Experiment A4:

Mechanical Energy Losses Due

to Straight Pipes and Fittings
in a Viscous Pipe Flow System
Aguila, Alyssa
Cruz, Celine
Sumagaysay, Harold
Toledano, Anthon
OBJECTIVES

• To measure the energy losses through the straight pipe and fittings in a pipe
flow system.
• To determine the relation of energy losses to the volumetric flow rate in a pipe
flow system from actual data.
• To measure the performance of the fluid flow system in the lab by comparing
the design calculations with the experimental data.
THEORY
 Fluid flow is an important part of many processes, including
transporting materials from one point to another, mixing of
materials, and chemical reactions.

Pipe flow, being confined within closed conduit, does not

exert direct atmospheric pressure, but does exert hydraulic
pressure on the conduit.
•   The nature of flow in pipe, by the work of Osborne
Reynolds, depends on the pipe diameter, the density &
viscosity of the flowing fluid, and the velocity of the flow – if
whether it is laminar or turbulent. This is a direct result of the
differences in the nature of the shear stress in laminar and
turbulent flows.
 The shear stress in laminar flow is a direct result of momentum
transfer among the randomly moving molecules.

The shear stress in turbulent flow is largely a result of momentum

transfer among the randomly moving, finite-sized fluid particles.
 When a fluid is flowing through a pipe, the fluid
experiences some resistance  due to which some of the energy
of the fluid is lost. These loss of energy are classified as:

• Major energy losses: The viscosity causes loss of energy in

the flows, which is known as frictional loss or major energy
loss using Darcy-Weisbach formula
• Minor energy losses: The loss of energy due to change of
velocity of the flowing fluid in magnitude or direction is
called minor loss of energy. The minor loss of energy includes
the following cases

Sudden expansion of pipe

Sudden contraction of pipe
Bending in pipe
Viscous dissipation
Viscous dissipation is the transformation of kinetic energy to
internal energy due to fluid’s viscosity in a viscous fluid flow which
results to an increased fluid temperature.

Pressure drop (ΔP)

In a pipe flow system, pressure drop occurs as a result of resistance
to flow. Pressure drop is necessary in order to calculate the pressure
loss in a pipe.
 In fluid mechanics, when one is calculating the Pressure Loss for
flow inside pipes, one separates the causes of loss in two parts:

• Skin friction, which is the roughness of the pipe causing shear within
the boundary layer of the fluid and is linear with the length of the
pipe.
• Form friction, where all localized losses due to geometrical
characteristics of the piping system are piled up: fittings, bends,
valves, etc. At those points, flow is disturbed, resulting in increased
losses.
Equipment and Materials,
Set-up, Procedure
 Equipment and Materials

Water Hose
Fluid Flow
Equipment

U-tube
Manometer Ruler
Water
Pail
 Set-up

Water Tank
Isolating Valves

25-mm

Water Hose Straight pipes

Rotameter
40-mm

U-tube Manometer
Flow Regulating Valve
 Procedures
A. START UP

3/4 FULL OF WATER

water
Water tank

“Ajdust”
ENTRY VALVE
Until “Open” three (3)
NO BUBBLES ISOLATING VALVES
for 15 minutes and ENTRY VALVES
SWITCH ON POWER (1/3 only )
 Procedures
B. EXPERIMENT PROPER

“Close”
“Adjust”
ALL ISOLATING
ENTRY VALVE to
VALVES except ONE
Pre-Calculated Flow
(1)
Rate
with horizontal run
to be observed

Repeat procedure for at

least ten (10)
succeeding flow rate.
Then, shift to the next
horizontal pipe
“Connect”
“Measure” and “Record” Tube opening and
(Three Trials) U-tube Manometer
 Procedures
B. EXPERIMENT PROPER

“Close”
“Adjust”
ALL ISOLATING
ENTRY VALVE to
VALVES except ONE
Pre-Calculated Flow
(1)
Rate
with horizontal run
to be observed

Repeat procedure for at

least ten (10)
succeeding flow rate.
Then, shift to the next
horizontal pipe
“Connect”
“Measure” and “Record” Tube opening and
(Three Trials) U-tube Manometer
 Procedures
B. SHUTDOWN

