Sudden Power Supply Failure

When the power supply fails, the only energy available to drive the pump in the forward direction is the kinetic
energy of the rotating mass of the pump and motor and the entrained water in the pump. Since this energy is
usually small compared to the energy required to maintain flow against the discharge head, the pump speed
slows down quickly resulting in a rapid reduction in the pump discharge. As a result of the rapid flow changes,
transients are generated at the pump. A positive pressure wave is propagated upstream in the suction pipe (in
the case of a booster pump), while a negative down surge travels down the pipeline to the discharge outlet
where it is reflected. The following discussion is limited to the negative down surge transient (such as when
pump is installed at reservoir).

Following a power failure and during flow reversal, there are three distinct zones in which a pump may operate.
The Figure below shows the time history of the pressure, flow and speed changes at a pump installation in
relation to the three operation zones.

Zone of Pump Operation

In this zone, the pump speed is reducing rapidly and the reduced flow is still in the forward direction. The pump
remains in this zone as long as the pump is rotating and the flow is in the forward direction. Soon the speed of
the pump is reduced to a point where no water can be delivered against the existing head. Flow in the delivery
line rapidly reduces to zero against the downstream static head and friction. Part of the kinetic energy of the
water column is converted into potential energy and the water column comes to rest.

Extracted from HYTRAN v3.1 user manual. Application for Hydraulic Transient Studies
Zone of Dissipation
After the flow comes to rest, the difference in the between head at the pump and the downstream end of the
water column causes the water to reverse and gain momentum in the reverse direction. At the time of flow
reversal the pump may still be rotating in the forward direction. In this condition the pump is said to be
operating in the zone of dissipation. The rotational speed of the pump is continues to rapidly fall and passes
though zero speed.

Zone of Turbine Operation

Once the pump has stopped rotating, it reverses in direction and behaves like a turbine. As the flow gains
reverse momentum, the pump speed increases in the reverse direction until it reaches its runaway speed. As the
pump approaches runaway speed, the flow is reduced due to choking effect. The homologous laws are adequate
for determining the pump behaviour in the zone of operation.

After the flow reverses through the pump, however, additional data is required for the zones of energy
dissipation and turbine operation. This data is only available from actual pump tests. In most practical
applications, data for the zones of energy dissipation and turbine operation are not needed because flow
reversal through the pump cannot take place. Most pump installations have a check (or non-return or reflux)
valve in the delivery line immediately downstream of the pump.

Extracted from HYTRAN v3.1 user manual. Application for Hydraulic Transient Studies