1/7/2021

Applied Fluid Mechanics

MEP 308
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
ACU

Course Instructor

Dr. Ashraf I. Sayed

Email: aisayed11@yahoo.com

Losses in Pipes

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In this chapter we will apply the basic principles to a

specific, important topic, the flow of viscous,
incompressible fluids in pipes and ducts.

The transport of a fluid (liquid or gas) in a closed

conduit (commonly called a pipe if it is of round cross
section or a duct if it is not round) is extremely
important in our daily operations.

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We will use an “exact” analysis of the simplest pipe flow topics

(such as laminar flow in long, straight, constant diameter pipes)
and dimensional analysis considerations combined with
experimental results for the other pipe flow topics. Such an
approach is not unusual in fluid mechanics investigations. When
“real world” effects are important (such as viscous effects in pipe
flows), it is often difficult or “impossible” to use only theoretical
methods to obtain the desired results.

A judicious combination of experimental data with theoretical

considerations and dimensional analysis often provides the
desired results.

For all flows involved in this chapter, we assume that

the pipe is completely filled with the fluid being
transported as is shown in the figure.

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Types of viscous flow

The flow of a fluid in a pipe may be laminar flow or it may be turbulent flow.

Pipe flow characteristics are dependent on the

value of the Reynolds number.

The flow in a round pipe is laminar if the Reynolds number is less

than approximately 2100. The flow in a round pipe is turbulent if
the Reynolds number is greater than approximately 4000. For
Reynolds numbers between these two limits, the flow may switch
between laminar and turbulent conditions in an apparently
random fashion (transitional flow).

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The energy equation for steady incompressible pipe flow is

Where :
f : is the friction factor =f (Re, /D)
Re : Reynolds number
: pipe roughness

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The relation between friction factor, Reynolds number and relative roughness is
experimentally determined and presented in Moody chart

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Minor Losses
As discussed in the previous section, the head loss in long, straight
sections of pipe can be calculated by use of the friction factor
obtained from either the Moody chart or the Colebrook equation.
Most pipe systems, however, consist of considerably more than
straight pipes. These additional components (valves, bends, tees,
and the like) add to the overall head loss of the system. Such losses
are generally termed minor losses, with the apparent implication
being that the majority of the system loss is associated with the
friction in the straight portions of the pipes, the major losses. In
many cases this is true. In other cases the minor losses are greater
than the major losses. In this section we indicate how to determine
the various minor losses that commonly occur in pipe systems.

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Entrance flow conditions and loss coefficient Exit flow conditions and loss coefficient

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Loss Coefficients for Pipe

Components

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An alternate method to determine the friction factor for the turbulent flow
would be to use the Colebrook formula:

Other Noncircular Cross Sections

The hydraulic diameter, DH , is a commonly used term when handling

flow in noncircular tubes and channels.
Using this term one can calculate many things in the same way as for a round tube.
Definition:

where A is the cross sectional area and P is the wetted perimeter of the
cross-section.

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Problem Types
1-Simple pipe
• Determine friction loss (given Q, D & required
H loss)
• Determine flow rate (given H loss, D &
required Q) by trial &error
• Determine pipe size (given H loss, Q &
required D) by trial &error
• Some problems require iteration (guess f, solve
for v or D, check for correct f)
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2-Multiple pipes
• Series pipe connection

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• Parallel pipe connection

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• Branched pipes (flow between tanks)

Write the continuity equation for the system and energy equation
between any two Tanks, depending on flow direction
(no. of equations is equal to no. of tanks)

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Example (1)

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Example (2)

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Example 3: A large room uses a fan to draw in atmospheric air at 20°C

through a 30-cm by 30-cm commercial-steel duct 12 m long, as in the figure.
Estimate (a) the air flow rate in m3/h if the room pressure is 10 Pa vacuum
and (b) the room pressure if the flow rate is 1200 m3/h. Neglect minor losses.

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Example 4: The pump shown in the 1

figure adds 25 kW to the water and
causes a flow rate 0.04 m3/s. Determine
the flow rate expected if the pump is
removed from the system. Assume f h
0.016 for either case and neglect minor
losses. 2

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Try this
Water flows downward through a vertical smooth pipe. When the flow rate is
0.8 m3/min. there is no change in pressure along the pipe. Determine the
diameter of the pipe.

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