Monroe L.

Weber-Shirk
School of Civil and
Environmental Engineering
When the Steady-
State design fails!

Hydraulic Transients
Hydraulic Transients: Overview
In all of our flow analysis we have assumed
either _____ _____ operation or ________
______ flow
What about rapidly varied flow?
How does flow from a faucet start?
How about flow startup in a large, long
pipeline?
What happens if we suddenly stop the flow of
water through a tunnel leading to a turbine?
steady state
gradually
varied
Hydraulic Transients
Routine transients
change in valve settings
starting or stopping of pumps
changes in power demand for
turbines
changes in reservoir elevation
turbine governor hunting
action of reciprocating pumps
lawn sprinkler

Unsteady Pipe Flow: time varying flow and pressure
Catastrophic transients
unstable pump or turbine
operation
pipe breaks
References
Chaudhry, M. H. 1987. Applied Hydraulic
Transients. New York, Van Nostrand
Reinhold Company.
Wylie, E. B. and V. L. Streeter. 1983. Fluid
Transients. Ann Arbor, FEB Press.
Analysis of Transients
Gradually varied (Lumped) _________
conduit walls are assumed rigid
fluid assumed incompressible
flow is function of _____ only
Rapidly varied (Distributed) _________
fluid assumed slightly compressible
conduit walls may also be assumed to be elastic
flow is a function of time and ________
ODE
PDE
time
location
Establishment of Flow:
Final Velocity
2
V
EGL
HGL
1
H
g
V
2
2
2
V
2
L

+ + + + = + +
L f
h h z
g
V p
z
g
V p
2
2
2 2
1
2
1 1
2 2
K
en
= ____
K
exit
= ____

g = 9.8 m/s
2

H = 100 m
K = ____
f = 0.02
L = 1000 m
D = 1 m
1.5
0.5
1.0
How long will it take?
Final Velocity

+ = =
L f
h h z z H
2 1
2
2
f
f
2
V L
h
D g
=
g
V
K h
L
2
2
E =

2
f
2
V L
H K
g D
| |
= + E
|
\ .
9.55 m/s
2

f
f
gH
V
L
K
D
=
E +
g = 9.8 m/s
2

H = 100 m
K = 1.5
f = 0.02
L = 1000 m
D = 1 m
What would V be without losses? _____ 44 m/s
Establishment of Flow:
Initial Velocity
dt
dV
AL HA =
before head loss becomes significant
ma F =
mdV
F
dt
=
gt
L
H
V =
} }
=
V t
dV AL dt HA
0 0

ALV HAt = AL
HAt
V

=
g = 9.8 m/s
2

H = 100 m
K = 1.5
f = 0.02
L = 1000 m
D = 1 m
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
time (s)
v
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

(
m
/
s
)

gt
L
H
V =
2

f
f
gH
V
L
K
D
=
E +
F =
m =
pA HA g =
AL r
Navier Stokes?
________, ________
Flow Establishment:
Full Solution

= ) (mV
dt
d
F
0
2
0
1 f
2
t
V
dV
dt
gH K
V
L L D
=
E
| |
+
|
\ .
} }
2
f
2
V L d ALV
A H K
D g dt g

( | |
| |
E + =
| ( |
\ .
\ .
2
0 0
f
2
t V
L
dt dV
V L
g H K
D g
=
(
| |
E +
|
(
\ .

