Fluid Hydraulics, Flow Testing and Simulation Services

Fluid Hydraulics, Flow Testing and Simulation Services

SOCOTEC’s capabilities encompass the performance of fluid hydraulics evaluation and fluid dynamics modeling to predict fluid loadings. Our experience and services encompassing power and process plants and steam distribution piping systems. We utilize the latest in fluid dynamics computer codes such as RELAP and CFD tools to determine fluid loading to ensure structural capabilities of components, equipment, structures and vessels are within acceptable levels, thus minimizing our customers risk in the performance of their function. 

Fluid Hydraulics, Flow Testing and Simulation Services   

Waterhammers and other fluid transients continue to be a frequent occurrence at power and process facilities and within steam distribution systems, resulting in piping and equipment damage and failure. Significant pressure pulses created by a waterhammer event can lead to catastrophic failure of high capital expense components and challenge system operability. The cost of the downtime required to repair a waterhammer failure can easily exceed the capital cost of replacing equipment. Furthermore, because of the transient nature of waterhammer events it is often difficult to localize the cause of the event. 

Our experience, combined with sophisticated failure analysis and root cause methods have been used to identify causes in numerous plants. Special-purpose analysis programs such as MOC, CFD, RELAP and other numerical methods, combined with our fluid laboratory capability are used to assist our clients in diagnosing the cause of waterhammers. We have also provided extensive instrumentation and testing of systems to monitor fluid transient events, and we have designed modifications to mitigate waterhammer and other events in operating plant systems. Our experience can assist your plant in understanding and determining solutions to transients. 

Talk to our experts

Paul Bruck Principal LPI a SOCOTEC Company

Paul BRUCK

Principal

Principal

paul.bruck@socotec.us +1 978 378 1180
Sontra Yim Principal LPI a SOCOTEC Company

Sontra YIM

Principal

Principal

sontra.yim@socotec.us +1 978 378 1182

Fluid Transient Analysis Experience

Examples of our work and capabilities

-Cooling on the exterior of a buried steam line caused condensate form 
-Due to steam flow and piping geometry, condensate accumulated and made the pipe water solid 
-A steam bubble formed and subsequently collapsed causing a waterhammer 
-Socotec evaluated the conditions leading to the waterhammer, and demonstrated it on scale model of the piping

-Industry leader in project to evaluate SW system waterhammers 
-Testing to support analysis model 
-Developed simplified evaluation methodology 

-Determined probable gas accumulation sites 
-Modeled gas compression and rebound 
-Determined system pressure pulse and sensitivity to void size 
-Recommended solutions 

-Developed program to monitor pressure and piping dynamics 
-Developed acoustic model to predict dynamic pressures 
-Performed root cause to isolate vibration source 
-Developed structural model to demonstrate piping motion

-Used RELAP to determine feedwater pipe-break loads for snubber elimination study 
-Used RELAP to determine main steam loads for pipe qualification 

-Showed that water was not likely to accumulate 
-Proved that accumulated water would not affect piping 
-Provided simple, inexpensive analysis 

-Evaluated a large industrial site's buried piping 
-Determined cause of pipe breaks 
-Recommended solutions to the pipe breaks 

-Created flow models of the spray lines to evaluate flow scoops 
-Showed possible imbalance in flow rates 
-Showed effect of instrument error on test results 

-Investigated potential blowdown region for a line break (ANS 58.2) 
-Provided justification of equipment operability under break conditions 

Fluid hydraulics water testing and analysis

Want to know more about our fluid hydraulics, flow testing, or simulation services? Contact us

Contact Us
paul.bruck@socotec.us
Waterhammer Demonstration

Waterhammer Demostration

Talk to our experts

Paul Bruck Principal LPI a SOCOTEC Company

Paul BRUCK

Principal

Principal

paul.bruck@socotec.us +1 978 378 1180
Sontra Yim Principal LPI a SOCOTEC Company

Sontra YIM

Principal

Principal

sontra.yim@socotec.us +1 978 378 1182