Lesson No.

1 – Pipe Sizing Hydraulics

Hydrocarbon Condensate has to be transported from Vessel A to Vessel B. In order to transport the
condensate product from Vessel A, a pump is installed at Vessel A. The distance between the Pump at Vessel A
to the nozzle of Vessel B is 1,500 m (Straight Length). The required amount to be transported is 150,000 kg/h.
The density of the oil transported is 850 kg/m3. Viscosity of oil is 0.4 cP. The roughness of the pipe can be
taken to be 45.2 m. The required pressure at Vessel B Inlet Nozzle is 2 bar(g).

1500m

Your Task:

1. What would be the minimum Pipe Size (ID) required for an allowable pressure drop of < 0.1 bar/100m
across the pipe for a pump flow rate of 150,000 kg/h. Assume your client’s requirement of commercial pipe
sizes is per ANSI/ASME B36.10M. Use Schedule 40 pipe (Sch 40).
2. For the flow rate of 150,000 kg/h & the pipe size chosen, what is the inlet pressure required at the pipe
inlet at Vessel A Pump discharge. (This determines what is the pump discharge pressure required).
3. For various pipe sizes between 4” to 20”, Plot a graph, Pressure drop (Y-axis) Vs. Pipe OD (X-Axis) for a flow
rate of 150,000kg/h.
4. What is the velocity of the condensate in the pipe for the selected pipe.
5. If Pipe Roughness is 100 m, what is the pipe size required for an allowable pressure drop of <0.1
bar/100m.
Notes:
1. Work out a full set of hand calculations using Equation Editor in MS Word & format it neatly with all
equation numbers & step by step calculations. Use SI/Metric Units for consistency and right answers.
2. For Pressure Drop calculations,

1. If NRe <= 2100 - Use Laminar Flow Friction Factor

2. If 2100 <= NRe <= 4000 - Use Churchill Equation
3. If NRe > 4000 - Use Colebrook Equation
4. Pressure Drop is estimated using Darcy-Weisbach Equation

In case if you think there isn’t enough information, try assuming them & also explain why you
chose them in the report.
 SOLUTION TO LINE SIZING QUESTION

Important formulae and equations

Pressure Drop by Darcy-Weisbach Equation Reynolds’s Number f=Darcy’s Friction Factor

𝐿 𝜌𝑣 2 𝜌𝑣𝐷 All symbols have their

∆𝑝 = 𝑓 ( ) ( ) 𝑅𝑒 = usual meanings.
𝐷 2 𝜇

For finding “f” the following equations are used based on the Reynolds’s number.

Re Range Flow Regime Equation

Re<2100 Laminar 64
𝑓=
𝑅𝑒
Re>4000 Turbulent Colebrook’s Equation
1 ∈ 2.51
= −2 log10( + )
√𝑓 3.7𝐷 𝑅𝑒√𝑓
2100<Re<4000 Transitional Churchill’s Equation
1
8 12 −1.5
12
𝑓= 8 ((𝑅𝑒) + (𝐴 + 𝐵) )
0.9 −1 16
7 ∈
A=(2.457 ln ((𝑅𝑒) + 0.27 𝐷) )
37530 16
B=( 𝑅𝑒
)

Standards Followed

• ASME/ANSI B36.10/19 for Nominal Pipe Dimension.

• API RP 14E- The fluid velocity in single-phase liquid lines varies from 0.9 to 4.5 m/s (3 to 15
ft/s).

Nominal Pipe Size and Related Formulae and Guidelines

Inner Dia=Outer Dia-2(Wall Thickness)

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒
ScH. Number=1000 (both in PSI)
𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠

While using the ANSI chart, it should be

noted that values for schedule no. for
example 40 & 40s are not same. S in
subscript stands for stainless steel.
Solution to the problem

To find= Inner Diameter of pipe while satisfying allowable pressure drop.

Given data:-

Pipe length=1500m=1.5km

Flow rate=150,000 kg/h

Pipe roughness, ε= 45.2 µm

Allowable pressure drop= 0.1 bar/100m=0.1*1500=1.5 bar

Density of oil transported= 850 kg/m3

Viscosity of Oil= 0.4 cP=0.4*10-3=0.0004 Pa.S

P2= 2 bar

Q=150000/850=176.4 m3/h=0.049 m3/s

ScH Number= 40

Firstly,

Let us assume NPS= 4”

Inner Diameter= Outer Diameter – 2(Wall Thickness)

ID=4.5-2(0.237) =4.026”=4.026*2.54*10-2=0.1022 m

Values of OD and Thickness taken from ASME/ANSI B36.10/19.

