CONTENTS

1.

INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................1

2.

COMPUTER SIMULATION OF PUMP SYSTEMS........................................................................2

3.

ASSUMPTIONS....................................................................................................................................3
3.1.

PIPES:.............................................................................................................................................3

3.2.

FLUID:............................................................................................................................................3

3.3.

AIR VALVE:.....................................................................................................................................3

3.4.

VESSEL:..........................................................................................................................................3

4.

THEORY...............................................................................................................................................4

5.

WATER HAMMER EFFECT ON RAW WATER PUMPING SYSTEM.......................................6

5.1.

STEADY STATE HYDRAULIC...........................................................................................................6

5.2.

TRANSIENT HYDRAULIC................................................................................................................7

FIGURE 1: SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM FOR RAW WATER PUMPING SYSTEM..............................9

6.

7.

WATER HAMMER EFFECT ON TREATED WATER PUMPING SYSTEM............................10

6.1.

STEADY STATE HYDRAULIC.........................................................................................................10

6.2.

TRANSIENT HYDRAULIC...............................................................................................................11

CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................14
7.1.

RAW WATER PUMPING SYSTEM....................................................................................................14

7.2.

TREATED WATER PUMPING SYSTEM............................................................................................15

List of Graphs
Graph 1: - System Characteristic Curve for Raw Water Pump............................................6
Graph 2: - Pressure Envelope for Raw Water Pump............................................................7
Graph 3: - System Characteristic Curve for Treated Water Pump.....................................10
Graph 4: - Pressure Envelope.............................................................................................11
Graph 5: - Performance Graph for 150mm dia. Inlet & 10mm dia. Outlet Vacuum Relief
and Air Release valve................................................................................................14

List of Figures
Figure 1: Schematic Diagram for Raw Water Pumping System.........................................9
Figure 2: Schematic Diagram for Treated Water Pump.....................................................13

Appendix

A:

-Transient

Response

for

Raw

Water

Pumping System
Pressure envelope

A-i

Pressure at pump end

A-ii

Flow at pump end

A-iii

Volume of Air (inside air valve)

A-iv

Air mass flow rate

A-v

Air volumetric flow rate

A-vi

Appendix B: -Transient Response for Treated Water

Pumping System
Pressure envelope -with minimum initial air

B-i

Pressure envelope -with maximum initial air

B-ii

Pressure at pump end

B-iii

Flow at pump end

B-iv

Water level of the surge vessel

B-v

Air volume inside the surge vessel

B-vi

Flow through inter-connecting pipe works

B-vii

Pressure inside surge vessel

B-viii

1.

Introduction

This report covers the analysis of the transient response of pumping system for
transferring raw water from Sungai Muar to Talang dam. Usually, following the first
fraction of a second after sudden shut down of the pump, due to the momentum of the
water column in the pipeline, the forward flow continues in the pipeline, because of the
lost in power to drive the pumps, flow decay rapidly at the pump delivery end. This
phenomenal has caused a water column separation at the pump delivery end, which
causes the pressures in the pipe to drop and creating the down surge pressures. This
pressure reduction is transmitted along the pipeline at the wave velocity, and when this
pressure wave is reflected, an up surge pressure is experienced. The rate of flow decay is
dependent on the angular momentums of the rotating components of the pump. The
higher the angular momentums will result in slower rate of flow decay, which will help to
minimize the down surge pressure. However, angular momentum is dependent on
moment of inertia of pumps impeller, motor and speed of rotation. Therefore, to achieve
acceptable surge pressures, the pump sets need to process sufficient moment inertia and
operating at high speed. If the moment of inertia of pump is unable to limit the surge
pressures within the acceptable limits, the surge control system shall be provided to
control the surge pressures generated.
It is a common practice during pump-stopping procedure, the discharge valve is first
closed slowly, and then the power supply to the pump motor is switched off. The transient
caused by this operation is not severe as the flow in the pumping system is slowly
reduced to zero. But the transients caused by sudden stoppage of pumps due to power
failure are usually severe. Therefore, this report will study the transient effect on the
pumping systems under sudden stoppage of pumps and recommend appropriate water
hammer control systems to protect the systems against any adverse effect of surge
pressures.

2.

Computer Simulation of Pump Systems

The transient response of each pumping system will be studied under the maximum
proposed design flow rate without surge control system. If the upsurge or down surge
pressures in the pipeline are not within the acceptable limit, then surge suppression
system will be considered to limit the excessive surge pressures. The design criteria are:
The up surge pressure must not exceed the maximum rating the pumping system of
25 bars.
The down surge pressure shall not drop below atmospheric pressure (0m). The effects
of negative pressure as listed below may occurred, when the down surge pressures is
allowed to drop below -5m.

Severe sub-atmospheric pressure will cause the pipe to collapse.

If the sub-atmospheric pressure is minus 10m, this is the vapor pressure of water.
This will cause liquid water to vaporize; the transient response of the vaporized
water is difficult to predict.

