Back pressure is the resistance and pressure in a pipe caused by changes in its environment, slowing down fluid movement. In computing, it refers to a buildup of data in a network switch. Water hammer is a momentary pressure change caused by fluid bouncing off a change in the pipe, while back pressure is the slowing down of fluid movement. In computing, back pressure is when a network switch fills its data buffer and sends signals to the transmission source that it is full.
Back pressure is usually a measure of fluid resistance and pressure in a pipe. A fluid substance, such as a liquid or heavy gas, will move through a pipe as fast as its conditions allow. As the condition of the pipe changes, such as becoming narrower or bent, the fluid in the pipe will slow down to adjust to the new environment. In computing, back pressure is a buildup of data in a network switch.
The version based on back pressure resistance is more common and very misleading. The term effective refers to the resistance generated when a pipe changes configuration, not the momentary pressure change behind it. The pressure change typically goes by the name of a fluidic hammer.
When a fluid substance moves through a pipe, it accumulates a lot of kinetic energy and inertia. When that energy hits a wall, it bounces back like ripples as they reach the rim of a cup. This has two main effects. First, it momentarily increases the pressure in the pipe when the fluid substance first encounters the change. The second effect is to slow down the movement of all the fluid in the pipe, from the change all the way to the source.
The former effect is commonly referred to as water hammer or water hammer when referring specifically to water. As the fluid encounters the change, it bounces off the fluid attempting to pass through the tube. This will increase the fluid present in that small section of pipe and, therefore, increase its pressure. This is a momentary change that ends as soon as the fluid begins to flow naturally around the bend in the pipe and does not repeat itself in that bend as long as the fluid is flowing continuously.
The second effect is a slowing down of the movement in the pipe, the true meaning of back pressure. Slowing down in a tight or bent spot prevents the fluid from building up as much momentum. This loss is translated up the pipe, reducing the momentum of the entire flow. This phenomenon is used to reduce the speed of a substance as it leaves a pipe or to keep a fluid in a pipe for a longer period.
In the computer world, back pressure has a very different meaning. When a network switch or routing system fills its data buffer and runs out of data, it sends signals to the transmission source that it is full. The data accumulated in the transmission source is called back pressure. This is an undesirable situation, as the accumulated data is easily corrupted when finally sent.
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