1 For t = 0, the pressure profile 3 At t = 1/2Tr the pressure wave
t=0 L 1 is steady, which is shown by has arrived at the reservoir. the pressure head curve run- As the reservoir pressure p = ning horizontally because of constant, there is an unbal- the assumed lack of friction. anced condition at this point. v = v0 Under steady-state condi- With a change of sign, the 0 < t < 1/2Tr tions, the flow velocity is v0. pressure wave is reflected in ∆h 2 the opposite direction. The 2 The sudden closure of the flow velocity changes sign gate valve at the downstream and is now headed in the end of the pipeline causes a direction of the reservoir. v = v0 v=0 pulse of high pressure h; t = 1/2Tr and the pipe wall is stretched. 4 A relief wave with a head of ∆h 3 The pressure wave generated -h travels downstream runs in the opposite direction towards the gate valve and to the steady-state direction reaches it at a time t = Tr. It is v=0 of the flow at the speed of accompanied by a change of 1/ 2T r < t < Tr sound and is accompanied by velocity to the value -v0. -∆h 4 a reduction of the flow veloc- 5 Upon arrival at the closed ity to v = 0 in the high pres- gate valve, the velocity sure zone. The process takes changes from -v0 to v = 0. place in a period of time v = - v0 v=0 This causes a sudden negative t = Tr 0 < t < 1/2 Tr, where Tr is the change in pressure of -h. amount of time needed by the 5 pressure wave to travel up 6 The low pressure wave -h and down the entire length of travels upstream to the reser- the pipeline. The important voir in a time Tr < t < 3/2Tr, v = - v0 parameter Tr is the reflection and at the same time, v Tr < t < 3/2Tr time of the pipe. It has a adopts the value v = 0.
-∆h 6 value of 2L/a. 7 The reservoir is reached in a
time t = 3/2Tr, and the pres- sure resumes the reservoir’s v = - v0 v=0 t = 3/2Tr pressure head. Fig. 3.2-b: Pressure and velocity 8 In a period of time 3/2Tr < t < 7 waves in a single-conduit, fric- -∆h 2Tr , the wave of increased tionless pipeline following its pressure originating from the sudden closure. The areas of v=0 reservoir runs back to the steady-state pressure head are 3/ 2T < t < 2Tr gate valve and v once again r shaded medium dark, those of adopts the value v0. 8 increased pressure dark, those of -∆ h reduced pressure light. The ex- 9 At t = 2Tr , conditions are pansion and contraction of the exactly the same as at the v = v0 v=0 pipeline as a result of rising and instant of closure t = 0, and t = 2Tr falling pressure levels, respec- the whole process starts over tively, are shown. To give an again. 9 idea of the relationship involved: With a 100 bar pressure rise, the v = v0 volume of water will decrease by about 0.5%.