The Crucial Importance of Air Valve Characterization to the Transient Response of Pipeline Systems

Air valves are often crucial components in an air management strategy for pressurized water conveyance systems. However, the reliability of characteristic curves of air valves found in product catalogs is quite variable. This paper evaluates the consistency of a selection of product curves to basic air flow principles. Several recurring issues are identified: catalogs that present identical curves for admission and expulsion (they are, in fact, …