UNIT 7 (GENERAL ENERGY EQUATION)

In this case we will now expand and analyze the energy in fluid flow systems
by adding terms to Bernoulli's equation. We will account for a variety of forms
of energy that were neglected before, such as:
a) Energy lost from a system through friction as the fluid flows through
pipes.
b) Energy lost as the fluid flows through valves, or fittings where the fluid
must travel in complex paths, accelerator decelerate, or change
direction.
c) Energy added to the system by a pump as it provides the impetus for
the fluid to move and increases the fluid pressure.
d) Energy removed from the system by fluid motors or turbines that use
the energy to drive other mechanical systems.
Putting all these terms to Bernoulli's equation eliminates many of the
restrictions and transforms it into the general energy equation.

Example of a system where energy losses and additions occur, refer now to
Fig.1 showing a portion of an industrial fluid distribution system. The fluid
enters from the left, where the suction line draws fluid from a storage tank.
The inline pump adds energy to the fluid and causes it to flow into the
discharge line and then through the rest of the piping system. Note that the
suction pipe is larger than the discharge pipe. If the sizes of the pump suction
inlet and the discharge ports provided by the pump manufacturer are different
from the pipe sizes, a gradual reducer or a gradual enlargement may be needed.
This is a common occurrence. The fluid then passes straight through the run
of a tee, where a valve in the branch line can be opened to draw some fluid off
to another destination point. After leaving the tee, the fluid passes through a
valve that can be used to shut off the discharge line. Just downstream from the
valve is another tee where now the fluid takes the branch path, passes around
a 90° elbow, and passes through another valve.
The discharge pipe beyond the valve is insulated and the fluid travels through
the long, straight pipeline to its ultimate destination.

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 Fig1. Typical industrial pipeline installation system showing, pumps, valves, tees, and
other fittings use in general energy equation to analyze its performance.

1.1 ENERGY LOSSESS AND ADDITION

This section describes the various types of devices and components of fluid
flow system. In most fluid flow systems, they add energy to the fluid, remove
energy from the fluid or cause undesirable losses of energy from the fluid.
We will look at pumps, fluid motors, friction losses as fluid flows in pipes and
tubes, energy losses from changes in the size of the flow path, and energy
losses from valves and fittings.

1.1.1 Pumps
This is a common example of mechanical devices that add energy to a fluid.
Electric motor or some prime power device drives this kinetic energy and
delivers it to the fluid, which result in fluid flow and increased fluid pressure.

1.1.2 Fluid Motors

Examples of devices that take energy from a fluid and deliver it in the form of
work, thereby causing the rotation of a shaft or the linear movement of a piston
includes, fluid motors, turbines, rotary actuators, and linear actuators.

1.1.3 Fluid Friction

Fluid in motion offers frictional resistance to flow, part of the energy in the
system is converted into thermal energy (heat), which is dissipated through
the walls of the in which the fluid is flowing. The magnitude of

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the energy loss is dependent on the properties of the fluid, the flow velocity,
the pipe size, the smoothness of the pipe wall, and the length of the pipe.

1.1.4 Valves and Fittings

Whenever there is a restriction, a change in flow velocity, or a change in the
direction of flow, these energy losses occur. Large system the magnitude of
losses due to valves and fittings is usually small compared with frictional
losses in the pipes.

1.2 NOMENCLATURE OF ENERGY LOSSES AND ADDITIONS

The following terms are used as the energy losses and additions.
hA: Energy added to the fluid with a mechanical device such as pump
which is refer to as the total head on the pump.
hR: Energy removed from the fluid by mechanical devices such as fluid
motor.
hL: Energy losses from the system through friction in pipes or minor
losses due valves and fittings.

1.3 THE GENERAL ENERGY EQUATION

The general energy equation is used as an expansion of Bernoulli’s equation
which makes it possible to solve problems in which there is energy losses and
addition occurs. This can be seen in figure 2 which represent the flow system.
The terms 𝐸1Ι and 𝐸2Ι denotes the energy possessed by the fluid per unit weight
at section 1 and 2 respectively. The respective energy losses, removal and
additions, hL, hR and hA are shown. For such system, the expression of
principle of conservation of energy is.
𝑬𝚰𝟏 + 𝒉𝑨 − 𝒉𝑹 − 𝒉𝑳 = 𝑬𝚰𝟐 (1)

The energy possessed by the fluid per unit weight is.

𝚰
𝒑 𝒗𝟐
𝑬 = +𝒛+
𝜸 𝟐𝒈 (2)

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 Fig. 2 Fluid flow system showing the general energy equation.

General energy equation

𝒑𝟏 𝒗𝟐𝟏 𝒑𝟐 𝒗𝟐𝟐
+ 𝒛𝟏 + + 𝒉𝑨 − 𝒉𝑳 − 𝒉𝑹 = + 𝒛𝟐 + (3)
𝜸 𝟐𝒈 𝜸 𝟐𝒈

Example 1:
The volume flow rate through the pump shown in fig 3 is 0.014m3/s. The fluid
being pumped is oil with a specific gravity of 0.80. Calculate the energy
delivered to the oil per unit weight of flowing in the system. Energy losses in
the system are caused by the check valve and friction losses as the fluid flows
through the piping. The magnitude of such loss has been determined to be
1.86N*m/N.

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 Solution:

Fig 3
Therefore, making hA the subject of the formula, since the question asked us to find the
energy delivered to the oil in the system.

𝒑𝑩 − 𝒑𝑨 𝒗𝟐𝑩 − 𝒗𝟐𝑨
𝒉𝑨 = + (𝒛𝑩 − 𝒛𝑨 ) + + 𝒉𝑳
𝜸 𝟐𝒈

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1.4 POWER REQUIRED BY PUMP

In example 1 we found out that the pump was delivering 42.9m of energy. To
calculate the power delivered by the pump. This is multiplying the energy
transferred per newton of fluid by the weight flow rate. This is.

By using the data in example 1, we can find the power delivered by the pump
to the oil as follows.

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1.5 MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY OF PUMP

Pump efficiency

Continuing with the data of example 1,

Example 2:
The pump shown in fig 4 is delivering hydraulic oil with a specific gravity of
0.85 at a rate of 75L/min. The pressure at A is -20kPa and the pressure at B is
275kPa. The energy loss in the system is 2.5 times the velocity head in the
discharge pipe. Calculate the power delivered by the pump to the oil.

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 Fig 4
Solution

Using,

For area of the pipe and the dimensions in fig 4 (see Appendix F)

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1.6 POWER DELIVERED TO FLUID MOTORS

Power delivered to fluid motor.

1.6.1 MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY OF FLUID MOTORS

Motor efficiency

Example 3:
Water at 100oc is flowing at a rate of 115L/min through the fluid motor shown
in fig 5. The pressure at A is 700kPa and the pressure at B is 125kPa. It is
estimated that due to friction in the tubing there is an energy loss of 4.0N*m/N
of water flowing at A the tubing entering the fluid motor is a standard steel
hydraulic tube having an OD = 25mm and a wall thickness of 2.0mm. At B,
the tube leaving the motor has OD =80mm and thickness of 2.8mm. See
Appendix G.2 from the textbook.
a) Calculate the power delivered to the fluid motor by the water.

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 b) If the mechanical efficiency of the fluid motor is 85%, calculate the
power output.

Fig. 5

Solution

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Practice problems:
6.5; 6.6; 6.10; 6.11; 6.13; 6.14; 6.28; 6.29 – 6.36; 6.37 – 6.54; 6.60 – 6.86

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