Various Forms of Darcy Weisbach Equation for Head Loss (meters) & Pressure

Drop (bar) in Straight Pipe

51 f  L  v 2
hL  ……………………(1)
d
Where:

hL = loss of static pressure head due to fluid flow, in metres (m) of fluid

f = friction factor in Darcy Weisbach base formula: h L = f*L*v2/(D*gn)

(L = length in metres (m), v = velocity in m/s, D = pipe internal diameter in m, g n = acceleration of gravity:
9.81 m/s2)

L = Length of Pipe in m

v = mean velocity of flow in m/s

d = internal diameter of pipe in millimetres (mm)

8265 1010  f  L  q 2
hL  ………………….(2)
d5
Where:

hL = as in eqn (1)

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

q = rate of flow at flowing conditions, m3/s

d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

22950  f  L  Q 2
hL  …………………(3)
d5
Where:

hL = as in eqn (1)

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

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Q = rate of flow, litres per minute

d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

161200  f  L  B 2
hL  ……………………….(4)
d5
Where:

hL = as in eqn (1)

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

B = rate of flow, barrels per hour (1barrel per hour = 0.159 m 3/h)

d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

_2
6376000  f  L  W  V
2
hL  ……………….(5)
d5
Where:

hL = as in eqn (1)

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

W = Rate of flow in kg/h

_
V = specific volume of fluid, m3/kg
d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

0.005  f  L    v 2
p  …………………..(6)
d
Where:

Δp = pressure drop (pressure differential), bar

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

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ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

v = mean velocity of flow in m/s

d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

0.00000139  f  L    V 2
p  ……………………(7)
d
Where:

Δp = pressure drop (pressure differential), bar

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

V = mean velocity of flow in m/min

d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

81055 105  f  L    q 2
p  …………………(8)
d5
Where:

Δp = pressure drop (pressure differential), bar

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

q = rate of flow at flowing conditions, m3/s

d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

2.252  f  L    Q 2
p  ………………………..(9)
d5
Where:

Δp = pressure drop (pressure differential), bar

f = as in eqn (1)

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L = as in eqn (1)

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

Q = rate of flow, litres per minute

d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

15.81 f  L    B 2
p  ……………………(10)
d5
Where:

Δp = pressure drop (pressure differential), bar

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

B = rate of flow, barrels per hour (1barrel per hour = 0.159 m 3/h)

d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

_
625.3  f  L  W 2  V
p  …………………..(11)
d5
Where:

Δp = pressure drop (pressure differential), bar

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

W = Rate of flow in kg/h

_
V = specific volume of fluid, m3/kg
d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

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 936.5  f  L   q 'h   S g 2
2

p  ……………………(12)
d5  

Where:

Δp = pressure drop (pressure differential), bar

f = as in eqn (1)

L = as in eqn (1)

q’h = rate of flow of gas (compressible fluid) at standard conditions of 1.01325 bar (abs) & 15⁰C

Sg = specific gravity of the gas relative to air (Mol wt of gas / Mol wt of air); Mol wt of air = 28.96

d = internal diameter of pipe, mm

ρ = mass density of gas, kg/m3

Notes for Compressible Flow:

1. If the calculated pressure drop (P1 – P2) is less than about 10% of the inlet pressure P1, reasonable
accuracy will be obtained if the specific volume used in the Darcy Weisbach formula is based upon either
the upstream or downstream conditions whichever are known. The specific volume is the reciprocal of
the gas density.

2. If the calculated pressure drop (P1 – P2) is greater than about 10%, but less than about 40% of the
inlet pressure P1, the Darcy Weisbach equation may be used with reasonable accuracy by using a
specific volume based upon the average of upstream and downstream conditions.

Head Loss & Pressure Drop with Laminar Flow (Reynolds No Re<2100)
For laminar flow conditions the friction factor is a direct function of the Reynolds number only, and can
be represented by the formula f = 64 / Re.

Friction Factor “f” mentioned here is the Darcy or Moody friction factor not to be confused with the
Fanning friction factor. The relationship between the two is as follows:

Darcy (Moody) Friction Factor = 4 x Fanning Friction Factor

Following formulas may be used:

3263    L  v
hL  …………………..(13)
d2 

Where:

hL = loss of static pressure head due to fluid flow, in metres (m) of fluid

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

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L = Length of Pipe in m

v = mean velocity of flow in m/s

d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

41550 105    L  q
hL  …………………(14)
d4  
Where:

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

L = Length of Pipe in m

q = rate of flow at flowing conditions, m3/s

d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

69220    L  Q
hL  ……………..(15)
d4 

Where:

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

L = Length of Pipe in m

Q = rate of flow, litres per minute

d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

183500    L  B
hL  …………………….(16)
d4 

Where:

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

L = Length of Pipe in m

B = rate of flow, barrels per hour (1barrel per hour = 0.159 m 3/h)

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d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

1154000    L  W
hL  …………………(17)
d4  2

Where:

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

L = Length of Pipe in m

W = Rate of flow in kg/h

d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

0.32    L  v
p  ………………….(18)
d2
Where:

Δp = pressure drop (pressure differential), bar

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

L = Length of Pipe in m

v = mean velocity of flow in m/s

d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

407400    L  q
p  ………………..(19)
d4
Where:

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

L = Length of Pipe in m

q = rate of flow at flowing conditions, m3/s

d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

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 6.79    L  Q
p  …………………...(20)
d4
Where:

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

L = Length of Pipe in m

Q = rate of flow, litres per minute

d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

18    L  B
p  …………………(21)
d4
Where:

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

L = Length of Pipe in m

B = rate of flow, barrels per hour (1barrel per hour = 0.159 m 3/h)

d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

113.2    L  W
p  …………………..(22)
d4  

Where:

μ = dynamic (absolute) viscosity, centipoise (cP)

L = Length of Pipe in m

W = Rate of flow in kg/h

d = internal diameter of pipe in mm

ρ = mass density of fluid, kg/m3

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Friction Factor Data for Fully Turbulent Flow for Clean Commercial Steel Pipe (A-26, Appendix
A, Crane Technical Paper 410M)
Nominal Pipe Size, mm Friction Factor (fully turbulent
flow)
15 0.027
20 0.025
25 0.023
32 0.022
40 0.021
50 0.019
65 0.018
80 0.018
100 0.017
125 0.016
150 0.015
200 0.014
250 0.014
300 0.013
350 0.013
400 0.013
450 0.012
500 0.012
600 0.012

Reference: Chapter 3, 3-2, Flow of Fluids through Valves, Fittings, and Pipes Crane Technical Paper
410M

Prepared by: Ankur Srivastava

Chemical Engineer
Email: ankur_2061@hotmail.com

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