As you know, AFT is a developer of a world leading waterhammer simulation tool in AFT Impulse. We regularly get asked for waterhammer guidance by engineers tasked with building piping systems. While there are some excellent waterhammer resources available, there is not much decision-making content from non-commercial authoritative organizations.
The good news is the Hydraulic Institute is forming a new committee to provide guidance to industry on waterhammer. The first in-person meeting of this committee was held at the Fall Conference in San Antonio, Texas in October 2021. We are still actively looking for experts from all reaches of fluid transfer system engineering to join us and help us make this committee successful.
If you are not familiar with the Hydraulic Institute (HI), I recently wrote this blog "Why Does Pipe Flow Hydraulics Need an Institute?". AFT first became an Associate Member of HI in 2005 and re-engaged during their 100th Anniversary in 2017.
Back in 2018 I was asked to co-teach a waterhammer webinar on behalf of HI and have repeated that webinar yearly since. It received higher than average attendance. Since then, two other webinars have been offered by HI on subjects related to waterhammer. This has raised awareness within HI of the need for authoritative guidance on waterhammer.
I proposed to HI that they form a committee on waterhammer to explore and develop content to fill this need. Earlier this year HI agreed. I have the honor of being the first committee chairman.
The HI organization has a leading reputation in creating and maintaining standards, writing guidebooks and developing educational content, among other things. I believe there is a need for all of this in the area of waterhammer. The purpose of the Waterhammer Advisory Committee at this point is centered around educational content:
The committee will provide visibility to the topic of water hammer and how it relates to pumps and pumping systems. It will manage existing and develop future educational content.
One of the things that excites me about this committee is access to engineers involved in a wide variety of aspects of piping systems. There are pump manufacturers attending the meeting and I am interested in hearing about their experience. There are waterhammer mitigation engineers attending. There are engineers from design firms. And there are engineers who develop simulation tools (us at AFT). I think this group of experts is unique and we have an opportunity to create some useful and unique content. Please join us!
