Proving That Bladder Surge Tanks Cured Excessive Surge Conditions in a 30” Force Main

This paper demonstrates a successful approach to implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of surge improvements in an existing high-pressure pumping system, and it discusses the resulting post-construction modifications that helped to achieve the desired performance. The project shows the importance of specifying performance criteria and coordinating closely with equipment manufacturers throughout design and construction of surge improvement projects. Other important lessons on the implementation of surge improvements, including the value of performance monitoring, are also presented. This paper also discusses:Surge model calibration;Performance monitoring procedures;Comparison of model-predicted, and field-measured, post-construction surge conditions;Comparison of pre- and post-construction surge conditions; andChallenges and lessons learned from the project.Through the successes and lessons learned from this project, readers will gain a better understanding of transient pressure concerns, surge modeling, transient pressure monitoring, surge attenuation, bladder surge tanks, and the importance of performance testing.