HYDRAULICS AND

HYDROLOGY
Chapter 3: Flow in Pipes

Dr. Randa Hatamleh

Description of flow in pipes
• In hydraulics, The term pressure pipe flow refers to full
water flow in dosed conduits of circular cross sections
under a certain pressure gradient
• For a given discharge (Q), pipe flow at any location can
be described by the pipe cross section; the-pipe elevation,
the pressure and the flow velocity in the pipe.
Q=V.A
 Steady Uniform Flow
V2 P
ET =  + +z
2g g
z: geometric head

P/g: pressure head

V2/2g: velocity head

Steady, uniform flow in closed conduits

The Reynolds Number
The Reynolds Number
• Reynolds found that the transition from laminar to
turbulent flow in a pipe actually depends not only on the
velocity but also on the pipe diameter and the viscosity of
the fluid.
• The dimensionless ratio is commonly known as the
Reynolds number (NR)
𝐷𝑉
𝑁𝑅 =
𝑣
• D is the pipe diameter
• V is the mean velocity, and
• ʋ is the kinematic viscosity of the fluid, defined by the ratio
of absolute viscosity (µ) and the fluid density (ρ).
The Reynolds Number
• Reynolds number (NR) < 2000 Laminar
• 2000 < Reynolds number (NR) < 4000 Transient
• Reynolds number (NR) > 4000 Turbulent
Laminar flow
• The laminar flow occurs in a circular pipe when fluid flows
in orderly laminae; this is analogous to the telescoping of
a large number of thin-walled concentric tubes.
• The outer tube adheres to the pipe wall while the tube
next to it moves with a very slight velocity. The velocity of
each successive tube increases gradually and reaches a
maximum velocity near the center of the pipe.
Turbulent Flow
• In turbulent flow, the turbulent motion causes the slower
water particles adjacent to the pipe wall to mix
continuously with the high-speed particles in the
midstream. As a result, the low-speed particles near the
pipe wall are accelerated because of momentum transfer
• For this reason, the velocity distribution in flow is more
uniform than laminar flow.
• The velocity profiles in turbulent pipe flows have been
shown to take the general form of a logarithmic curve in
revolution.
• Turbulent mixing activities increase with the Reynolds
number; hence, the velocity distribution becomes flatter
as the Reynolds number increase
• Under ordinary circumstances, water loses energy as it
flows through a pipe. A major of the energy loss is caused
by
• 1. friction against the pipe walls and
• 2. viscous dissipation occurring throughout the flow.
Example 3.1
• A 40-mm-diameter circular pipe carries water at 20°C.
Calculate the largest flow rate for which laminar flow can
be expected.
Forces in Pipe Flow
 Forces in Pipe Flow

V1A1 =V2A2 = Q continuity equation

where V1, V2, P1, and P2 are the velocities and pressures at sections 1-1 and 2-2 respectively.
Fx is the axial direction force exerted on the control volume
by the wall of the pipe.
Wx is the axial component of the weight of the liquid in the control volume.
• By recognizing m/Δt = ρQ
Example 3.2
• A horizontal nozzle discharges 0.01 m3/sec of water at
4°C into the air. The supply pipe‘s diameter (dA = 40 mm)
is twice as large as the nozzle diameter (dB = 20 mm).
The nozzle is held in place by a hinge mechanism.
Determine the magnitude and direction of the reaction
force at The hinge, if the gauge pressure at A is 500,000
N/m2. (Assume the weight
supported by the hinge is
negligible.)
Energy in Pipe flow
• Water flowing in pipes may contain energy in various
forms. The major portion of the energy is contained in
three basic forms:
1. kinetic energy,
2. potential energy, and
3. pressure energy.
Energy equation
Energy equation
• For a horizontal pipe of uniform size, it can be shown that
the head loss results in a pressure drop in the pipe
because the velocity heads and the elevation heads are
equal
 1 Pa = 1 N/ m2
Example 3.3 γwater at 20 C0 = 9790 N/m3

• A 25 -cm circular carries 0.016 m3/sec of water under a

pressure of 200 Pa. The pipe is laid at an elevation of
10.7m above mean sea level in Freeport, Texas. What is
the total head measured with respect to MSL?
Example 3.4
• The elevated water tank shown in Figure 3.6 is being
drained to an underground storage location through a 12-in
diameter pipe. The flow rate is 3,200 gallons per minutes
(gpm), and the total head loss is 11.5 f.
Determine the water
surface elevation in
the tank.
Example 3.4 1 cfs = 448.8 gal/m
Loss of Head from Pipe Friction
• Energy loss resulting from friction in a pipeline is
commonly termed the friction head loss (hf).
• This is the loss of head caused by pipe wall friction and
the viscous dissipation in flowing water.
• Friction loss is sometimes referred to as the major loss
because of its magnitude, and all other losses are
referred to as minor losses
• Darcy-Weisbach equation
Friction Factor for Laminar Flow
• The difference in pressure force between the two ends of
the cylinder is
(P1-P2)πr2
• The viscous force on the cylinder is equal to
(2πrL)Ʈ
Friction Factor for Laminar Flow

• This relationship is also known as the Hagen-Poiseuille

law* of laminar flow. The mean velocity is
Friction Factor for Laminar Flow
• For a horizontal uniform pipe, the energy equation
Friction Factor for Turbulent Flow
• When the flow in the pipe becomes turbulent and the
value of f then becomes less dependent on the Reynolds
number but more dependent on the relative roughness
(e/D) of the pipe.
➢e is a measure of the average roughness height of the
pipe wall irregularities
➢D is the pipe diameter.
• A pipe is said to be hydraulically smooth ( ) if the
average roughness height is less than the thickness of the
laminar sublayer (the friction factor is not affected by the
surface roughness of the pipe)
Hydraulically smooth pipe

Hydraulically rough pipe

Between these two extreme cases

Exampie3.5
• Compute the discharge capacity of 3-m concrete (rough)
pipe carrying water at l0OC. It is allowed to have a head
loss of 2 m/km of pipe length.