When the sub-atmospheric pressure is lower than about minus 7m, any dissolved
air in water will evolve from solution. This air will not necessarily be reabsorbed
into the water when pumping pressure is re-applied. The transient response of the
air/water mixture is difficult to predict.

Sub-atmospheric pressure lower than around minus 5m may cause damage to the
concrete lining of the pipe if they are repeated frequently.

Pressure lower than the external hydraulic pressure may allow ground water to be
drawn into the pipeline through faulty joints, leaking washouts and even submerse
air valves with subsequent risk of contamination to the supply. This will not cause
any problems if the system is conveying raw water or wastewater.

Ingress of air into the pipeline during down surge may interfere with the proper
operation of some instrumentation

3.

Assumptions
3.1.

Pipes:

Modulus of elasticity of steel = 200 Gpa.

Poissons ratio = .27
Conduit condition: thin wall elastic conduit.
Friction factor: C=140, 90.
3.2.

Fluid:

Fluid: Treated Water

Bulk Modulus: 2.19 Gpa
Density: 1000 Kg/m3
Operating temperature: Ambient.
3.3.

Air valve:

The airflow into the pipeline is isentropic.

The entrapped air remains at the valve location and is not carried away by the flow of
liquid.
The expansion or contraction of the entrap air is isothermal.
3.4.

Vessel:

Air expansion: behaves midway between isothermal and adiabatic and is assumed to
follow PV1.2 =constant.
Pipe works: Return flow restricted.
Surge within interconnecting pipe works is ignored.

4.

Theory

Rapidly varying pressure and flow conditions in pipe systems are characterized by
variation, which are both position (x) and time (t) dependent. These conditions are
described by the dynamic equation
L1

Q
H
f
gA

Q | Q | 0 1
t
x 2 DA

And the continuity equation

L2 a 2

Q
H
gA
0 2
x
t

Where
Q Flow rate
t time
H head
x distance
f friction factor
D Diameter of conduit
g acceleration due to gravity
A cross-sectional area of conduit
a wave velocity
Both Eqs.1 and 2 are partial differential equations.
Consider linear combination of Eqs 1 and 2 ie.
L = L1 + L2 -------------------------------------------------------------------3
And let

1
a

Eq. 3 can be written as

dQ gA dH
f

Q | Q | 0 4
dt
a dt
2 DA

if
dx
a
dt

and
dQ gA dH
f

Q | Q | 0 5
dt
a dt
2 DA

if
dx
a
dt

Eqs. 4 and 5 have been converted to ordinary differential equations in the independent
variable t, and can be solved easily by digital computer by method of characteristics. Due
to the tremendous computing power of the computer, various boundary conditions, such
as surge vessel, surge tank, pumps, reservoir, air valves, surge valves etc. just to name a
few, can be evaluated. The details of the formulation and analysis of these boundary
conditions are beyond the scope of this report.

5.

Water Hammer effect on Raw Water Pumping System

The pumping main consists of 1150mm diameter pipe, 17km long. The pipeline profile is
generally gentle with a hill at CH 7700m. The hill is very susceptible to sub-atmospheric
pressures when the down surge envelope drops during transient stage. Therefore, the
surge control criteria will be to prevent excessive down surge pressure occurred at the
hill. On the other hand, the up surge pressure shall not exceed the pressure rating of the
pumping system too, to prevent excessive damages to the pumping system.
The phenomenal of surge is due to a change in steady state flow condition in the pumping
system. Hence, the magnitude of the surge pressures, both upsurge and downsurge
pressures are dependent of steady state flow conditions. Therefore, the steady state flow
conditions of a pumping system need to be established before a study on the transient
state of the pumping system can be conducted.
5.1.

Steady State Hydraulic

Graph 1: - System Characteristic Curve for Raw Water Pump

A high rate of change of
momentum

will

cause

enormous surge pressures,

and

momentum

is

dependent on the velocity

of flow in the pipeline.
Thus, a high rate of change
of flow rate in the pipe will
cause more severe surge
pressures.

Therefore,

to

capture the worst surge scenario, the condition that will generate maximum flow rate
shall be used for the study on the transient response of the pumping system. The system is
to be designed with two (2) vessel to protect the system with four (4) pumps running
condition and one (1) vessel only for two (2) pumps running condition. Graph 1 shows
the duty point of the pumping system at minimum static lift, with the pipe friction factor

(Hazen Williams C value) of 120, to simulate the condition when the pipe is new and
smooth, and the maximum flow rate obtained are 2167l/s and 1529l/sec for four (4)
pumps and two (2) pumps running condition respectively. A second scenario with
maximum static head yields a duty flow of 1617l/s and 1297l/sec for four (4) pumps and
two (2) pumps running condition respectively.
5.2.

