CARL W .

I U N D G R E N ize of
Suppressors for Pomp-Discharge Lines
Engineer, Technical Engineering Analysis
Branch, Division o f Design, Bureau o f
Reclamation, U. S. D e p a r t m e n t o f the
Interior, Denver, Colo.

Surge suppressors are often used for the control of water-hammer pressures which occur
in pump-discharge lines subsequent to power interruptions. This paper includes charts
for determining the size of the required suppressors when water-column separations do
not occur.

IVIOST PUMP-DISCHARGE UNBS must be protected
against high pressures which occur subsequent to power interrup-
tions at the pumping units. After a power interruption the re-
duction in pump speed is rapid, and the momentum of the water
column creates low pressures in the line and possibly water-column
separations. After the water column reverses, high pressures
may develop in the pump-discharge line. Various devices such
as surge tanks and air chambers are used to raise the minimum
transient pressures and to reduce the subsequent high pressure
surges. Surge suppressors may also be used to reduce these pres-
sure surges.
A typical surge suppressor consists of a pilot-operated valve
which opens quickly after a power interruption through loss of
power to a solenoid, or by a sudden pressure reduction at the
surge suppressor, thereby providing an open valve for releasing
the reversed flow of water. The valve is subsequently closed at a
slow rate by the action of a dash pot to control the pressure rise.
The pressure rise which could occur with simple check valves
and without water-column separation is approximately equal to
the initial pressure drop at the pumps, with a maximum of about
the static head. If no check valves were provided and if the
reversed flow was allowed to pass through the pumps, the pressure
could rise to a maximum of about 50 per cent of the pumping
head depending upon the inertia of the water column, the rota-
tional inertia of the pumping units, and the pump characteristics.
Graphical Determination of Head Rise With a Surge
Suppressor
The method of determining the size of surge suppressors is
based on a graphical method of water-hammer analysis which is
explained in detail in Reference [1].1 In the following analysis the
surge suppressor is assumed to open rapidly to the full open posi-
tion prior to the reversal of flow. Rotational inertia effects of the
pumping units are considered to be small when compared to the
kinetic energy of the water column and are therefore neglected.
A representative problem will now be considered to demonstrate
the water-hammer solution. A typical pump discharge line is
shown in Fig. 1. The graphical water-hammer solution for the
given conditions where the surge-suppressor valve is opened
rapidly after a power interruption is shown in Fig. 2. A repre-
sentative pressure wave is carried through the diagram as shown
by the solid line.
The discharge-line friction is assumed to be concentrated ad-
jacent to the reservoir at Point B shown in Fig. 1. The friction is
represented by a parabolic curve in Fig. 2. A parabolic curve in-
dicating the discharge characteristic of a surge-suppressor valve
fully open is also shown in Fig. 2. The vertex of this curve is
located at a point corresponding to atmospheric pressure and
1 Numbers in brackets designate References at end of paper.

A surge suppressor can reduce the pressure rise to any value

below the maximums just given. Surge suppressors may also be
used advantageously in some cases where water-column separa-
tion occurs, but this subject will not be considered in this paper.

Contributed by the Water-Hammer Subcommittee of the Hydrau-

lic Division and presented at the Annual Meeting, Atlantic City, Minimum heod on discfiorge
N. J., November 29-December 4, 1959, of T H E A M E R I C A N S O C I E T Y ' -Surge
line o f f e r power i n t e r r u p t i o n
OF M E C H A N I C A L E N G I N E E R S . Manuscript received at ASME Head- suppressor

quarters, July 23, 1959. Paper No. 59—A-73. Fig. 1 Profile o f p i p e l i n e

-Nomenclature-
a = velocity of pressure wave, fps hj = IIf/Ho, ratio of total friction I — time at any instant during varia-
head to initial pumping head ble flow conditions; time, t =
g = acceleration due to gravity, fps 0, occurs at the instant of power
per sec L = length of discharge line, ft
interruption
L/a = wave travel time of discharge line> V = velocity of water in discharge line
IIo = initial pumping head, ft
sec at any time, fps
H = head at any time during transi- Fo = initial velocity of water in dis-
Q = pumping-station discharge at any
ent, ft charge line, fps
time, cfs
v = V/Vo = Q/Qo, ratio of velocity of
H f = total line friction, ft Qo = initial pumping station discharge> water during transient to the
h = H/Ho, ratio of pressure head dur- cfs initial steady velocity
ing transient to the initial Q, = surge suppressor capacit}' based a V" • *
pumping head on initial head, cfs 2p = , a pipeline constant
gH o