} }
F =

gravity drag
0
4
l
h D
L
g
t = -
0
F L D t p =
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

a
bV
ab
t
1
tanh
1
( ) abt
b
a
V tanh =
2 f
tanh
f
2
gH gH K
V t
L
L L D
K
D
| |
E
| |
= +
|
|
|
\ .
\ .
E +
L
gH
a =
1 f
2
K
b
L D
E
| |
= +
|
\ .
1
2 2 2
0
1
tanh
V
dV bV
a b V ab a
-
=
-

b
a
V < if
b
a
V
f
=
Flow Establishment:
tanh!
V < V
f

Time to reach final velocity
1 1
1 1
tanh tanh
f
bV V
t
ab a ab V

| |
| |
= =
|
|
|
\ .
\ .
1
1
0.9
0.9
1 tanh (0.9)
tanh
f
2
f
f
V
f
V
t
ab V
gH K
L L D

| |
= =
|
|
E
| |
\ .
+
|
\ .
47 . 1 ) 9 . 0 ( tanh
1
=

b
a
V
f
=
Time to reach 0.9V
f
increases as:
L increases
H decreases
1
0.9
2
tanh (0.9)
f
2
f
V
t
gH L
K
L D

=
| |
E +
|
\ .
Head loss decreases
Flow Establishment
g = 9.8 m/s
2

H = 100 m
K = 1.5
f = 0.02
L = 1000 m
D = 1 m
s 34 . 14
9 . 0
=
f
V
t
2 f
tanh
f
2
gH gH K
V t
L
L L D
K
D
| |
E
| |
= +
|
|
|
\ .
\ .
E +
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 10 20 30 40
time (s)
v
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

(
m
/
s
)
Was f constant?
Re
VD
n
=
10
7

Household plumbing example
Have you observed the gradual increase in flow
when you turn on the faucet at a sink?
50 psi - 350 kPa - 35 m of head
K = 10 (estimate based on significant losses in faucet)
f = 0.02
L = 5 m (distance to larger supply pipe where velocity
change is less significant)
D = 0.5 - 0.013 m
time to reach 90% of final velocity?
T
0.9Vf
= 0.13 s
No? Good!
V > V
f
?
if
a
V
b
>
0
0
0
1
ln
2
V
a bV
t
ab a bV
+
=
-
( )
o
V
a
V ctnh ab t t
b

= +

1
2 2 2
1 1
ln
2
V
dV bV a bV
t ctnh
a b V ab a ab a bV
-

+
= = =
- -

( )
( )
sinh(2 )

cosh 2 1
x
ctnh x
x
=
-
0
5
10
15
20
0 5 10 15 20
time (s)
v
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

(
m
/
s
)
If V
0
=
( )
a
V ctnh abt
b
=
Why does velocity approach final velocity so rapidly?
Intake Pipe, with
flow Q and cross
sectional area A
pipe

Wet Pit,
with plan
view area
A
tank

Lake Source Cooling Intake
Schematic
Lake Water Surface
?
Steel Pipe
100 m
Pump inlet
length of intake pipeline is 3200 m
1 m
Motor
What happens during startup?
What happens if pump is turned off?
Transient with varying driving
force

= ) ( v m
dt
d
F
| |
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
g
LV A
dt
d
h H A
pipe
l pipe

2
2
f
2
l
pipe
L Q
h K
D A g
| |
= E +
|
\ .
| | t h H
L
g A
Q
l
pipe
A = A
| | dQ dt h H
L
g A
l
pipe
=
H = ______________________________
Lake elevation - wet pit water level
f(Q)
Finite Difference Solution!
Q
where
wetpit
wetpit
dz
Q
dt A
=
What is z=f(Q)?
Is f constant?
Wet Pit Water Level and Flow
Oscillations
constants
What is happening on the vertical lines?
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
time (s)
Q

(
m
3
/
s
)

-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
z

(
m
)

Q z
Wet Pit with Area Equal to Pipe
Area
Pipe collapse
Water Column Separation
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
time (s)
Q

(
m
3
/
s
)
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
z

(
m
)
Q z
Why is this unrealistic?
Overflow Weir at 1 m
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
time (s)
Q

(
m
3
/
s
)
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
z

(
m
)
Q z
Period of Oscillation:
Frictionless Case
| | dQ dt h H
L
g A
l
pipe
=
z
L
g A
dt
dQ
pipe