Transient Hydraulic

With the minimum static lift scenario under 4 pumps running condition, the pump duty
flow rate is 2167 l/sec and the water level at the intake is at 78.2m. A simulation of
sudden shut down of the pump without external surge protection devices has show that
worst up surge and down surge pressures are 192.8m and 57m respectively. A similar
simulation with water level at the intake is 74.5 and duty flow rate of 1617 l/sec, the
corresponding worst up surge and down surge pressures are 200.5m and 54.4m. The
surge pressures in second case is more severe because of low water level, which hinder
the effectiveness of pump and motor inertia to draw in the water to feed the pipeline
under its angular momentum. The down surge pressures are too low and hence surge
protection system is required.
Since the intake site is subjected to flooding during high water level, installing surge
vessel with compressed air equipment may not appropriate. Therefore, vacuum relief air
release air valve is considered for lifting up the down surge pressures along the pipeline.
Graph 2: - Pressure Envelope for Raw Water Pump
The computer simulation
of the pumping system
with the vacuum relief
air release valve installed
at three (3) locations has
shown
surge

that

the

down

pressure

has

improved to 1.05m, while

upsurge

pressure

marginally decreased to

30.5m under minimum static lift condition. Similar simulation for the maximum static lift
condition yielded the worst up surge and down surge pressures of 39.7m and 0.42m
respectively. The results of the simulation are shown in Graph 2 and have shown that the
proposed vacuum relief air release valve is able to control the surge pressures.
Summaries of the results of the transient response of the pumping system, together with
the tabulated results of the surge pressures are presented in Figure 1.
The reverse flow starts 1 second after pump stop, hence the non-return valves used should
be rapid closing types. Shock due to closure of the disc shall be reduced through the
action of a dashpot or similar devices, which retards closure over the last 10 percent of
the closing position.

Location and sizes of air valves

Size* Location R.L.
150/10 CH 80m 21.0
/10 CH 150m 27.0
150/10 CH 200m 27.0
Figure 1: Schematic Diagram for Raw Water Pumping System

6.

Conclusion

Both raw water and treated water pumping systems required surge protection systems to
keep surge pressures under control.
6.1.

Raw Water pumping system

Due to low sub-atmospheric pressures, vacuum relief air release valves are required to
control the surge pressures in the raw water pumping systems. The proposed vacuum
relief - air release valves, allow air to rush into the pipeline to reduce the down surge
pressure generated by sudden pumps stoppage. On the other hand, when pressures in the
pipeline have rise above atmospheric pressure, this special air valve will release the
trapped air slowly, whereby prevent rejoining of the already separated column of water.
Normally, the rejoining of the separated column of water will cause an excitation to the
pumping system may resulted in very severe secondary up surge pressures. When this
secondary up surge pressures is deflected, very low down surge pressures will occur. The
vacuum relief air release valves proposed is 150mm diameter vacuum relief with 10mm
diameter air release valve, and its performance graph is shown in Graph 5.
Graph 3: - Performance Graph for 150mm dia. Inlet & 10mm dia. Outlet Vacuum
Relief and Air Release valve
Performance Graph for Air Valve

Performance Graph for Air Valve

0.00

1.40

-0.10

Diff. Pressure in bars

Diff. Pressure in bars

1.20
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40

-0.30
-0.40
-0.50
-0.60

0.20
0.00
0.00

-0.20

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

-0.70
-160

0.80

-140

-120

-100

-80

-60

-40

Air in flow rate in cu.m./min.

Air out flow rate in cu.m./min.

10

-20

6.2.

Treated Water Pumping System

Due to high up surge pressures, surge vessel is required to control the surge pressures in
the treated water pumping system. The water level settings of the surge vessel must
always be kept within the specified limits for the surge control system to be effective.
Hence, duty and standby air compressors are required to maintain the volume of air inside
the surge vessels within the preset limits. When the water level inside the surge vessel
reaches the upper limit, the air compressor will be switch on automatically to push the
water level down to the lower limit. When water level inside the surge vessel reaches the
lower limit, the air compressor will be cut-out automatically. The control of cut-in and
cut-out of the compressor will be by level electrodes installed in the surge vessel. The air
compressor is normally sized to top up the air between the upper limit and lower limit
within 15 minutes.
To prevent slamming of the pumps non-return valves, rapid closing, non-slam type shall
be selected. Shock due to closure of the disc shall be reduced through the action of a
dashpot or similar device, which retards closure over the last 10 percent of the closing
position. Table 1 below tabulates the design data for both the surge vessel and
compressors.
Table 1: - Design data for Surge Vessel and Compressor
1

5
6
7
8
9
Compressor
initial air initial air
Pressure relief valve
at L
at H Air flow rate Pressure
Blow off pressure
3
3
m
m
m
cum/hr
m
m

Max. surge Close valve Max. system Vessel design

pressure
head
pressure
pressure
m

141

110

m
141

170

=max. of [1],[2]

=[3]*1.2

3.30

2.70

1.20
={[5]-[6]}*2*1.0

110

170
=[3]

Appendixes at the end of this report show the graphical presentations of the transient
responds of the pumping systems.

11