DAMPENERS
Pulsation dampeners; protecting valves and flow control equipment
Positivedisplacement pumps create pressure pulsations that stress equipment, raise noise, and waste energy. Pulsation dampeners mitigate these effects across piping and valves. This article outlines how they work, how to size them, and how they reduce energy use and environmental impact.
By Kemal Çomaklı & Ömer Yıldız, Starvalve Industrial Valves and
Actuators Kocaeli-Türkiye
Figure 1. Bladder-type dampeners
Positive displacement pumps( diaphragm, piston, and metering pumps), frequently used in industrial fluid transfer processes, deliver high precision and efficiency by pumping a specific volume into the system with each stroke. However, due to the nature of this cycling motion, periodic pressure fluctuations occur at the system outlet. These fluctuations lead to unstable flow, vibration, and noise in pipelines, and shortened equipment life and reduced energy efficiency. These losses stem from increased friction losses and the reduced efficiency of pumps operating under uneven loads. Pulsation dampeners, designed to address these issues, can reduce mechanical stress and optimise system energy consumption.
Pulsation dampener types
There are two main types of pulsation dampeners: Bladder-type dampeners- Feature a design consisting of a flexible bladder housed within a metal casing and charged with nitrogen gas at a predetermined pressure. The operating principle of this type of dampener is based on the gas side being completely isolated from the process fluid; pulsations within the system compress the flexible bladder, further compressing the gas, thus storing energy. Because the bladder is in direct contact with the process fluid, it must be manufactured from chemically compatible materials such as NBR, EPDM, and FKM to resist corrosion and contamination. The primary advantages of
these dampeners are their high performance, low risk of gas charge loss, and their ability to avoid contaminating the process fluid. However, they also come with a disadvantage: their relatively higher cost and the necessity to check the chemical compatibility of the bladder material, depending on the chemical composition of the fluid used. Diaphragm-type dampeners Diaphragm-type dampeners feature a design that incorporates a flexible membrane separating the gas and fluid chambers. The gas side is equipped with a pressure gauge and charging valve to control and regulate system pressure. The operating principle of these dampeners is similar to that of the bladdertype. Pressure pulsations in the system cause the diaphragm to compress or expand the gas, absorbing the energy and damping the vibration. Their primary advantages include a generally more compact design, a more economical price, and the relatively easy replacement of the diaphragm. However, they also have disadvantages, such as a limited diaphragm stroke and the risk of rupture or damage, particularly in the face of extremely intense pulsations or pressure surges. Accumulator based dampeners- Standard hydraulic accumulators can also be used as pulsation dampeners to dampen large-volume pressure fluctuations. However, they may not be as effective as specially designed dampeners in damping small, high-frequency pulsations.
34 Valve World December 2025 www. valve-world. net