=
Q
dt
dz
A
wetpit
=
z
L
g A
dt
z d A
pipe wetpit
=
2
2
dt
dQ
dt
z d A
wetpit
=
2
2
z = -H
0
2
2
= + z
LA
gA
dt
z d
wetpit
pipe
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
wetpit
pipe
wetpit
pipe
LA
gA
t C
LA
gA
t C z sin cos
2 1
Wet pit mass balance
z = 0 at lake surface
Period of Oscillations
p
A
A
g
L
T
pit wet
2t =
2
2
2
7 . 1
24
/ 81 . 9
3170
2
m
m
s m
m
T t =
plan view area of wet pit (m
2
) 24
pipeline length (m) 3170
inner diameter of pipe (m) 1.47
gravity (m/s
2
) 9.81
T = 424 s
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
time (s)
Q

(
m
3
/
s
)
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
z

(
m
)
Q z
Pendulum Period?
2
L
T
g
t =
Transients
In previous example we assumed that the
velocity was the same everywhere in the
pipe
We did not consider compressibility of
water or elasticity of the pipe
In the next example water compressibility
and pipe elasticity will be central
V
V
2
Valve Closure in Pipeline
Sudden valve closure at t = 0 causes change
in discharge at the valve
What will make the fluid slow down?____
Instantaneous change would require
__________
Impossible to stop all the fluid
instantaneously

infinite force
What do you think happens?
p at valve
Transients: Distributed System
Tools
Conservation of mass
Conservation of momentum
Conservation of energy
Wed like to know
pressure change
rigid walls
elastic walls
propagation speed of pressure wave
time history of transient
Pressure change due to velocity
change
velocity
density
pressure
unsteady flow
steady flow
P
0

0
V
0
V V A +
0
P
0
+ AP

0
+ A
P
0

0
P
0
+ AP

0
+ A
a
V
0
V
0
+ AV
HGL
V
0
+ a V
0
+ AV +a
Momentum Equation
2 1
2 1 p p x x
F F M M
x
+ = +
1
2
1 1 1
A V M
x
=
2
2
2 2 2
A V M
x
=
( )
2 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1
A p A p V V A V =
a
V
0
V
0
+ AV
HGL
2 2 2 1 1 1
A V A V =
1 2
Mass conservation
A
1
~ A
2

Ap = p
2
- p
1

p V V A = A
1 1

ss p p
F F F W M M + + + = +
2 1
2 1
Neglect head loss!
Magnitude of Pressure Wave
p V V A = A
1 1

a
V
0
V
0
+ AV
1 2
=
1
V
a V +
0
V a p A = A
a V
H
g
- D
D =
0
V a >>
p H g D = D
Decrease in V causes a(n) _______ in HGL. increase
Propagation Speed:
Rigid Walls
Conservation of mass
a
V
0
V
0
+ AV

0

0
+ A
(
(

A +
+ = A 1 ) (
0
0
0


a V V
(
(

A +
A
+ = A


0
0
) ( a V V
Solve for AV
) )( ( ) (
0 0 0 0
A + A + + = + V a V A a V A
Propagation Speed:
Rigid Walls
a
V
0
V
0
+ AV

0

0
+ A
momentum V a V p A + = A ) (
0 0

a V <<
0
0
<< A
A = A
2
a p
(
(

A +
A
+ = A


0
0
) ( a V V mass
(
(

A +
A
+ = A

0
2
0 0
) ( a V p
Need a relationship between pressure and density!
Propagation Speed:
Rigid Walls
A
A
=
p
K
A
A
=
p
a
2

K
a =
definition of bulk modulus of elasticity
Example:
Find the speed of a pressure wave in a water pipeline
assuming rigid walls.
GPa 2.2 = K
3
Kg/m 1000 =
m/s 1480
1000
10 x 2.2
9
= = a
speed of sound in water
(for water)
Propagation Speed:
Elastic Walls
a
V
0
V
0
+ AV

0

0
+ A
0

K
a =
D
t = thickness of thin walled pipe
E = bulk modulus of elasticity for pipe
Additional parameters
D = diameter of pipe
t
D
E
K
K
a
+
=
1
0

effect of water compressibility

effect of pipe elasticity
solution
Propagation Speed:
Elastic Walls
Example: How long does it take for a
pressure wave to travel 500 m after a rapid
valve closure in a 1 m diameter, 1 cm wall
thickness, steel pipeline? The initial flow
velocity was 5 m/s.
E for steel is 200 GPa
What is the increase in pressure?

