Problem Set: Complex piping system

1. Water flows through a 400 ft pipeline at a rate of 500

gal/min. The first and the last 100 ft of the line are 6-in
diameter pipe, while the middle section consists of 4.24-in
diameter pipe. Find the velocity in each section.
100 ft 100 ft

D = 6 in D = 6 in

D = 4.24 in

500 gal /min Total length = 400 ft

Section 1 section 2 section 3

Q = Q1 = Q2 = Q3

u1A1 = u 2A 2 = u 3A 3

gal 1 ft 3 1
u1 = 500 min x 7.48 gal
x 3.1416 ¿¿ = 340.4 ft/min
62
u2 = 340.4 ft/min ( ¿
4.24 2 = 681.7 ft/min

U3 = U1 = 340.4 ft/min

2.
3. For the branch pipe shown, water enters the pipe at a rate
of 15 L/s. Assuming that the velocity in both branches is the
same. (D1 = 50 mm, D2 = 20 mm, D3 = 30 mm)
Determine:
 a. Velocity in the pipe
b. Velocity in each branch
c. Volumetric flow rate in each branch

L 1000 cm3 1
U1 = 15
s
x )x
3.1416 ¿¿
= 764 cm/s
L

Q1 = Q2 + Q3

U1A1 = U2A2 + U3A3

U2 = U3

U1A1 = U2(A2 +A3)

52 1
764()( 4 ¿= U2()( 4 ¿(22 + 32)

U2 = 1469 cm/s

cm 22 cm2 L
Q2 = 1469 s ()( 4
¿(
1000 cm3
) = 4.61 L/s
 cm 32 cm2 L
Q3 = 1469 s ()( 4
¿(
1000 cm3
) = 10.38 L/s

4. Water,  =998 kg/m3,  =1.005 x 10-6 m2 /s flows through

the pipe layout below which are in parallel, the total
pressure drop, PA – PB = 150 kPa. Given the following data.
Compute the total flow rate Q, neglecting minor losses.

MEB

P u2 g
  z  w  F  0
 2gc gc

kg−m
150 kPa x 1000 /kPa
s2−m2 m2
= kg
= 150.3 s2
998 3
m
 4fLu2
Fs 
2gcD

For pipe 1

4 f 1 (100 m)u12
150.3 = 2(0.08 m)

0.0612 = fu12 eq1

0.08 m(u)
Re = Du/ = Du/ 1.005 x 10−6 m2  79602 u eq2
s
Assume u1 = 10

Re 7.96 x 105

1    7  
0.9
 4log 0.27    
f  D  Re  
eq3

f = 0.0074
u1 = 2.85

Assume u1 Re (eq2) F (eq3) Calculated u1

(eq1)
2.85 226866 0.0067 3.00
3.00 238806 0.0067 3.00

For pipe 2

4 f 2 (80 m) u22
150.3 = 2(0.04 m)

0.037575 = f2u22 eq4

0.04 m(u)
Re = Du/ = Du/ 1.005 x 10−6 m2  38801 u2 eq5
s
Assume u2 = 10

Re 3.88 x 105

 1    7  
0.9
 4log 0.27    
f  D  Re  
eq3

f = 0.0077
u2 = 2.21

Assume u2 Re (eq5) F (eq3) Calculated u2

(eq4)
2.21 85750 0.008 2.16
2.16 83810 0.008 2.16

Q = Q1 + Q2
❑
= u1A1 + u2A2 = [3(0.08)2 + 2.16(0.04)2]
4
= 0.018 m3/s