Water hammer

Definition:
It is defined as the surge or wave caused when
a fluid in motion is forced to stop or change
direction suddenly.
• As soon as steam leaves the boiler ,it starts losing heat ,as a
result steam starts condensing inside the pipe.
• As a result of condensation ,the droplets of water are formed.
• These droplets get built up along the pipe forming a solid
condensate slug.
• When this slug encounters a obstacle such as bend it will be
bought to a halt abruptly.
• All the kinetic energy of the condensate slug will get converted
to pressure energy which has to be absorbed by the pipe
work , this gives rise to the phenomenon of water hammer.
 Formation of water hammer
• After condensate is formed ,the flow inside the pipe has 2
components, steam and the condensate .
• The flow velocity of the steam is higher than that of the condensate.
• During the dual phase flow, the heavy condensate which flows at
the bottom of the pipe is pulled by high speed steam.
• This results in the formation of water slug which is more denser
than the steam travelling with velocity of steam .
• When this slug is stopped by any obstacle such as bend , the kinetic
energy of the slug will be suddenly converted into pressure energy
which create a shock wave in the entire pipework
• The pipework will keep on vibrating until this energy is dissipated in
the structure.
 Effects of water hammer
• Slight water hammer can be detected by pipe movements, banging noises and
pulsing flows.
• Serious water hammer gives the same effects but these might be large enough to
cause serious damage, and might only occur once.
• A common sign is a loud banging or hammering sound emanating from the pipes,
especially after a water pressure source is shut off quickly. This is the sound of the
pressure shock wave hitting a closed valve, joint or other blockage at high force.
This sometimes-deafening noise can be a source of great distress and concern,
especially if people are working close by.
• Repeated occurrences of water hammer aren’t just an annoyance, however.
Water hammer also seriously damages pipelines, pipe joints, gaskets and all the
other components of the system flow meters, pressure gauges, etc. The pressure
spikes can easily exceed 5 to 10 times the working pressure of the system upon
impact, thereby placing a great deal of stress on the system
• Water hammer causes leaks at the joints in the system. It also causes pipe wall
 How to avoid water hammer

• Operators should be trained to open isolation valves slowly during the state up
modes.
• Water hammers can be solved by installing an air chamber which prevents
water from generating waves that travel through the pipe. Air chambers act as
like a shock absorber, reducing the change in water pressure that causes the
water hammer effect.
• Water hammer can also occur when water pressure is too high. Installing water
pressure regulators can solve water hammer issues due to water pressure. A
pressure reducing valve could also protect against high water pressure that
could damage dishwashers, toilets, and other water-supplied appliances.

• Attaching pipes :water hammer can occur when the pipes are not mounted
properly.