Question:

A pipeline connecting two tanks contains four standard elbows, a plug valve that is fully open, and a gate
valve that is half open. The line is commercial steel pipe of 25 mm internal diameter (D) and 120 m
length (L).

The properties of the fluid are:

Viscosity ( ): 0.99m

Density ( ): 998 kg/

The properties of the pipe are:

Absolute roughness of commercial steel: 0.046mm

Relative roughness ( ): (0.046 m) (25 m) = 0.0018 = 0.002 (dimensionless)

Friction factor (f) : 0.0032 (dimensionless) (obtained from fanning graph)

1. Show that the Reynold’s number, Re is 5

2. Hence calculate the total pressure drop due to friction when the flow-rate (Q) is 3500kg/hr
(0.972kg/s). NB: show at least two methods of obtaining the answer(s).

[Modified from: COULSON AND RICHARDSON, COULSON AND RICHARDSON’S ENGINEERING SERIES-
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN, FOURTH EDITION, VOLUME 6, PAGE 204 AND 205, EXAMPLE 5.1]

Solutions:

1. Cross sectional area (A) =

Fluid velocity (v) = Q

= 0.972 (m/s)
 = 1.98 m/s

Reynold’s number (Re) = ( v D)

= (998 1.98 )

Re = (dimensionless)

2. MISCELLANEOUS LOSSES

FITTING VALUE NUMBER OF VELOCITY HEADS EQUIVALENT PIPE DIAMETER

ENTRY 0.5 25
ELBOWS 0.8 4 40 4
GLOBE VALVE, OPEN 6.0 300
GATE VALVE, 1/2 OPEN 4.0 200
EXIT 1.0 50
TOTAL 14.7 735

METHOD 1

A velocity head = 2g)

=[ (2 9.8)] m

= 0.20 m of fluid

Head loss = 0.20 14.7 = 2.94 m

As pressure (pressure due to head loss) = head loss g

= (2.94 998 9.8) N/

= 28.754 N/

Friction loss in pipe, = 8f

 = 8 0.0032 (N/ )

= 240.388 N/

Total pressure = (28.754 + 240.388) N/

= 269.14 N/

METHOD 2

Extra length of pipe to allow for miscellaneous losses = 735 D

= (735 ) m

= 18.4 m

So Total length for calculation = L+18.4 m

= (120 + 18.4) m

= 138.4 m

= 8f

= 8 0.0032 (N/ )

= 277.24 N/