Pressure Spike

A pressure spike is the resultant fast rise in pressure over static pressure caused by the water hammer. The highest pressure spike achieved will be at the instant the flow changed and is governed by the equation explained below.

Here:

ΔP = Pressure spike

ρ = Density of the fluid

c = Velocity of the pressure wave (i.e., Speed of sound in the fluid)

Δv = Change in velocity of the fluid

g_c = Gravitational constant 32.17