Pressure shock in pipeline systems - causes and control

Pressure shocks (dynamic pressure changes) in pipelines often are many times higher than the nominal pressure and can present dangers for the system. Pressure shocks can have various causes. If they are produced by the presence of air in a pipeline, the use of bleeding valves will remedy the problem. In the event that dynamic pressure changes cannot be avoided at all, for example with an emergency shutdown, pressure relief valves have to be installed. Both types of valves are presented in this article.