DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING

FCE 322

FLUID MECHANICS IIB

HYDRAULICS LABORATORY

F16/1770/2017

JOHN SABWA LICHUMA

REPORT FOR THE SURGE TANK EXPERIMENT

OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIMENT

To confirm the method of calculation, for determining the variation of level with time in a surge tank.

INTRODUCTION

A surge tank is a device introduced within a hydropower water conveyance system having a rather long
pressure conduit to absorb the excess pressure rise in case of a sudden valve closure. The surge tank is
located between the slightly inclined conduit and steeply sloping penstock. It also acts as a small storage
from which water may be supplied in case of a sudden valve opening of the turbine. In case of a sudden
opening of turbine valve, there are chances of penstock collapse due to a negative pressure generation,
if there is no surge tank.

When the valve in a hydroelectric power plant is suddenly completely closed, because of its small inertia
the water in the penstock stops almost at once. The water in the pipeline, with large inertia retards
slowly. The difference in flows between pipeline and penstock causes a rise in the water level in the
surge tank. The water level rises above the static level of the reservoir water, producing a counter-
pressure so that water in the pipeline flows towards the reservoir and the level of water in the surge
tank drops. In the absence of damping, oscillation would continue indefinitely with the same amplitude.

The important functions of surge tank are as follows:

 It should Protects the conduit system from high internal pressures.

 It should help the hydraulic turbine regarding its regulation characteristics.

 It should store the water to raise the pressure in pressure drop conditions.

Whenever there is an abrupt load rejection by the power system, the mass of water in the conveyance
system in turn get suddenly decelerated, this process gives rise to water hammer phenomenon. The
purpose of the surge tank is to intercept and dampen these high-pressure waves and not allow them in
the low-pressure system.
Apparatus

1. Stopwatch
2. Measuring tape
3. Surge tank
4. Discharge tank(reservoir)
5. Pipe surge test pipe

Procedure

1. The expression for the head lost between the reservoir and the surge tank in terms of
velocity(hf=kvn) was the first to be determined by taking a series of readings of the head
difference and discharge and making the appropriate log plot.
2. Surges at each of the five initial heads in the surge tank were then recorded and plotted on the
same graph as the computed curves. The curves were then compared.
Results of the experiment

Diameter of pipe =2 inches=0.0508m

Length of pipe= 9.22m

Diameter of surge tank=4.5 inches= 0.1143m

Diameter of discharge tank=0.6096m

Maximum height of water in surge tank=1.59m

Area of surge tank,As=0.0102m2

Area of discharge tank=0.2919m2

Cross sectional Area of pipe,Ap=2.027 *10-3 m2

Initial 110 105 100 90 80

Head

Height Time in seconds

120 0.44 0.38 0.59 0.91 1.51

150 1.12 1.77 1.96 2.23 2.36

180 3.47 3.57 3.69 4.15 6.61

180 6.60 6.91 7.03 7.24 7.14

150 10.60 9.90 10.2 10.4 11.4

H1 H2 H2-H1 t

110 4.8 25.7 20.9 23.31

105 22.2 42.0 19.8 22.80

100 40.2 61.4 21.2 22.18

90 59.0 80.8 21.8 22.85

80 38.3 58.4 20.1 21.47

Datum =159cm

TEST 1 2 3 4 5
Initial Head 110 105 100 90 80
(cm)
Datum-initial 0.49 0.54 0.59 0.69 0.79
head(m)

Time(sec) 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 Volume=(h1- Head( hf ) Velocity 𝑽 log hf log v

𝑸= 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝑸
(m3/s) h0)× 𝑨𝒅 (𝒎𝟑 ) (m) = (m/s)
𝑨𝒑
23.31 0.0026 0.0610 0.49 1.29 -0.3098 0.1110
22.8 0.0025 0.0578 0.54 1.25 -0.2676 0.0971
22.18 0.0028 0.0619 0.59 1.38 -0.2291 0.1388
22.85 0.0028 0.0636 0.69 1.37 -0.1612 0.1380
21.47 0.0027 0.0587 0.79 1.35 -0.1024 0.1297
Analysis
The expression of the head lost between the reservoir and the surge tank in terms of velocity is expressed
as: hf = kvn

Hence; log hf = log k + n log v

A graph of the equation above was then plotted whereby n and k were to be determined from the graph

GRAPH OF LOG V AGAINST LOG HF

-0.08
0.09 0.1 0.11 0.12 0.13 0.14

-0.13

log ℎ𝑓 = 2.8771LogV - 0.5677

-0.18
Log Hf

-0.23

-0.28

-0.33
Log V

From the straight line graph, the value of 𝑛 is the gradient of that graph while log 𝑘 is the Y intercept of
the graph. The value of n can be obtained as 2.8771 from the general graph equation, log Hf=nLogV +Log
k and the value of the y-intercept i.e. Log k = -0.5677
k = antilog -0.5677
k = 0.2706

𝑓𝑙𝑣 2 𝑓𝑙
From the expression of the head lost, ℎ𝑓 = thus 𝑘 =
2𝐷𝑔 2𝐷𝑔

𝑓×9.22 0.2706×2×0.0508×9.81
Therefore , 0.2706= 𝑓= = 0.029
2×0.0508×9.81 9.22
From the surges recorded at each of five initial heads in the surge tank the following values were obtained
and a graph of H against time, t, is plotted.
Data for graph of heights H against time

Initial 110 105 100 90 80

Head

Height Time in seconds

120 0.44 0.38 0.59 0.91 1.51

150 1.12 1.77 1.96 2.23 2.36

180 3.47 3.57 3.69 4.15 6.61

180 6.60 6.91 7.03 7.24 7.14

150 10.60 9.90 10.2 10.4 11.4

From equation;
𝑦𝑚𝑎𝑥 +ℎ𝑓 𝛽
= 𝑙𝑛 [𝛽−𝑦 ]
𝛽 𝑚𝑎𝑥

𝐿×𝐴𝑝
𝛃=
2×𝑔×𝐾×𝐴𝑠

9.22×0.002027
𝛃= = 0.345
2×9.81×0.2706×0.0102

Values of ymax were guessed for each head loss hf and the equation was then balanced and the ymax
compared with the values from the graphs
 Surge at Hf=0.49
195
185
175
165
Height

155 Series1
145
135
125
115
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
time

surge at Hf=0.54
195
185
175
165
Height

155
145
135
125
115
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Time
 Surge at f=0.59
195
185
175
165
Height

155
145
135
125
115
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Time

Surge at Hf =0.69
195

185

175

165

155

145

135

125

115
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
 surge at f=0.79
195
185
175
165
Height

155
145
135
125
115
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Time

Surge at Hf
195
185
175
165
height

155
145
135
125
115
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Time