PIPE FLOW TUTORIAL

QUESTION 1

A hydraulic system feeds an actuator on a floor above the pump. The effective length of the 20 mm
diameter pipe is 20 m. In the pipe, there are two bend fittings with k = 0.75 and a valve with k = 5. A
filter is fitted just after the power pack of the system with an L/d ratio of 40. The actuator, which is fitted
3 m above the entrance to the pipe, needs 500 kPa pressure to operate properly. If the rate of flow to
the hydraulic system is 1 ℓ/s, determine:

a) The total length to diameter ratio if Darcy’s f = 0,012. (1 175.42)

b) The total head loss. (29.136 m)

c) The pressure setting of the pressure regulator of the system in order to provide the proper pressure at
the actuator if the hydraulic fluid has a SG of 0.78. (745.9
KPa)

d) The pressure drop over the filter. (7.587 kPa)

QUESTION 2

A 25 mm diameter pipe is placed at a gradient of 1 in 100 over a length of 500 m. The difference in
pressure between the inlet and outlet is 300 kPa. A filter with a shock loss of 5 v 2/2g is installed in the
pipe. Take the pipe coefficient as 0,001 and calculate:

a) The total head loss in the system if the flow is upwards. (25.58 m)

b) The volumetric flow in ℓ/s. (1.193 ℓ/s)

c) The head lost in friction. (24.07 m)

QUESTION 3

A hydraulic system using a fluid of density of 850 kg/m 3 consists of a reservoir that is pressurized to
10kPa. A pump fed from it is connected to a pressure-regulating valve with a loss of 6 v 2/2g in the cut-in
condition. A selector valve with a length/diameter ratio of 300 in the selected condition follows, and
which in turn is followed by the actuator, which requires a pressure of 750 kPa. A total of 15 m of 32 mm
diameter pipe with a frictional coefficient of 0.0012 is used between the components. Two bend fittings
with a loss of 0.75 v 2/2g each are also used in the system. The hydraulic fluid level in the reservoir is 10
m above the actuator, and a sharp entrance in the reservoir is assumed to have a loss of 0.5 v 2/2g. If a
flow rate of 1.2 ℓ/s is needed, calculate:

a) The total L/d ratio of the system. (5 435.42)

b) The total head loss of the system. (1.3264 m)

c) The pump head needed to keep the proper pressure at the actuator. (80,184 m)
 PIPE FLOW TUTORIAL

QUESTION 4

In the horizontal pipe bend shown in the figure below, oil of density 860kg/m 3 enters the reducing bend
at A at a pressure of 200 kPa at 3 m/s. Calculate the resultant force on the bend and its direction with
respect to the horizontal. The pipe diameter at inlet is 150 mm and at outlet it is 100 mm. Ignore all
losses.

(2 585.7 N; 25.87°)

A large water tank is installed on a stand in such a way that the surface of the water is 20 m above the
outlet at ground level. The 32 mm diameter pipe from the side of the water tank has a 90° bend to take
it vertically downwards, and a valve, with a shock loss of 10 v 2/2g when fully opened, is fitted 2 m above
ground level. A second 90° bend, similar to the previous one, is fitted at ground level in order to lead the
pipe away horizontally. The shock losses in each of the two bends are 0.75 v 2/2g. The effective length of
the pipe is 30 m with a friction coefficient of 0.05. Take into consideration the shock loss at the exit of
the water tank and

Calculate:

a) The total length to diameter ratio of the full system.

b) The flow rate of the water in ℓ/s with the valve fully open.