Monitoring for Transient Pressures in Pipelines

A change in the flow rate in a full pipeline will cause a change in the pressure within that pipeline. These changes are given careful attention in the well-designed pipeline; however, in the past it has been difficult to accurately measure these transient pressures after the pipeline is constructed and placed in service. Transient pressures exceeding the structural strength of the pipeline will cause damage in the form of rupture or, as is more frequently the case, in the form of latent damage that results in failure at a later date. Advances in digital data processing systems have significantly improved our ability to continuously monitor and record even the very-short waterhammer event. These improvements have facilitated monitoring for transient pressures under a wide variety of circumstances. Early detection of damaging transient pressure events is now more practicable, thus permitting the reduction of damage to pipelines resulting from these events.