Fluid Bench Project

Ihtesham Arif 207935

Munam Ahmed 217750
Muhammad Izaam bin Riaz 209458

ME-09-Section B

SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL & MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
ISLAMABAD

A report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the semester

project of
ME-235: Fluid Mechanics II
(Semester 4)
 Turnitin Report

I
 Acknowledgements

Frist of all, praises be to Allah Almighty who enabled us to undermine this task successfully.
We would like to mention Dr. Zaib Ali our fluid mechanics teacher who has been very
helpful throughout the course and help us develop the base of all the pipe networks related
concepts. Secondly, our teacher of Fluid Mechanics 1, Dr. Hafiz Abdul Rehman, was also a
great help for clearing the concepts from the basics of Fluid Mechanics.
Engr. Mansoor Ud Din Chishti, our lab instructor for fluid mechanics who has been very
good at delivering the practicalities of stuff to us in our lab sessions. At last, all of our friends
who were a of any help.
Dr. Sajid to bring up this idea and only due this we able to learn a lot of practical stuff and
got a hands on experience.

II
 Abstract

Pipe networks are one of the most commonly used application of fluid dynamics. It is further
classified like internal flow in closed pipes, flow in open channels, parallel distribution, series
distribution etc. Basically, a pipe network consists of 4 basic components pipes, connectors
(elbows, tees, unions etc.), pumps and valves.
Desirable results of specific flow rates or pressure heads required at a particular time are
calculated and components are arranged in such a way to get the outcome.
While studying pipe network there occur many phenomena which cause head losses pumps
are used to maintain the flow in such cases. However different stratagies may be employed
based upon the knowledge of Fluid Mechanics to get the desired head or flow rate at the
particular exit or location of the network.
Most common examples of pipe networks are domestic water supply networks. However,
these can become as complex as water supply for HVAC systems where no compromise can
be made at pressure, flow rate and head at any particular point as it may be very fatal for the
machinery’s health. Same is the case with the networks used in turbines.
For solving any problem related to pipe flows, equation of continuity, Bernoulli’s equation,
Darcy friction factors, Hardy Cross method and pump performance curves are used.
In our particular problem where pumps or valves were not allowed between the network,
equation of continuity, Bernoulli’s and most particularly Hardy Cross Method was used to
achieve the particular heads.

IV
 Table of Contents

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................................... iii

Abstract .......................................................................................................................................................................iv
Table of Contents .........................................................................................................................................................v
List of Figures .............................................................................................................................................................vi
List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................................. vii
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................8
APPROACH ................................................................................................................................................................8
PIPE NETWORK ........................................................................................................................................................9
CALCULATIONS & EXPLANATION .................................................................................................................. 10
THEORETICAL RESULTS .................................................................................................................................... 12
ERROR SOURCES ................................................................................................................................................... 13
POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 14
CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................................................... 14
APPENDIX A............................................................................................................................................................. 14
REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................................... 15

IV
 List of Figures

Figure 1: Displaying the pipe networks ................................................................................................................ 09

Figure 2: Hardy Cross on LOOP 1............................................................................................................................ 11
Figure 3: Hardy Cross on LOOP 2 ............................................................................................................................. 11

V
 List of Tables

Table 1: Displaying hardy cross calculations ......................................................................................................... 11

Table 1: Showing Head losses in each pipe connection ...................................................................................... 12
Table 1: Shows pressure head values at points A,B,C,D,E,F,G and H in the pipe network ............................ 13

VI
 INTRODUCTION

Project is basically aimed at designing a pipe network configuration which

satisfies the requirement of provided static heads at different nodes. Using
the basic knowledge and techniques as studied in fluid mechanics 1 and 2,
to develop the required network.

APPROACH

Our project involved the achievement of certain pressure head values at desired points. It
involved the application of basic pipe network solution techniques. The known parameters
were pipe diameter (D), roughness (E), pipe length (L) and the initial head. The final head
was unknown and its value was obtained by varying the above parameters.
Our approach comprised of the following pipe analysis techniques:

1) Hardy Cross method:

The hardy cross technique was employed to obtain the flowrate values within each
branch of a pipe network. It involves assuming an initial flow rate and then applying
an iterative calculation (in which the head losses are summed to zero within each
loop) to achieve the actual flow rate within each pipe. Once the flowrate is known, we
can obtain our most important parameter for analysis i.e. velocity.

2) Pipe Loss Calculation:

Pipe losses that include major losses (due to friction) and minor losses (due to
geometry of pipes) were determined once the velocity in each pipe was made known
through the prior method.

3) Bernoulli’s Equation:
The Bernoulli’s equation of balancing heads between two points was applied to obtain
the unknown heads.
The value of the unknown head can be adjusted to its desired magnitude by varying
pipe length (L), since increasing length increases major losses and vice versa.

