Investigation of Porous Structures for Protection of Pipelines against Water Hammer

This study was initiated to investigate the use of a porous structure in some parts of a pipeline to protect it against water hammer pressure wave. This study was inspired by the utilization of porous breakwaters which are commonly used to protect coastal areas. To fulfill the main objective of the study, different porous structures were installed in an experimental pipeline fed by a pump. The water hammer was induced by an upstream valve. The homogeneous porous structures were made up of spherical beads or broken rocks in different sizes and filled them in pipes with different lengths and subject them under different water hammer conditions. Results obtained from this study showed that during the first cycle of water hammer wave, the ratio of maximum pressure downstream of porous structure to the corresponding value in upstream is between 0.6 to 0.95, respectively. This pressure difference decreased drastically in next cycles. Generally, it can be conclude that an insignificant protection gained from a porous structure in downstream from water hammer; however, the overall pressure fluctuations in the pipe filled with a porous structure was less than a fully open pipe under the same discharge rates and the same water hammer condition. The results showed that porous structures in particular condition could be used to control pressure oscillations in piplines and it is proposed to consider practical aspects of this idea in future researches.