The cause of water hammer
is the ramming action that develops when a column of water is suddenly set in
motion as when a pump starts, or when the water column suddenly stops as when
the valve is closed quickly. It is usually recognized by the sudden thud and
vibration that occurs when a water valve is closed quickly. Pressure tanks and
elastic cells usually absorb most of the water hammer in the area where they
are immediately located. The biggest problem occurs when water is being pumped
up hill through long lengths of delivery pipe, and the pressure tank is located
at the higher level where the water is being used. Solving the problem involves
two pressure tanks, one at the pump level and the other at the upper or delivery
point level. This leads to serious air supply problems between the two tanks
in which the lower tank has difficulty keeping properly charged. A better solution
is to use elastic cells next to the pump to do away with the air problem. Then
either an elastic cell or pressure tank may be placed at the upper level.
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