FLOW IN PIPES

PIPES FLOWING FULL

FLOW TYPES
 Laminar flow: the flow has a smooth
appearance, e.g. flow of honey &
thick syrup from a pitcher/jug.
 Turbulent flow: is characterized by
mixing action throughout the flow
field. Simple observations will reveal
this type of flow in rivers and in the
atmosphere (wind).
FLOW IN PIPES

 EMPIRICAL METHOD – Hazen-Williams

formula.

 SCIENTIFIC METHOD – Manning formula,

Darcy-Weisbach formula.

Simon, A.L., 1986. Hydraulics. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FLOW IN PIPES (Hazen-Williams
formula)

V  kCR 0.63
S 0.54

k is factor dependent on units (0.849 for m/s & m; 1.318 for ft/s & ft);
C is factor dependent on relative roughness;
R is hydraulic radius (area of flow divided by wetted perimeter); &
S is the slope of the energy grade line (hL /L).
NB!! Hazen-Williams formula can only be used for water

McGhee, T.J., 1991. Water Supply & Sewerage. 6th ed. Singapore: McGraw-Hill
FLOW IN PIPES (Hazen-Williams
formula and Manning formula)
Hazen-Williams:

10.7LQ1.85
hf = 4.87 1.85
D C

Manning:

10.3n2 LQ2
hf =
D5.33
FLOW IN PIPES (Darcy & Weisbach
formula)

2 2
LV 4fLV
h f  4f 
d 2g 2gd
FLOW IN PIPES (Darcy &
Weisbach formula)
Advantages of Darcy-Weisbach formula
• It is based on fundamentals.
• It is dimensionally consistent.
• It is useful for any fluid (oil, gas, and sluges).
• It can be derived analytically in the laminar
flow region.
• It is useful in the transition region between
laminar flow and fully developed turbulent
flow.
• The friction factor variation is well
documented.
FLOW IN PIPES (Darcy &
Weisbach formula)
Disadvantages of Darcy-Weisbach formula
• The friction factor in the formula depends not
only on roughness but also on Reynolds
number.
FLOW IN PIPES (friction factor f )
 The friction factor f was a subject to
much of the theoretical and
experimental research (Blasius, 1913;
Nikuradse, 1933; Colebrook, 1938;
Barr, 1975; Wood, 1966; Churchill,
1977; Chen, 1979 & many more.
 The value of f was found to be
dependent on the Reynolds number of
the flow and relative roughness of the
pipe.
Simon, A.L., 1986. Hydraulics. 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
FLOW IN PIPES (Reynolds number)
 Osborne Reynolds developed basic laws of turbulent flow.
 With his analytical and experimental work he showed that
the Reynolds number was a basic parameter relating to
laminar as well as turbulent flow.
 Flow was observed to be laminar when Re was about 2000
and became fully turbulent when Re was higher than
4000.
 When Re is between 2000 and 4000, type of flow is very
unpredictable and often changes back and forth between
laminar and turbulent states (transitional zone).
 Note that precise values of Reynolds number versus flow
regime do not exist.
 Guidelines given above are approximate, and other
references may give different values.

Roberson, J.A., Crowe, C.T. 1997. Engineering Fluid Mechanics. 6th ed. New York: John Wiley & Son, Inc.
FLOW IN PIPES (Reynolds number)

Reynolds number

Vd ρVd
Re  
ν μ

Kinematic viscosity

μ
ν
ρ
FLOW IN PIPES (Relative roughness)
 Pipes don’t have perfect smooth surfaces inside.
 This pipe roughness restrict the flow of the water
near the pipe surface and lowers the velocity.
 Resulting in higher velocities near the centre of
the flow and lower velocities near the pipe
surface.
 Hence additional force or power is needed to
overcome this effect in the pipe system, in
channel steeper slopes.
 Nikuradse conducted tests on flow in pipes that
were roughened with uniform-sized sand grains.
 While Moody did tests on commercial pipes
where roughness is random.
Roberson, J.A., Crowe, C.T. 1997. Engineering Fluid Mechanics. 6th ed. New York: John Wiley & Son, Inc.
Pipe material ε (mm)
Brass 0.0015
Concrete
Steel forms, smooth 0.18
Good joints, average 0.36
Rough, visible form marks 0.60
Copper 0.0015
Corrugated metal (CMP) 45
Iron (common in older water lines, except ductile or DIP, which is
widely used today)
Asphalt lined 0.12
Cast 0.26
Ductile, DIP – cement mortar lined 0.12
Galvanized 0.15
Wrought 0.045
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 0.0015
Polyethylene, high density (HDPE) 0.0015
Steel
Enamel coated 0.0048
Riveted 0.9 ̴ 9.0
Seamless 0.004
Commercial 0.045
FLOW IN PIPES (Colebrook and
White)

1  1.255 ε 
 4log   
f  R e f 3.71d 

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
FLOW IN PIPES (MOODY DIAGRAM:
plot of f v/s Re on log-log scale)

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
FLOW IN PIPES (Churchill and Usagi)

12 1/12
8 1
f=2 + 1.5
Re A+B

1 16
A = 2.457 ln 0.9
7 ε
+ 0.27
Re D

37530 16
B=
Re

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
FLOW IN PIPES (Barr)

2
1 1
f=
4 ε 5.1286
−2 log +
3.7 × d Re0.89

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
FLOW IN PIPES (OTHER
LOSSES)
 Entry into pipe
 Exit into tank
 Enlargement of pipe
 Reduction of pipe
 Bends
 Valves
 Equivalent length
FLOW IN PIPES (OTHER
LOSSES)

Sharp entry head loss from a tank into

a pipe
2
kV
h en 
2g

k (loss coefficient) = 0.5

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
FLOW IN PIPES (OTHER
LOSSES)

Exit head loss from a pipe into a tank

2
kV
h ex 
2g

k (loss coefficient) = 1

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
FLOW IN PIPES (OTHER
LOSSES)

Head loss due to sudden pipe enlargement

h enl 
V1  V2 
2

2g

P1  P2 V1  V2
2 2

  h enl
ρg 2g

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
FLOW IN PIPES (OTHER
LOSSES)

Head loss due to sudden pipe reduction

2
 1  V22
h red   1
 Cc  2g
Cc from Table 7.1

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
 FLOW IN PIPES (OTHER
LOSSES)

Bends head loss

2
kV
h ex 
2g
k (loss coefficient) from Table 7.2

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
FLOW IN PIPES (OTHER
LOSSES)

Valves head loss

2
kV
h ex 
2g
k (loss coefficient)
from Table 7.3

Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc
FLOW IN PIPES (OTHER
LOSSES)

Equivalent length
kd
LE =
4f

L
LE = × d
d

4f(L/d)V 2 4fLE V 2
h  hf =
2gd
2g
Meyer, C.F. 1995. Water Engineering. 2nd ed. CMTEK Lecture Materials cc