Minimizing waterhammer transients in a series pipeline

Abstract

Recently, optimization techniques have been applied to the problem of minimizing pressure transients in a pipeline created by valve operation. One such technique is dynamic programming, and a computer program incorporating the method of characteristics and a dynamic programming scheme has been used to calculate the pressure changes at a valve at the downstream end of a series pipeline and to select a valve operating policy which minimizes those pressure changes. The series pipeline either increases or decreases in diameter at an arbitrary location along the pipeline. The valve closure policy determined by dynamic programming creates less severe transients at the valve than a linear policy. A valve opening policy specified by dynamic programming does not offer significant advantages over a linear policy. The dynamic programming scheme allows convenient manipulation of system characteristics, and the policies selected by dynamic programming promise to be applicable to real systems.