Best Answer - Chosen by Voters Here are a couple of links for doing flow calcs.

You need to develop a series of pressure drop calculations for different pipe si zes and flow rates. Then match them to the head curve for the pump that you will be using. When the system pressure drop for a given flow rate matches the pressure that th e pump puts out for that same flow rate then you have the answer. Sorry but many times hydraulic calculations are only solved by estimating the an swer and doing the calcs until your estimate matches the calcs. Source(s):

One effect of an orifice plate will depend on the maximum flow rate the orifice is capable of flowing. For example, if used in a pumping system, and the maximum flow rate of the orif ice is less than the flow rate of the pump, the pump will build a backpressure upstream of t he orifice while reducing the flow rate downstream of the orifice.