Optimizing the Cross-Sectional Area of the Break Pressure Tanks

Abstract

For transporting a large quantity of water over a long distance, large pipes are used. In most cases, water is transported by pumping. Installation of break pressure tanks (BPTs) at proper locations on such pipelines provides a good solution to control water hammer pressure in the pipeline. In some cases, the pipeline on the downstream side of the BPT may be in the form of an inverted siphon. Because of the stagnant water in the inverted portion of the pipeline, water level in the BPT will rise and then fall to some extent, until the velocity increases from zero to a steady-state value. The maximum value to which this water level rises depends on cross-sectional areas of the BPT. This paper develops a method based on analysis of unsteady flow in the pipeline to determine the relationship between the area of the BPT provided and the maximum level to which the water in the BPT will rise.