CHALLENGE: ADDRESSING occurrence and causes of pressure transients in distribution networks
Water transients in utility distribution systems are short-lived intense pressure waves that can originate from various operational conditions, such as sudden demand spikes or routine operations of pumps and valves. If left unchecked, water pressure transients can lead to catastrophic failure on water pipelines, and the risk is even higher for aging infrastructure. FloPath high-speed transient dataloggers were deployed over a multi-year project that delivered a detailed audit of oscillating pressure incidents causing major stress on the pipeline walls and at connections or elbows. This data informed broader efforts to develop transient mitigation strategies by comparing transient data with pipeline asset information, leak and burst history, pipeline replacement data, and operational data.
