 mm.
a. Calculate the speed of a pressure wave. (C = 1238.35 m/s)
b. If a valve is closed in 4.5 sec. at the downstream end of the 3200 m. pipeline, what is the peak
pressure development by the closure? (Peak pressure = 3343.5 kPa)
c. Determine the length of the pipe subject to peak pressure. (x = 413.71 m)

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 11. The elasticity and dimensions of the pipe are such that the celerity of the pressure wave is 976 m/s.
The pipe has a length of 600 m. from the reservoir with a diameter of 1.20 m. The flow rate initially is
0.85 of water.
a. Calculate the water hammer at the valve if it is closed in 4 sec. (P =225.09 kPa)
b. Calculate the water hammer pressure at the valve if it is manipulated so that the flow rate drops
almost instantly from 0.85 to 0.28 . (P = 489.95 kPa)
c. Calculate the maximum water hammer pressure at a point in the pipe 90 m. from the reservoir if a
1.0 sec. valve closure reduces the flow rate from 0.28 to 0. (P = 44.64 kPa)

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