Fluid dynamic interaction between water hammer and centrifugal pumps

Centrifugal pumps generate in piping systems noticeable pressure pulsations. In this paper the dynamic interaction between water hammer and pressure pulsations is presented. The experimental investigations were performed at a piping system with nominal diameter DN 100 (respectively NPS 4) and 75 m total length, built at the Institute for Process Technology and Machinery. Different measurements at this testing facility show that pulsating centrifugal pumps can damp pressure surges generated by fast valve closing. It is also shown that 1-dimensional fluid codes can be used to calculate this phenomenon. Furthermore it is presented that pressure surges pass centrifugal pumps almost unhindered, because they are hydraulic open.