2.

10

Design Equations For Laminar And Turbulent Flow in Pipes

Standard sizes of pipes:

An important application of fluid flow: flow inside circular conduits, pipes,
and tubes.
Sizes of commercial standard steel pipe are given in A.5.
There are two main schedule numbers; schedule 40 and schedule 80.
Schedule 80 has a thicker wall and will hold about twice the pressure of
schedule 40.
Both have the same outside diameter so they will fit the same fittings.
Schedule 40 is usually used.
2.10A Velocity Profiles in Pipes
In both laminar and turbulent flow, fluid in the centre of the pipe is moving
faster than the fluid near the walls (see the Figure below). The figure is a
plot of the relative distance from the centre of the pipe (r/R) vs. the fraction
of maximum velocity (v/vmax); v being the local velocity and vmax is the
velocity at centre (r = 0).
Laminar flow profile can be obtained from the following equation (see sec
2.9B):
v/vmax = (1-(r/R)2)
Similarly, turbulent flow profile can be obtained from the following equation
(see sec 2.7D):
v/vmax = (1-(r/R))1/7
In many engineering applications, the relation between the average
velocity and the maximum velocity is useful, where the velocity ( i.e. vmax) is
the only one measured velocity.
Figure 2.10-2 (see the textbook) represents experimental relationships
between vav/vmax and the Reynolds numbers, Dvav / and Dvmax /.
For laminar flow in a pipe (see sec 2.9B): vav
For turbulent flow in a pipe: vav 0.8vmax

vmax
2

2.10B Pressure Drop and Friction Loss in Laminar Flow

1. Pressure Drop and Loss Due to Friction
From sec. 2.9B, the Hagen-Poiseuille eqn., for laminar flow in a circular tube,
can be rearranged as:
32 v( L2 L1 )
(2.10-2)
D2
Where pf is the pressure loss due to skin friction, p1 is upstream pressure,
p2is pressure at point 2, v is average velocity in pipe, D and (L2-L1) are the
inside diameter and the length of the pipe, respectively.
(Note: The above eqn. could be used to experimentally measure the
viscosity.)
For constant density, the friction loss, Ff, is:
p f ( p1 p2 ) f

Ff

p1 p2 f

(J/kg) Mechanical- energy loss due to skin friction for the

pipe. Ff is part of the frictional losses term, F, in the MEB eqn.

Example 2.10-1: (See the textbook or write down from the board).
2. Use of Friction Factor for Friction Loss in Laminar Flow

 Fanning friction factor, f, is a common parameter used in both laminar and

turbulent flow.
f is defined as drag force per wetted surface unit area (s at the surface
area) divided by the product of density times the velocity head ( v2/2):
f

s
v2
2

The force is pf times the cross-sectional area, R2.

Force = pf R2
The wetted surface area is 2R L. therefore,

p f R 2
Force

Wetted Surface Area 2 RL

p f R 2

Therefore,

p f 4 f

Ff

p f

f 2 RL

v2
2

, rearranging this relationship to give:

L v 2
L v 2
(SI) or p f 4 f
D 2gc
D 2

4f

(English)

(2.10-5)

p f
L v 2
L v 2
4f
(SI) or Ff
(English) (2.10-6)

D 2 gc
D 2

for laminar flow only, combining eqns 2.10-2 and 2.10-5 gives:
f

16
16

N Re Dv

(2.10-7)

Note that eqns. 2.10-2 and 2.10-7 hold for laminar flow only, while eqns. 210.5 and 2-10.6 hold for both laminar and turbulent flow.
Example 2.10-2: (see the textbook or write down from the board).
2.10C Pressure Drop and Friction Factor in Turbulent Flow
In turbulent flow, the friction factor also depends on NRe. Fanning friction
factor (f) is, however, determined experimentally as in Figure 2.10-3.
Friction factor depends upon both NRe and the surface roughness ratio of
the pipe, /D.