What is Water Hammer?

Water Hammer

What is Water Hammer?

Water hammer is one of the household water-related terms that water users should be aware of to avoid it and know how to handle it.

Water hammer is caused by the sudden shutdown of a pipe, causing a sudden change in pressure. A simple analogy is to imagine a person as water and a pipe as a path. If everyone were to walk along, there would be no problem. However, if an object suddenly blocks the path and causes a sudden stop, those walking together would collide with each other. The momentum from walking creates a collision force when the pipe suddenly stops. This causes the pipe to vibrate back and forth, creating a creaking sound.

Water hammer is a damaging force related to the incompressibility of water. This phenomenon typically occurs when empty pipes are filled with water or when valves are suddenly closed. It can cause a loud noise or even damage pipes, valves, etc.

Pipe Line broken by water hammer

Sudden pressure surges occur when water changes momentum rapidly in a closed system. Since water is an incompressible fluid, the energy of the moving water has nowhere to go. If a valve is suddenly closed, this can create a pressure wave that acts on the pipe, causing loud noises and, in some cases, pipe damage.

In high-rise buildings, water hammer is common due to the height difference, which requires high pressure and velocity during the initial pressure buildup. This is especially true in commercial buildings.

Connecting water pumps to high-rise buildings " Click"

Water hammer becomes a risk when a valve is closed rapidly in a piping system. Therefore, non-return valves are often used to prevent pressure surges from reaching the pump, thereby reducing the risk of pump damage. In some solenoid valves, the closing time can be extended, reducing the impact of water hammer. In applications where rapid valve closure is required, shock absorbers, such as diaphragm tanks, can also be installed to mitigate the impact of water hammer.

Slow Pressure Boosting: Water hammering is also a risk during the filling of a piping system that is empty. Water hammer occurs when a pipe becomes full and the fluid suddenly stops moving. To avoid water hammer, the system should be filled slowly and gradually increased in pressure over a longer period of time. Some booster systems have a booster function and can be programmed to reduce the risk of water hammer.

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