Time History of Hydraulic
Transients: Function of ...
Time history of valve operation (or other control
device)
Pipeline characteristics
diameter, thickness, and modulus of elasticity
length of pipeline
frictional characteristics
tend to decrease magnitude of pressure wave
Presence and location of other control devices
pressure relief valves
surge tanks
reservoirs
Time History of Hydraulic
Transients
V=V
o
V=0
a
AH
L
V=0
AH
L
t =
L
a
t = c
V= -V
o
V=0
a
AH
L
t =
L
a
+c
V= -V
o
L
t =
2L
a
1
2
3
4
Time History of Hydraulic
Transients
V= -V
o
V=0
a
AH
L
V=0
AH
L
V=V
o
V=0
a
AH
L
V= V
o
L
c + =
a
L
t
2
t =
3L
a
t =
3L
a
+ c
t =
4L
a
5
6
7
8
Pressure variation over time
reservoir
level
Pressure variation at valve: velocity head and friction
losses neglected
4L
a
8L
a
12L
a
AH
time
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

h
e
a
d

Neglecting head loss!
Real traces
Lumped vs. Distributed
For LSC wet pit
T = 424 s
= 4*3170 m/1400 m/s = ____
4L
T
a
>>
pressure fluctuation period
lumped
p
A
A
g
L
T
pit wet
2t =
9.1 s
For _______ system
4L
a
T = __________________________
What would it take to get a transient with a period of
9 s in Lake Source Cooling? ____________ Fast valve
Methods of Controlling
Transients
Valve operation
limit operation to slow changes
if rapid shutoff is necessary consider diverting the flow
and then shutting it off slowly
Surge tank
acts like a reservoir closer to the flow control point
Pressure relief valve
automatically opens and diverts some of the flow when
a set pressure is exceeded
Surge Tanks
Reservoir
Tail water
T
Penstock
Reduces amplitude of pressure
fluctuations in ________ by reflecting
incoming pressure waves
Decreases cycle time of pressure
wave in the penstock
Start-up/shut-down time for turbine
can be reduced (better response to
load changes)
Surge tank
tunnel
Surge tanks
Use of Hydraulic Transients
There is an old technology that
used hydraulic transients to lift
water from a stream to a higher
elevation. The device was called a
Ram Pumpand it made a
rhythmic clacking noise.
How did it work?
High pressure pipe
Stream
Ram Pump
Source pipe
Minimum valve closure time
How would you stop a pipeline full of water
in the minimum time possible without
bursting the pipe?
| |
pipe
l
A g
H h dt dQ
L
=
pipe
l
A g
p
z h dt dQ
L g
(
| | A
+ A + =
(
|
\ .

p
H z
g
| | A
= + A
|
\ .
V
EGL
HGL
H
L
( )
2
p a g V r r m = - + +
Simplify: no head loss and hold
pressure constant
pipe
l
A g
p
z h dt dQ
L g
(
| | A
+ A + =
(
|
\ .

pipe
A g
p
z dt dQ
L g
( A
+ A =
(

0
pipe
A g
p
z t Q
L g
( A
+ A =
(

0
pipe
Q L
t
p
A g z
g
=
( A
+ A
(

V
EGL
HGL
H
L
Integrate from 0 to t and from Q
to 0 (changes sign)
0
V L
t
p
g z
g
=
( A
+ A
(

Back to Ram Pump:
Pump Phase
Coordinate system?
P
1
= _____
P
2
= _____
z
2
-z
1
= ___
High pressure pipe
Stream
Source pipe
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 10 20 30 40
time (s)
v
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