Verifying velocity,
𝑄∗4 0.049∗4 𝑚
Q=vA =>𝑣 = 𝜋∗𝑑2 = 3.14∗0.10222 = 𝟓. 𝟗𝟔 𝑠
, i.e. v doesn’t lie between 0.9 and 4.5 m/s (API RP 14E).

𝟏
Now we have to increase the NPS. As we see 𝒗 ∝ 𝑫𝟐 , so increasing the diameter will give desired
result.

Let us consider NPS=6”

Inner Diameter=Outer Diameter-2(Wall Thickness)

ID= 6.625-2(0.28)= 6.065”=0.154 m

Verifying velocity,
𝑄∗4 0.049∗4 𝑚
Q=vA =>𝑣 = 𝜋∗𝑑2 = 3.14∗0.1542 = 𝟐. 𝟔𝟑 𝑠
, i.e. v lies between 0.9 and 4.5 m/s (API RP 14E).
Now,

𝜌𝑣𝐷 850 ∗ 2.63 ∗ 0.154

𝑅𝑒𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑠 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟, 𝑅𝑒 = = = 860667.5
𝜇 0.0004

For this regime Colebrook’s Equation is used to find out the friction factor.

By using iterative process in Excel with the above given parameters, it is seen that = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟓𝟓 .

𝐿 𝜌𝑣 2 1500∗850∗2.632
Now for pressure drop, ∆𝑝 = 𝑓 ( ) ( ) = 0.0155 ∗ = 𝟒. 𝟒 𝒃𝒂𝒓 , i.e. not within the
𝐷 2 0.154∗2
allowable pressure drop.

Now, Let us consider NPS=8”

Inner Diameter=Outer Diameter-2(Wall Thickness)

ID=8.625-2(0.322)=7.981”=0.202 m

Verifying velocity,
𝑄∗4 0.049∗4 𝑚
Q=vA =>𝑣 = 𝜋∗𝑑2 = 3.14∗0.2022 = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟐 𝑠
, i.e. v lies between 0.9 and 4.5 m/s (API RP 14E).

Now,

𝜌𝑣𝐷 850 ∗ 2.63 ∗ 0.202

𝑅𝑒𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑠 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟, 𝑅𝑒 = = = 652460
𝜇 0.0004

For this regime Colebrook’s Equation is used to find out the friction factor.

By using iterative process in Excel with the above given parameters, it is seen that = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟓𝟑𝟐 .

𝐿 𝜌𝑣 2 1500∗850∗1.522
Now for pressure drop, ∆𝑝 = 𝑓 ( ) ( ) = 0.01532 ∗ = 𝟏. 𝟏𝟎𝟐 𝒃𝒂𝒓 , i.e. within the
𝐷 2 0.202∗2
allowable pressure drop.

Therefore the pipe size (NPS) is 8”, with inner diameter of 0.202 m.

∆𝑝 = 𝑃1 − 𝑃2 = 1.102

So, 𝑷𝟏 = 𝟏. 𝟏𝟎𝟐 + 𝟐 = 𝟑. 𝟏𝟎𝟐 𝒃𝒂𝒓

Velocity of fluid= 1.52 m/s

-----------------------------------------------------------

Now when Roughness of pipe is 100µm

For NPS=8” and all other parameter being same,

We get ∆𝑝 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟔 𝒃𝒂𝒓 i.e. < 1.5 bar.

So, ID= 0.202 m will meet the purpose.

For various pipe sizes between 4” to 20”, graph of Pressure drop (Y-axis) Vs. Pipe OD (X-Axis) for a
flow rate of 150,000kg/h.

OD (inch) delP
delP vs OD
4.5 39
45
6.625 4.405 40
8.625 1.1 35
30
10.75 0.346
25
12.75 0.14477 20 delP
14 0.09055 15
10
16 0.0465
5
18 0.026 0
20 0.477 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25

By
Shaswat Shovan Panda
che18ss.panda@stuiocb.ictmumbai.edu.in