Lecture 4a- Fluid Flow

in Pipes
Presented by:
CSMantawil
Notes:
A pipe is among the conduits that is completely filled with
a flowing fluid.

A pipe that is partially filled although closed (e.g. drainage

pipe) is classified as open-channel
(by: Elger et.al)
Flow regimes: Laminar or Turbulent Flow
 The Reynolds Number, Re (or NR)
VD ρ VD
Re= μ = ν

Where :
D=pipe diameter
ρ =mass density
μ =dynamic visosity
ν =kinematic viscosity

Re ≤ 2000 , Laminar flow

2000 ≤ Re≤ 3000 , Transition/unpredictable
(tends to be laminar to turbulent, then back again)
Re ≥ 3000, Turbulent flow
The Critical Reynolds Number and critical velocity

– If we set the Reynolds number (Re) = 2000 we may obtain the critical
velocity. For example, for water at 20oC, the kinematic viscosity is
1.00 x 10-6 m2/s , and for this case the critical Reynolds number is
obtained when
−6 2 2
D V crit =R e ν =2000 (1 x 10 m/s )=0.002 m /s
Thus, for a 25-mm dia. pipe,
0.002
V crit = =0.08 m/ s
0.025
Example 1

– An oil (s=0.85, ν = 1.8 x10-5 m2/s) flows in a 10-cm diameter pipe at

0.5 L/s. Is the flow laminar or turbulent?

Soln: Q 0.0005
V= =π =0.0637 m/ s
A x 0.10
2
4
DV (0.10)0.0637
Re= ν = −5
=354
1.8 x 10

Since Re < 2000, the flow is laminar.

The hydraulic radius, R (or Rh)
Hydraulic radius refers to the ratio of the cross sectional area over the
wetted perimeter. So, for a pipe flowing full,
2
A π D /4 D
Rh = = =
P πD 4

Head losses in pipe flow

In pipe flow the losses are attributed to the following:
1) pipe friction (major losses) , hf – friction due to the sliding of the particles of fluid
against each other

2) Local disturbance (minor losses)– effecting changes in the velocity and flow
direction
 Local disturbance or minor losses may further be classified
individually as follows:

a) Due to sudden contraction, hc – sudden increase in the flow velocity as a result

of the decrease in the pipe size.
b) Due to sudden enlargement, he - loss due the sudden decrease in the flow
velocity. In case of large reservoir the sudden enlargement is otherwise known as
the discharge loss.
c) Due to obstruction, ho – cased by gates or valves. Changes in the flow direction
and velocity results to the decrease in the flow section
d) Due to pipe bend, hb – caused mainlyby change in the direction of flow. The
bend may have any angle of deflection and any radius of curvature.

Collectively, the total headloss may be represented by:

∑ H L=hf +hc +he +ho +hb

 Application of minor losses
Minor losses are usually applied as coefficient introduced to velocity
(or velocity head)
Please read the details from books – tables
V
2 and charts for coefficent values and how
h c =k c they are applied
2g
2
V
h e =k e
2g
2
V
h o =k o
2g
2
V
h b =k b
2g
The frictional headloss (major loss)
The Darcy-Weisbach formula:
where:
f = friction factor
2
L V L = Length of pipe (m or ft)
h f =f D = pipe diameter (m or ft)
D 2g
for laminar flow, * typical values of f ranges
from 0.01 to 0.07
64
f=
Re
for turbulent flow, there are empirical formulas presented in various
textbooks.

Prandtl:
 Some famous formula for turbulent flow:

Note that some authors use  instead of k. The valu

The colebrook formula may also be used

for transitional flow

Blasius: (turbulent, smooth pipe, Re between 3000

and 100,000
0.316
f= 0.25
Re

k / D or ϵ / D refers to relative roughness

A moody diagram is helpful in evaluating the values of friction factor

The Moody
chart/diagram
(see Elger’s book
Fig 10.14)
evaluating the values of f in both
transition and turbulent flow
might lead to iterative solution or
trial and error. This is accomplished
by either assuming a value of Re or
a valueof f. A computer algebra
software would be a very helpful
tool to solve for f
Example 1
Soln. Computing the velocity and Re,
Q 0.2
V= =π =6.37 m/ s
A x 0.200
2
4
VD 6.37 (0.200)
Re= ν = =127,400
0.00001
5
R e =1.27 x 10
from table 10.4, ks = 0.26 mm for CIP

