ABSTRACT
The water hammer phenomenon occurs in systems with transient flow in pressure pipelines. As a valve or gate is closed in a pressure pipeline, the flow of fluid inside increases rapidly in speed, which in turn creates pressure that spreads in the pipeline in the form of a disturbing wave. The speed of such disturbance is influenced by a number of elements, including but not limited to fluid type, the precise bulk modulus of the fluid, friction forces, inertia forces and characteristics of the pipe wall (including its material composition, thickness and geometry) (Streeter et al. 1998, Nielacny 2002, Mitosek 2007). This phenomenon is undesirable in pressure pipe networks because it creates pressure increases of significant value, as well as significantly higher wave frequency. When pressure and frequency increase rapidly at the same time, damaged armature elements often occur, as well as disturbances in the process of fluid transportation (Ramos & de Almeida 2002).
