GEMI Water Sustainability Tool Draft (9/21/05)

Horsepower Calculator
Head = Flow Rate = Specific Gravity = HP = KW = Inputs 30.00 ft 35.00 gpm 1.00 0.27 0.20

Brake Horsepower Calculator

HP = Pump Efficiency = Brake Horsepower = Brake KW = Inputs 5.00 HP 60.00% 8.33 6.17

SI Calculator
Pressure = Flow Rate = KW = HP = User Input Calculated Result Inputs 30.48 meters L 12.60 /S 3.77 5.05

Estimating Pump Hydraulic Horsepower

The horsepower of a pump can be determined once basic information is known about the pumping station. Horsepower is the unit of power to define hydraulic or water horsepower. In System International System (SI) it is in kilowatts (kw). The hydraulic power is the next energy transferred to the water per unit time. The input power delivered by the motor to the pump is called bare horsepower (bHp). The difference between the brake horsepower and hydraulic power is the pump efficiency.

Hydraulic Horsepower and Kilowatt Equations

Hydraulic HP Multiply HP by 0.746 to obtain kilowatts Hydraulic Kilowatts = (9.81) x Head (meters) x Flow Rate (L/S) x (specific gravity) 1000 = Head (ft) x Flow Rate (gpm) x (specific gravity) 3956

Multiply kilowatts by 1.341 to obtain horsepower

Brake Horsepower and Motor Efficiency

Brake Horsepower = Hydraulic Power Pump Efficiency

Once the hydraulic horsepower is known, the brake horsepower can be determined based on the pump efficiency. A pump efficiency of 60% can be used as a conservative estimate for a basic calculation to provide a general approximation. Many technical references are available that can provide guidance on the use of these equations and the user should refer to these references.

Sample Horsepower Calculations

Question: Determine the estimated pump horsepower based on the 200 gpm flow rate and 100 ft discharge pressure at the pump. Head (ft) x Flow Rate (gpm) x (specific gravity) HP = 3956 Pump Discharge Pressure = 100 ft Measured Flow Rate = 200 gpm

Calculate Horsepower

HP HP Brake Horsepower

= = = =

100 ft x 200 gpm x 1.0 3956 5 5 0.6 8.3

Calculate Brake Horsepower

SI Units
Pump Discharge Pressure Measured Flow Rate Kilowatts Kilowatts = = = = 30.48 meter 12.6 L/S 9.81 x 30.48 m x 12.6 L/S x 1.0 1000 3.76

Legend
/S gpm HP KW m/s m3 m2 ft2 ft3
L

Liters per Second Gallons per minute Horespower Kilowatt Meters per Second Cubic Meters Square Meters Square Feet Cubic Feet

Flow Rate Calculator

Inputs Velocity = Cross Sectional Area = Flow Rate = 5 ft/sec 0.2 ft2 440.02 gpm Inputs 1.52 m/sec 0.02 m2 L 27.36 /S

SI Calculator
Velocity = Cross Sectional Area = Flow Rate = User Input Calculated Result GEMI Water Sustainability Tool Draft (9/21/05)

Fluid Flow Fundamentals

Water systems involve the movement of water from one point to another. Examples are transferring water from one process to another or from one production facility or building to a packaging plant or final product shipping area. Water usage is typically expressed as a volumetric flow rate (volume/time). If the water flowing though a cylindrical pipe is represented by the shaded area shown below (perpendicular to flow direction) and the velocity of the water is known, then the flow rate of the water can be determined through the pipe as gal/min or m3/sec. Cross Sectional Area

Flow Rate Equations

Flow rate (Q) = Area x velocity The flow rates of process pipes are very important to know to complete water balances and usage and measuring volumetric flow rates are easy using common flow meters. See "Types of Flow Meters" tab for various types of flow measurement devices. Sample Calculation: Determine the quantity of water flowing through a 6-inch diameter pipe that has a velocity of 5 ft/sec. Flow rate (cfs) = Velocity (ft/sec) x Pipe Cross Sectional Area (ft2) 5 ft/sec x .196 ft2 Flow rate (cfs) = 0.98 ft3 Flow rate (cfs) = sec 0.98 ft3 Multiply By 449 to get gpm sec Flow (gpm) = 0.98 x 449 = 440 gpm

SI Units
Flow M / S Flow M3 / S
3

= = =

Velocity (m/s) x Pipe Cross Sectional Area (m2) 1.52 m/s x .018 m2 .028 m3/sec

Multiply 0.028 m3/sec by 1000 to get L/S Flow L/S Flow /S

L

= =

0.028 x 1000 28 L/S

Legend
/S gpm HP KW m/s m3 m2 ft2 ft3
L

Liters per Second Gallons per minute Horespower Kilowatt Meters per Second Cubic Meters Square Meters Square Feet Cubic Feet