0.26
k s / D or e / D= =0.0013
200
interpolating values from the Moody chart
gives f ≈ 0.0225, (or subst. to Colebrook
or Swamee-Jain equation) would closely
agree.
 To compute the headloss, substitute to Darcy-Weisbach equation
2 2
L V 500 6.37
h f =f =0.0225 ( )( )=116.33 m
D 2g 0.200 2 x 9.81
p1 v 21 p2 v 22
γ + 2 g + z1 = γ + 2 g +z 2 + HL1−2 with V1=V2 ; HL1-2 = hf

p1 p2 p1p2
γ 1 γ + z 2 +hf ;
+ z = γ γ +( z1 −z 2 )=hf
−
Let p = pressure drop; z1-z2 = Lsinθ
Δp
γ =h f −( z 1− z2 )
For more illustrative examples, see Elger’s
=hf −L sin θ sample problems 10.3 to 10.6
=116.33−500 sin 10
Δ p=9.81(0.9)(29.51)=260.54 kPa
 Empirical Formulas:
The following formulas (SI units only) are not dependent on Reynold’s
number:
0.63 0.54
Hazen-Williams: V =0.849 C H R S
Where:
CH = Hazen-Williams roughness constant (usually ranges from 80
to 140) depending on the type and condition of a pipe
R= Hydraulic radius (m)
S= slope of energy gradient

Manning’s formula: 1 2/3 1/2

V= R S
n
n = Manning’s rougness constant (usually ranges from 0.009 to
0.022), R and S have the same description with Hazen-Williams
formula.
 Empirical Formulas:
From the velocity expressions of the Hazen-Williams and Manning’s equation,
the following expressions may be obtained:
hf
with S= ,V =Q / A , and with R = D/4
L 1.85
10.67 L Q
Hazen-Williams: Q=0.2785 C H D S
2.63 0.54 and hf = 1.85 4.87
CH D
2 2
1 10.29 n L Q
Manning’s formula:
8/3 1/2
V = 0.3117 D S and hf = 16 /3
n D
The Darcy-Weisbach equation may also be expressed in terms of Q as:
2
Q
hf =0.0826 f L 5
D
Table for Hazen-Williams CH
 Table for Manning’s roughness factor, n

Alternately, hf and Q may be approximated by using some graphs

for smooth pipes, values of f may be
approximated by using the table
shown. (Source: Hydraulics by
King, Wisler, & Woodburn 5th Ed)
 Example #2
A horizontal pipeline, 50 m long, is connected to a reservoir at one end and discharges
freely into the atmosphere at the other end. For the first 25 m length from the reservoir the
pipe has a diameter of 15 cm and it has a square entrance at the reservoir. The remaining
25 m length of pipe has a diameter of 30 cm. The junction of the two pipes is in the form of
a sudden expansion. The 15 cm pipe has a gate valve (k=0.2) in fully open condition. If the
height of the water surface in the tank is 10 m above the centerline of the pipe, estimate
the discharge in the pipe by considering the Darcy-Weisbach factor f= 0.02 fo both the
pipes. (Include all minor losses in the calculations.)

Soln:
Compute for minor losses, Table 10.5 Elger
1) head loss due to square entrance,
(sudden contraction)
2
V1
h c=0.5
2g
2) head loss due to valve
2
V1
h o =0.2 (given)
2g
 But given that H = 10 m, and
3) head loss due to sudden enlargement from D1 =0.150 m, D2 =0.30 m
pipe 1 to 2, or h12
(V 1 −V 2 )
2 The head loss due to enlargement may
h12 = be expressed as:
2g
There is an exit velocity head at the end
of the pipe 2 (V 2 )
2

h=
2g
The major head losses at pipes 1 and 2:
L1 V 21 L2 V 22
hf 1 =f hf 2 =f
D1 2 g D2 2 g
The energy equation becomes:
Computing the discharge, Q=A2V2
Example #3

Given: V = 1.0 m/s, D =0.150 m, L = 500 m

π (0.150)2 3
Q= A V = (1.0)=0.0177 m /s
4 1.85
10.67 L Q
a) by Hazen-William formula: hf = 1.85 4.87
CH D
CH = 130
1.85
10.67 (500) 0.0177
hf = 1.85 4.87
=3.87 m
130 0.150
2) by Manning’s formula: n = 0.013
2 2 2 2
10.29 n L Q 10.29(0.013) (500)(0.0177)
hf = 16 /3
= 16 /3
=6.75 m
D 0.150
3) By Darcy-Weisbach. From table 10.4, the nearest value for ks = 0.26 (CIP) and
assuming 20oC condition, the corresponding Reynolds number will be:

DV(0.150)(1.0) 5
Re= ν = −6
=1.5 x 10
1 x 10
Using the Colebrook Formula,
Using the Swamee-Jain gives a value of f = 0.0246

or assuming the pipe is smooth, the values in the table by King, Wisler, & Woodburn
will give f ≈ 0.024 (note that it is necessary to convert the units to English system)

The Darcy-Weisbach formula with f taken from Colebrook’s equation,

2
L V (500) 1.0 2
h f =f =0.0238 =4.04 m
D 2g 0.150 2 x 9.81
Remarks: The Hazen-Williams gives closer value to Darcy-Weisbach compared with
the Manning’s formula. This is the reason why the Manning’s formula is seldom used in
pipe flow analysis and design. Of course, the D-W is the most reliable among the three
approaches.
In open channels, however the Manning’s formula is widely used because of its
simplicity and practicality.
 Thank you
Pls read about:

– Pipes in Series

– Pipes in Parallel