Water Hammer API

Water-hammer (hydraulic-transient) maths as an API, computed locally and deterministically — the surge-pressure, wave-speed and valve-timing numbers a piping or plumbing engineer guards a system with. The surge endpoint applies the Joukowsky equation Δp = ρ · a · Δv: a sudden stop of the flow spikes the pressure by the fluid density × the pressure-wave speed × the velocity change — stopping 2 m/s of water at a ≈ 1200 m/s adds about 24 bar (348 psi), far above the line pressure, which is what bangs the pipes and can split fittings. The wave-speed endpoint gives that pressure-wave speed: a = √(K/ρ) in a rigid pipe (≈ 1,480 m/s for water), slowed in a real elastic pipe to √(K/ρ) ÷ √(1 + (K·D)/(E·t)) — a thin or plastic pipe gives a lower wave speed and a gentler surge, which is why PVC tolerates hammer better than steel. The critical-time endpoint gives 2L/a, the round-trip time of the wave: close a valve faster than this and you get the full Joukowsky surge, slower and the returning relief wave eats into it, so sizing closure times (or fitting a surge tank or air chamber) above the critical time is the standard cure. Everything is computed locally and deterministically, so it is instant and private. Ideal for piping- and plumbing-design tools, pump-station and pipeline-surge analysis, and hydraulic-engineering utilities. Pure local computation — no key, no third-party service, instant. Idealised single-pipe transient. 3 compute endpoints. For steady pipe pressure drop use a Darcy API; for pump head and affinity a pump API.