Performance of an in-line syntactic-foam device for control of water hammer and fluid-borne noise

A flow-through in-line device has been developed with the potential to control both the pressure transients characteristic of water hammer, as well as suppressing fluid-borne noise. Water hammer can be cause by fast acting valves, and is a common problem in plumbing such that water hammer arrestors, devices designed to limit the peak overpressure, are required by some building codes to be installed proximate to fast-acting valves. Commercially available water hammer arrestors are commonly side-branch devices, and while effective for controlling water hammer, are not effective against fluid-borne noise. A prototype flow-through, in-line syntactic foam water device has been designed and tested for both its water hammer control capabilities as well as its frequency-dependent transmission loss performance. The flow-through design demonstrates adequate performance for service as a water hammer arrestor, as well as significant frequency-dependent transmission loss suitable for the control of fluid-borne noise.