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3 Elasticity of Fluid and Pipe Wall

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%.

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