(
m
/
s
)
z
3

z
1

3
z g
z
-z
1
p
z
g
A
+ A =
3 1
z z
l
dV g p
z h
dt L g
( A
= + A +
(

Reflections
What is the initial head loss term if the pump
stage begins after steady state flow has been
reached? _____
What is ?_____
What is when V approaches zero?
______
Where is most efficient pumping? ___________
How do you pump the most water? ______
l
dV g p
z h
dt L g
( A
= + A +
(

z
1
l
p
z h
g
A
+ A +
z
3
l
p
z h
g
A
+ A +
3 1
z z
Low V (low h
l
)

Maintain high V

Ram: Optimal Operation
What is the theoretical maximum ratio of
pumped water to wasted water?
Rate of decrease in PE of wasted water
equals rate of increase in PE of pumped
water
( )
1 3 1 w pumped
Q z Q z z =
1
3 1
pumped
w
Q
z
Q z z
=

High Q and Low loses?

0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 10 20 30 40
time (s)
v
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

(
m
/
s
)
l
dV g p
z h
dt L g
( A
= + A +
(

l
dV g p
z h
dt L g
( A
= + A +
(

| |
3 1
dV g
d
z
L
z
t

=
| |
1
z
dV g
dt L

=
Acceleration
Deceleration (pumping)
Insignificant head loss
Keep V high for max Q
Cycle times
| |
1
acc
acc
gt dV
t z
dt L

=
| |
3 1
decel
decel
gt dV
t z z
dt L

=
| | | |
1 3 1
acc decel
gt gt
z z z
L L
=
1
3 1
acc
decel
t z
t z z
=

Change in velocities must match

decel acc
dV dV
t t
dt dt

=
Summary (exercise)







When designing systems, pay attention to
startup/shutdown
Design systems so that high pressure waves
never occur
High pressure waves are reflected at reservoirs
or surge tanks
Burst section of Penstock:
Oigawa Power Station, Japan
Chaudhry page 17
Collapsed section of Penstock:
Oigawa Power Station, Japan
Chaudhry page 18
Values for Wet Pit Analysis
Flow rate before pump failure (m
3
/s) 2
plan view area of wet pit (m
2
) 24
pipeline length (m) 3170
inner diameter of pipe (m) 1.47
elevation of outflow weir (m) 10
time interval to plot (s) 1000
pipe roughness (m) 0.001
density (kg/m
3
) 1000
dynamic viscosity (Ns/m
2
) 1.00E-03
gravity (m/s
2
) 9.81
Pressure wave velocity: Elastic
Pipeline
E = 200 GPa
D = 1 m
t = 1 cm
t
D
E
K
K
a
+
=
1
0

m/s 1020
01 . 0
1
10 200
10 2 . 2
1
1000 10 2 . 2
9
9
9
=
+
=
x
x
x
a
0.5 s to travel 500 m
H g p A = A
m 520
9.8m/s
m/s) m/s)(-5 (1020
2
=

=
A
= A
g
V a
H
psi 740 = MPa 5.1 = m) )(520 m/s )(9.8 kg/m (1000
2 3
= Ap
Ram Pump
Water inlet
Air Chamber
Rapid valve
Ram pump
High pressure pipe
Stream
Ram Pump
Source pipe
H
1

H
2

Ram animation
Ram Pump
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
E
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

D
f
L
K
L
gH
V
V
ab
t
f
f
V
f
2
) 9 . 0 ( tanh
9 . 0
tanh
1
1
1
1
9 . 0
Time to establish flow
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 10 20 30 40
time (s)
v
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

(
m
/
s
)
2
dV g
H
dt L
=
dt
dV
AL HA =
Surge Tanks
Real pressure traces
At valve At midpoint
Presentacin tomada de la web:

Profesor
Monroe L. Weber - Shrik


At valve At midpoint