When an explosion happens in an enclosed space , water hammer can cause the walls of the container to deform . However , it can also impart momentum to the enclosure if it is free to move . An underwater explosion in the SL-1 nuclear reactor vessel caused the water to accelerate upwards through of air before it struck the vessel head at with a pressure of . This pressure wave caused the steel vessel to jump 9 feet 1 inch ( 2.77 m ) into the air before it dropped into its prior location . It is imperative to perform ongoing preventative maintenance to avoid water hammer as the results of these powerful explosions have resulted in fatalities
SL-1
SL-1
Water hammer