Friction Loss Calculator

Pipe Length = Pipe Diameter = Cross Sectional Area = Flow Rate = Pipe Velocity = Friction Factor = Friction Loss = User Input Calculated Result Inputs 1000.00 ft 0.33 ft 0.09 ft2 300 gpm 7.02 ft/sec 0.02 46.36

Friction Loss/Flow Calculations

Several methods are available to determine the friction losses and estimated water flow rates in pipes. In this section one of the most widely used formulas for friction loss, the Darcy-Weisback equation will be presented so the user can have an understanding of the use of these formulas and the information they can provide. The Darcy-Weisback formula is: Friction Loss (hf) =f hf = Friction loss (ft) L = Pipe length (ft) v = Pipe velocity (ft/sec) g= 32.2 lb m - ft lb f - sec2 L d x f = Friction Loss Factor d = Pipe Diameter (ft) (acceleration of gravity factor) V2 2g

A simple method to estimate flowrate is the drum and stop watch method. Place a drum or container of sufficient size (30 to 50 gallons) at the end of the pipe and estimate the time to fill the container with a stop watch. This will provide a good method to determine the flowrate that can be used in these calculations if a flowmeter is not available.

Sample Calculation
GEMI Water Sustainability Tool Draft (9/21/05) Determine the friction loss of water pumped through 1,000 ft. of 4-inch diameter pipe at a 300 gpm flow rate. Flowrate can be determined using a flowmeter or the drum and stop watch method. The first step is to determine the velocity based on the pipes cross-sectional area. Cross-sectional areas = x (pipe radius)2 Where = 3.14 Pipe diameter = 4-inch = .33 ft Pipe radius = 2-inch = .16 ft Cross-sectional area = 3.14 x (.16) = .08 ft The second step is to determine the pipe velocity Flow rate Pipe velocity (V) = Cross sectional area Multiply the 300 gpm flow rate by .002 to convert to ft3/sec 300 gpm x .002 = 0.60 ft3/sec Calculate pipe velocity 0.60 Velocity ft/sec = 0.08 Velocity ft/sec = 7.5 ft/sec Using a .02 friction factor calculate the friction loss V2 L Friction Loss (hf) =f x

Friction Loss (hf) Friction loss (ft) Velocity ft/sec

=f = =

d .02 x 1000 ft .33 ft 52.9 ft

x x

2g (7.5 ft/sec) 64.4

Legend
/S gpm HP KW m/s m3 m2 ft2 ft3
L

Liters per Second Gallons per minute Horespower Kilowatt Meters per Second Cubic Meters Square Meters Square Feet Cubic Feet

GEMI Water Sustainability Tool Draft (9/21/05)

Types of Flowmeters for Flow Measurement

There are many types of flowmeters available for flow measurement applications. This section provides the user with an overview of the types of uses. Flowmeter selection is based on location, (open pipe versus closed pipe), service (dirty water versus clean water) and accuracy of the flow measurement. The following table summarizes the most common flowmeters on the market today. Flowmeter Reference Guide Flowmeter Drum and Stop Watch Weir Application Closed pipe or open channel Service Simple and inexpensive. Clean or dirty water

Open channel v-notch, rectangular Simple and inexpensive. Clean or dirty water or cipolletti weirs Open channel, Parshall, Palmer- Frequently used in sewers and wastewater treatment plants Bowlus Flumes dirty water Closed pipe, round flat metal disc Clean and dirty water plate with specific hole size Closed pipe. Section of pipe with Can be used with most liquids. Clean and dirty water. No tampered entrance straight throat moving parts and tampered exit Closed pipe. Piston gear rotary or Clean water applications. Good for low flow measurement disk type meters Closed pipe. Flow passes a Clean and dirty water shedder bar creating vortices Closed pipe. Magnetic field is Difficult and corrosive liquids, slurries and sludges created to measure conductive liquid Closed pipe. Doppler and time of Clean and dirty water travel meters Closed pipe. meter Coriolis principal Clean and dirty water. Mass related processes. Chemical reactions, heat transfer applications

Flume

Orifice

Venture

Positive Displacement

Turbine Magnetic

Ultrasonic Mass

Pitot Tube

Closed pipe. Pressure sensing Clean water. Low cost. Susceptible to plugging taps measure differential pressure

Selecting a Flowmeter
The first step in selecting a flow meter is to determine exactly what the meter is supposed to do. The following lists several questions that the user should ask when selecting a meter: How accurate of flow measurement is needed? Is local or remote indication necessary because the flowmeter will be difficult to access? Is the water dirty, viscous or corrosive? Is the water conductive? What are the operating temperatures? Does the existing piping accommodate the flowmeter installation requirements?

It is important to understand the capabilities of the flowmeter you are selecting because each one has different advantage and disadvantages. The flowmeter performance will vary and it may not be necessary to install an expensive flowmeter if only a simple flow measure is needed with little concern for high accuracy. Most suppliers can assist with the right flowmeter for a specific application.