8
 PIPE NETWORK

Figure 1: Display the Pipe network system

Design:
The designed pipe network employs the use of the fact that when two pipes are connected
in parallel, their head remains same. For similar head values, points such as G and F, A
and H were given parallel pipe connections.
Our network comprises of the following components:
o Tees T1, T2, T3, T4
o Flow Paths 1) Flow through T1-T4
2) Flow through T1-T2-T3-T4
3) External Pipe Components
1) T1-T4 It further comprised of following pipe connections:
1. T1-F
2. F-E
3. E-D

9
 4. D-T4

2) T1-T2-T3-T4 Following pipe connections encompasses the

flow
1. T1-G
2. G-T2
3. T2-H
4. T2-A
5. H-T3
6. A-T3
7. T3-B
8. B-C
9. C-T4
3) External Pipe Components 1. Ta-V
2. V-T1
The design incorporated the use of 8 mm internal diameter KPC Korea PU tubes with
roughness value (E) equal to 0.0015 mm.

CALCULATIONS & EXPLANATION

Hardy Cross Calculations:

We employed the Hardy Cross method to evaluate flowrates between individual pipe
connections. Following were the equations used for this technique:
hf = rQ1.85
10.67 𝐿 ∑ ℎ𝑓
r= , ∆Q=
𝐶 1.85 𝑑 4.87 𝑅
Here, L= length of a branch in a loop
C= roughness co-efficient (150 for drawn tubings)
d= inner diameter of a pipe (8 mm for our pipes)
Q= initially assumed flowrate through a branch
∆Q= correction factor
The volume flow rate for our system was set as 4.0 L/min.

10
 Figure 3: Hardy Cross Applied on LOOP 2
Figure 2: Hardy Cross applied on LOOP 1

The hf value is summed for each branch in a loop to get ∑ ℎ𝑓 . If ∑ ℎ𝑓 is non zero, we
calculate R=1.85rQ0.85 for each branch and then find ∑ 𝑅. We then evaluate correction factor

∆Q and add it to the initial flow rate. We repeat the same procedure as a second iteration and
check if If ∑ ℎ𝑓 equates to zero or not. Once, it approaches to zero, we evaluate the corrected
flowrates and hence velocity.
Table 1: Displaying hardy cross calculations

Pipe Loss Calculations:

11
After determining velocity from hardy cross, we determined individual pipe losses in our
spreadsheet.
𝑙 𝑣2 𝑣2
HL, major= f , HL, minor= KL ,
𝑑 2𝑔 2𝑔

KL factors in our system are:

o 210 for ball valve (2/3 closed)
o 0.2 for tees (straight flow)

o 1 for tees with branched flow

o The KL values for small bends in pipes was neglected since they (minor losses)
produced negligeble head drop according to our calculations below

It is to be noted that the head losses in the pipe depend on velocity mainly and not on
geometrical features of the pipes.
Table 2: Showing Head losses in each pipe connection

THEORETICAL RESULTS

After obtaining head losses from the above table, the Bernoulli’s Equation was employed to
determine head values at desired points. In order to obtain a specific head value at a point,

12
we varied the individual pipe lengths and the flow rate to ensure we get a head say 35 cm at
point G.
Almost similar results were obtained in practice as well with minimal error which confirms

the accuracy of theoretical calculations.

Table 3: Shows pressure head values at points A,B,C,D,E,F,G and H in the pipe network

ERROR SOURCES

Although the obtained theoretical values satisfy the required and actual pressure head values
to a great extent as shown in Table 3. However, following parameters may generate error in
experimentally calculated values.
1) Pipe Leaks:
The pipes despite properly connected to the T-connectors may have small fluid
leakages at the junctions. The leakages may alter the flowrates and hence velocities,
thus giving rise to difference in values.
2) Bends/Constrictions in pipes:

13
 Pipe bends can give rise to a small value minor head loss in the system. Morever,
pipes that are bent constrict the fluid flow thus changing its velocity. This is also a
source of error generation.
3) Personal Negligence:
Personal negligence may include negligence in recording the head values, negligence
in maintaining the water level in the tank, negligence in recording the flowrate.
4) Systematic Errors:
The systematic errors such as variation of flowrate by the ball valve, leaks in the ball
valve giving rise to air bubbles also affected the experimental values.

POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS

Following improvements can be made to make the system better.

1. Instead of bends in the pipes using elbows. Although, the system right now is a
theoretically proven one but still using elbows is better option. It cause a better
approach as elbows have already known Kl values, however, that of bends is found
from different online publications.
2. For a constant initial flow rate, a better system can be developed such that having a
hemispherical tank on the top instead rectangular one. It will cause the head to remain
constant and maintained more as compared to the rectangular structure right now.
However, it is less convenient to design as well as move if required to.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, the pipe network system designed to achieve the particular static pressure
heads portrays the basic phenomena of head maintainability across parallel paths and losses
that are being caused by use of bends and elbows. And Hardy Cross method usage proved
fruitful to achieve the particular heads on different locations along the network.

APPENDIX A

Hardy Cross Method

14
 It is an iterative method used to calculate the particular flow rate at particular location
in a closed loop by using value of particular achievable head and other given constraints. A
subsequent correction factor is added to the guessed flow rate value.
Equation of Continuity
Flow rate entering a system is equal to flow rate leaving it.
A1v1 = A2v2

REFERENCES

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardy_Cross_method
[2] Fluid Mechanics Fundamentals and Applications 3rd ed - Yunus A. Çengel, John M.
Cimbala (McGraw-Hill, 2014)
[3] Fundamentals-of-fluid-mechanics-Munson_7th-editionDenton
[4] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pxCWxGHKo2M

15