Journal of Engineering for Power JANUARY 1 96 1 / 4 3

Copyright © 1961 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://gasturbinespower.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 10/07/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 zero flow. The discharge capacity of the surge suppressor is de- the pressure must not drop below the vapor pressure of water in
any part of the line. These minimum pressures may be deter-
fined by the equation v = (h)'/*.
Qo mined by methods shown in Reference [1].
The pressure wave which will produce the maximum pressure
rise for any chosen size of surge suppressor and pipeline constant Typical Example
(2p) is determined by the wave which is tangent to that particular
The following example taken from Reference [2] will illustrate
surge-suppressor discharge curve. This is shown by a dashed
line in Fig. 2. the use of the charts. The general profile of the line is shown in
Fig. 1. The basic data for the pumping installation are as
follows:
Construction o( Surge-Suppressor Charts
a = 2820 fps
The results of a series of these graphical water-hammer solu-
tions are shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. These charts indicate the Qo = 33.7 cfs
required surge-suppressor flow capacities to limit the maximum Vo = 5.81 fps
head rise at the pumping station to zero, 10, 20, or 30 per cent of
Ho = 220 ft
the initial head.
It should be noted that these charts were derived on the basis L = 3940 ft
that water-column separation does not occur. This means that 2p = aV0/(gH0) = 2.31

I 50 |

.-Surge suppressor
discharge curve

io

Friction curve

0 50 -

,-A i k
0 0-

Fig. 2 Typical g r a p h i c a l w a t e r - h a m m e r solution

3U >U 2p
2P
Fig. 4 Surge suppressor capacities for 10 p e r c e n t head rise at p u m p i n g
Fig. 3 Surge suppressor capacities for zero head rise at p u m p i n g station station

44 / JANUARY 196 1 Transactions of the AS ME

Downloaded From: http://gasturbinespower.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 10/07/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 3 5

30
I,
\ .0 .1- I
-~
NOTE

2 5
-
\ Numbers on curves
indicate friction as
a per cent of initial

20
I-- ~ \
pumping head .

I \
~I~ - - I-

1.5
I \\
-~
/ 2 .L
..!-..
\\
I- - - -
10
I /
I 1 J.- ~
-~
1
05 1 /' / 10 ~

-........... ~ ~
I
I / / - 20 :::::: ~ S -
a
I I / I
01 0.2 0.5 1.0 2.0 50 10 20

2 p
Fig . 5 Surg e suppress or capacities for 20 per ce nt head ri se at pumping
station

35 r-~-rr--.-.-.-rTT-.-~-r---------'

_+--+1\-0 - 1- 1-+-+-+-1.-+--1
\ .

30 __ ~\.-I-I-+-l-I+-I-----!--l NO TE
Numbers on curves
25~-+~~~-4-+~++-+-+-~
indicate frictIOn as
o per cent of initial
pumping head .

---'-
I

10 20

2 p

Fig. 6 Surg e s uppressor capaciti es fo r 30 per ce nt head ri se at pumping

station
AssumeH, = (0.10)(220) = 22ft
Reference [2J indicates t.hat water-column separation will not
occur.
It is desired to determine the size of the surge suppressor which
will limit the head rise at the pump to 0 pel' cent. From Fig. 3,
Q./Qo = 0.43. Therefore the surge suppressor must have a flow
capac ity of 43 pel' cent of the initial pumping-station discharge.

Acknowledgments
The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of S. G.
Parker in preparing the Slll'ge-suppressor charts.

References
1 J. Parmnkinn, "Waterhammer Analysis," Prentice Hall, Inc.,
New York, N. Y., 1955.
2 J. P armalcinn , "One-Way Surge Tan ks for Pumping Plrmts,"
TRANS. ASME, vol. 80, 1958, p. 1563.

Journal of Engineering for Power J AN U A R Y 19 6 1 / 45

Downloaded From: http://gasturbinespower.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ on 10/07/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use