Theory

In fluid flow, friction loss (or skin friction) is the loss of pressure or head that occurs in pipe
or duct flow due to the effect of the fluid's viscocity near the surface of the pipe or duct. In
mechanical systems such as internal combustion engines, the term refers to the power lost in
overcoming the friction between two moving surfaces, a different phenomenon.

In long pipes, the loss in pressure (assuming the pipe is level) is proportional to the length of pipe
involved. Friction loss is then the change in pressure p per unit length of pipe L

When the pressure is expressed in terms of the equivalent height of a column of that fluid, as is
common with water, the friction loss is expressed as S, the "head loss" per length of pipe, a
dimensionless quantity also known as the hydraulic slope.

Friction loss, which is due to the shear stress between the pipe surface and the fluid flowing
within, depends on the conditions of flow and the physical properties of the system. These
conditions can be encapsulated into a dimensionless number Re, known as the Reynolds
number

32 V
For laminar flow i= g D
2
 (Poiseuilles equation)

4f V2
For turbulent flow i= D2g

(Darcy equation)

VD
Reynolds Number R=

Where () is denotes the coefficient of viscocity while (f) denotes the friction. Factor and (R)
denotes the Reynolds Number