Name: Exp No:

Roll No: Date:

PIPE FRICTION FOR LAMINAR / TURBULENT FLOW

Objective:
The objective of this experiment is to investigate the head loss due to friction in the flow of water
through a pipe and to determine the associated friction factor. Both variables are to be determined
over a range of flow rates and their characteristics identified for both laminar and turbulent flows.

Apparatus:

1. Instrument panel, 2. Drain valve, 3. Pressure measuring fitting, 4. Water manometer, 5. Dial
manometer, 6. Head tank, 7. Shut-off valve for water feed at bypass, 8. Bypass, 9. Hose connection
for water inlet, 10. Shut-off valve for water inlet on head tank, 11. Shut-off valve for water outlet on
head tank, 12. Pressure measuring fitting, 13. Pipe section

1
The experimental unit includes a small diameter pipe section in which the laminar and turbulent flow
is generated. The Reynolds number and the pipe friction factor are determined from the flow rate
and pressure loss. In turbulent flow, the pipe is supplied directly from the water supply. The constant
pressure at the water supply required for laminar flow is provided by a standpipe on the overflow.
The pressures in laminar flow are measured with twin tube manometers. In turbulent flow, the
pressure is read on a dial-gauge manometer. Valves can be used to adjust the flow rate.

Theory:
The flow of liquid through a pipe is resisted by viscous shear stresses within the liquid. This
resistance is usually known as pipe friction and is measured in meters head of the fluid, thus the term
head loss is also used to express the resistance to flow.

The fluid flow through a pipe line is characterized by energy losses. Energy loss is characterized as
major energy loss and minor energy losses. Major energy loss is due to the friction and minor energy
loss is due to the change in pipe line geometry. Energy loss due to friction is much more than the
minor losses so that minor losses can be neglected. Depending upon the flow Reynold’s number, the
frictional resistance offered to the flow of fluid could also depend on the roughness of the surface of
the conduct carrying the flow. In laminar flow the frictional resistance is due to viscous resistance of
the fluid to flow. In turbulent it is due to the resistance offered by viscosity of fluid and surface
roughness of the conduct.

The frictional resistance varies with

• With the degree of roughness of surface with which fluid comes in contact.
• With the extent of area of surface coming in contact with the fluid
• Directly as the velocity in laminar flows and as the square of velocity in turbulent flow
• Directly as the density of fluid
• Inversely as the velocity of fluid

The friction loss for a pipe line is determined by Darcy – Weisbach equation which is capable to
both laminar and turbulent flow in a pipe line. The loss of head due to friction is given by

𝑓𝑙𝑣 2
ℎ𝑓 =
2𝑔𝑑

2
Reynolds number is defined as

𝜌𝑣𝑑
𝑅𝑒 =
𝜇

𝑣 is the mean velocity given in terms of the volume flow rate 𝑄 by

4𝑄
𝑣=
𝜋𝑑 2
The theoretical result for laminar flow is

64
𝑓=
𝑅𝑒
For turbulent flow in a smooth pipe, a well known curve fit to experimental data is given by

𝑓 = 0.3164𝑅𝑒 −0.25

Procedure:
A. Manometer Readings – Laminar Flow

1. Connect the water manometer to the two pressure measuring fittings using the connectors at
the inlet and outlet of the test section.
2. Open the shut-off valve at the drain.
3. Close the valve on the bypass.
4. Open the shut off valves, both inlet and outlet of the head tank.
5. Turn on the laboratory mains water supply and adjust the valve controlling the flow such that
a constant water level is established at the head tank overflow. Fine adjustment can then be
carried out using the inlet shut-off valve.
6. Regulate the flow using the shut-off valve at the drain until the water manometer shows a
constant pressure difference of 2 cm H2O. This corresponds to the head loss hv.
7. Then measure the volumetric flow using a measuring tank and a stopwatch.
8. Continue the experiment by increasing the flow in increments (hv rises) and repeating the
head difference and volumetric flow measurements.

3
B. Dial gauge manometer – Turbulent Flow

The head tank is not used for this experiment. A higher flow velocity is required for turbulent flow.
The water is therefore fed directly from the laboratory water supply connection into the pipe section
via a bypass.

1. Connect the dial manometer to the two pressure measuring fittings using the connectors at
the inlet and outlet of the test section.
2. Open the shut-off valve at the drain.
3. Open the valve on the bypass.
4. Close the shut off valves, both inlet and outlet of the head tank.
5. Turn on the laboratory mains water supply and adjust the valve controlling the flow such that
a constant flow is established.
6. Regulate the flow using the shut-off valve at the drain until the dial manometer shows a
constant pressure difference, e.g. 50 mbar.
7. Then measure the volumetric flow using a measuring tank and a stopwatch.
8. Continue the experiment by increasing the flow in increments (𝛥p rises) and repeating the
pressure difference and volumetric flow measurements.

4
 Sample Table:
Internal Diameter of pipe:

Distance between pressure tapings:

A. Manometer Readings – Laminar Flow

Sl. Manometer Reading Discharge Velocity Reynolds No. Friction factor

No. mm H2O Q v
Experimental Theoretical
h1 h2 hf m3/s m/s

B. Dial gauge manometer – Turbulent Flow

Sl. Pressure Discharge Velocity Reynolds No. Friction factor

No. gaugeReading Q v
𝛥p Experimental Theoretical
bar m3/s m/s

5
6