• Q= 20.5 m3/sec
Example 3.6
• Estimate the size of a uniform, horizontal welded-steel
pipe installed to carry 14.0 ft 3/sec of water at 70°F
(approximately 20°C). The-allowable pressure loss
resulting from friction is l7 ft/mi of pipe length .

• D= 2 ft
Empirical equations for friction head loss
• Hazen- Williams equation
• Flow in larger pipes (D=5 cm, approximately 2 in)
• Within a moderate range of water velocity V < 3m/sec,
approximately 10 ft/sec)

British Unites

• The Hazen-Williams coefficient, C HW

• S is the slope of the energy grade line, or the head loss
per unit length of the pipe ( S = hf/L)
Energy equation
Empirical equations for friction head loss
• Rh is the hydraulic radius, defined as the water cross-
sectional area (A) divided the wetted perimeter (P).

➢ For a circular pipe

• Hazen- Williams equation

SI Unites
Example 3.7
• A 100-m-long pipe with D = 20 cm and CHw = 120 carries
a discharge of 30 L/sec. Determine the head loss in the
pipe

Rh= 0.2/4 = 0.05 m

Empirical equations for friction head loss
• Manning equation

SI Unites

British Unites

• n is the manning coefficient of roughness

Example 3.8
• A horizontal pipe (old cast iron) with a l10-cm uniform
diameter is 200m long. If the measured pressure drop is
24.6 m of water, what is the discharge?
Friction Head loss-Discharge Relationships

• A = πD2/4 and g = 32.2 ft/sec2 for the British unit system

Friction Head loss-Discharge Relationships
Loss of head in pipe contraction
• A sudden contraction in a pipe usually causes a marked
drop in pressure in
the pipe because of
both the increase in
velocity and the loss vena contracta

of energy to turbulence.
Head loss from pipe contraction may be greatly reduced by introducing a
gradual pipe transition known as a confusor
Loss of head in pipe contraction
• The general equation for an entrance head loss is also
expressed in terms of the velocity head of the pipe:
loss of Head in Pipe Expansions

Diffusor
Exit (discharge) head loss

• A submerged pipe discharging into a large reservoir is a

special case of head loss from expansion.
The exit (discharge) loss coefficient Kd = LO.
loss of Head in Pipe Bends
• The head loss produced at a bend
was found to be dependent on the
ratio of the radius of Curvature of the bend (R) to the
diameter of the pipe (D)
• In hydraulic design the loss of head due to a bend, in
excess of that which would occur in a straight pipe of
equal length, may be expressed in terms of the velocity
head as
loss of Head in Pipe Bends
• For a smooth pipe bend of 90°, the values of Kb for
various values of R/D as determined by Beij are listed in
the following table

• Pipe manufacturers are more than willing to supply

prospective buyers with loss coefficients for bends,
contractions, confusors, expansions, and diffusors.
loss of Head in Pipe Valves
• Valves are installed in pipelines to control flow by
imposing high head losses.
• A certain amount of energy loss usually takes place even
when the valve is fully open.

• The values of Kv vary with the type and design of the

valves
 Gate valve, mainly for on/off control, with low pressure drop.

Globe valve, good for regulating flow.

Check valve or non-return valve, allows the fluid to pass in one direction only
Example 3.9

• The figure shows two sections of cast-iron pipe connected

in series that transport water from a reservoir and
discharge it into air through a rotary valve at a location
100 m below the water surface elevation. If the water
temperature is 10°C, and square-edged connections are
used, what is the discharge?
he is the entrance head loss
• The head loss from friction in pipe section 1-2 is hf1

• The head loss from the sudden contraction at section 2 is

hc

• The head loss from friction in pipe section 2-3 is h12

• The head loss at the valve is hv.

• Assume Kc = 0.35, f 1 = 0.018, and f2 = 0.0225. Repeating
the calculation,
• V2= 3.62m/sec……………. V1 = 0.905 m/sec
• NR1 = 1.10 X 106 ……………..NR2 = 1.38 X 105
• Now from Figure 3.8
• f1 =0.018 ………………..f2 =0.0225
• Q = A2V2 = 0.0314 * 3.62 = 0.114 m3/sec

• The relationships are highly nonlinear, and a good initial

estimate
• may be required to avoid numerical instability.
Method of Equivalent Pipes
• The method of equivalent pipes is used to facilitate the
analysis of pipe systems containing several pipes in
series or in parallel.

• Pipes in Series
• IF: QE = Q1 = Q2
• hfE = hf1 + hf2
• Pipes in parallel
• IF: QE = Q1 + Q2
• hfE = hf1 = hf2
Example 3.10

Pipes AB and CF have a diameter of 4 ft, possess a Darcy-Weisbach

friction factor of 0.02, and carry a discharge of 120 cubic feet per
second (cfs). The length of AB is 1800 ft and that of CF is 1500 ft.
Branch 1 is 1800ft long and has a diameter of 3 ft and a friction factor
of 0.0l8. Branch 2 has a length of 1500 ft, a diameter of 2 ft, and a
friction factor of 0.0 15
(a) Determine the total head loss resulting from friction between points
A and F, and
(b) Determine The discharge in each of the two branches (1 and 2)
Homework
• Section 3.5 ( 7 , 9, 11, 12)
• Section 3.7 ( 2, 3 )
• Section 3.11 (6, 9, 10)
• Section 3.12 ( 5)