Water Hammer and Surge Suppression Engineering: Analysis, Prevention, Protection and Design of Pipeline Systems
Learn water hammer analysis, hydraulic transient modelling, surge prevention and pipeline protection. Master surge suppression system design for water, wastewater and industrial pipelines.
- Online – Microsoft Teams
- 27 - 28 August 2026
- 2 CPD Points
- Price : R 8 990.00
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After successfully completing this course, you will be able to:
Understand the principles of hydraulic transients and water hammer.
Explain how surge pressures develop within pipeline systems.
Analyse transient events caused by pump and valve operations.
Perform surge pressure calculations.
Design surge protection systems.
Develop safe operating procedures for pumping systems.
Improve pipeline reliability and operational performance.
Reduce failures caused by hydraulic transients.
Fundamentals of Hydraulic Transients
Introduction to Water Hammer
- Fundamentals of hydraulic transients
- Water hammer theory
- Pressure wave propagation
- Causes of surge pressure
- Positive and negative pressure waves
- Compressibility of water
- Elasticity of pipelines
- Wave speed
- Pressure surge mechanisms
- Real-world pipeline failures
Pipeline Hydraulics
- Steady-state flow
- Unsteady flow
- Energy equation
- Bernoulli equation
- Friction losses
- Minor losses
- Pipeline profiles
- Hydraulic Grade Line (HGL)
- Energy Grade Line (EGL)
Surge Analysis
- Surge pressure calculations
- Joukowsky Equation
- Pressure wave reflections
- Pipeline characteristics
- Critical surge conditions
- Cavitation
- Column separation
- Vacuum conditions
Water Hammer Analysis and Prevention
Pumping Systems
- Pump start-up
- Pump shutdown
- Power failure
- Pump trip analysis
- Check valve dynamics
- Pump selection
- Variable Speed Drives (VSDs)
- Multiple pump systems
Valve Operations
- Rapid valve closure
- Valve opening
- Valve characteristics
- Air valves
- Isolation valves
- Control valves
- Pressure reducing valves
- Surge relief valves
Surge Prevention
- Operational controls
- Controlled valve operation
- Pump control strategies
- Pipeline routing
- System optimisation
- Pressure management
- Air management
- Operating procedures
Surge Protection and Design
Surge Suppression Equipment
- Surge vessels
- Hydropneumatic tanks
- Air chambers
- Air release valves
- Surge anticipation valves
- Pressure relief valves
- Flywheels
- Vacuum breakers
- One-way surge tanks
Pipeline Design for Surge Control
- Pipeline material selection
- Pressure class selection
- Pipe wall thickness
- Anchor blocks
- Thrust blocks
- Flexible joints
- Expansion joints
- Pipeline layout optimisation
Hydraulic Transient Modelling
- Introduction to transient analysis software
- Numerical modelling principles
- Model development
- Boundary conditions
- Model calibration
- Interpretation of results
- Engineering design reports