Slowly reduce
“Open” opening of
ALL ISOLATING ENTRY VALVE
VALVES

“Open”
Drain the water at the
DRAIN VALVE
baseline of the unit using
as hose

SWITCH OFF
Pre-Calculation
 2

1
For Straight Pipe without Fittings
𝐷=25
  𝑚𝑚 𝑜𝑟 0.025 𝑚
We want a turbulent flow in 2. Turbulent flow has a Reynold Number greater than 2100

𝑈𝑠𝑒
  𝑅𝑒=5000
 

  4 𝑞(1000) 𝑚3
5000=   = 9.81748 × 10− 5
𝑞
𝑠
𝜋 (0.025)(1× 10−3 )

  = 9.81748 × 10
𝑞
−5 𝑚3   = 𝟗𝟗 . 𝟑𝟔𝟔 𝒈𝒂𝒍
𝒒
𝑠 𝒉𝒓
For Straight Pipe with Fittings
𝐷=20
  𝑚𝑚 𝑜𝑟 0.02𝑚
We want a turbulent flow in 2. Turbulent flow has a Reynold Number greater than 2100

𝑈𝑠𝑒
  𝑅𝑒=5000
 

  4 𝑞(1000) 𝑚3
5000=   =7.854 × 10− 5
𝑞
𝑠
𝜋 (0.02)(1× 10−3 )

  =7.854 × 10
𝑞
−5 𝑚3   =𝟕𝟒 . 𝟔𝟗𝟐𝟖𝟕 𝒈𝒂𝒍
𝒒
𝑠 𝒉𝒓
Data
STRAIGHT PIPE (W/O FITTINGS)

TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3

Height (cm)
Vol. Flow Rate Hg H2O(L) H2O(R) Hg H2O(L) H2O(R) Hg H2O(L) H2O(R)
(gal/hr)

400 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.3 1.2 0.1 0.4 1.5 0.1

440 0.4 0.05 0.1 0.4 0.05 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.1

480 0.5 0.2 0.1 0.4 0.05 0.05 0.4 0.05 0.05

520 1 0 0.05 0.6 0 0.05 0.7 0.05 0.05

560 0.9 0.05 0.05 1.3 0.2 0.1 0.9 0.1 0.1
STRAIGHT PIPE (Fitting: 90° Elbow)

TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3

Height (cm)
Vol. Flow Rate Hg H2O(L) H2O(R) Hg H2O(L) H2O(R) Hg H2O(L) H2O(R)
(gal/hr)

400 0.8 0 0 0.7 0 0 0.7 0 0

440 0.9 0 0 1.2 0 0 1.3 0 0

480 1.3 0 0 1 0 0 1.2 0 0

520 2.7 2.5 0.9 2.3 1 3.2 2.4 4 3.5

560 2.9 0.5 3.4 3.3 2.8 1.1 2.7 0.8 2.7
STRAIGHT PIPE (Fitting: Tee)

TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3

Height (cm)
Vol. Flow Rate Hg H2O(L) H2O(R) Hg H2O(L) H2O(R) Hg H2O(L) H2O(R)
(gal/hr)

400 2.8 2.7 0 2.5 1.5 0 2.5 0.4 0

440 3.4 1.4 0.1 3.3 2.7 0 3.2 2.8 0.2

480 4.3 6.7 1 4.4 3 0.5 4.5 5 1

520 4.3 7.6 11.4 4.7 4.4 8.3 4.6 3.3 7.9

560 5 4.6 11.4 5 4.4 14 5 5 17

Treatment of Results
  
THEORETICAL

ɛ = 1.52×10-6 m

  𝑞=𝐷𝑣
 

Example:
400 gal/hr at Straight Pipe without Fittings (D=0.025m)

q(gal/hr) q(m3/s) Re f Velocity Friction Loss Theo. Pressure Drop

400 0.000420601 21421.05303 0.006389774 0.856842121 0.705561608 705.5616083
400 gal/hr at Straight Pipe with Fittings (D=0.02m)

q(gal/hr) q(m3/s) Re f Velocity Friction Loss Theo. Pressure Drop

400 0.000420601 26776.31628 0.006066685 1.338815814 9.134239929 9134.239929
Note: ƩL for Straight Pipe with Fittings
90o elbow: L/D = 35  
Tee: L/D = 50
ACTUAL
 

 
 Example
400 gal/hr in Straight Pipe with Fittings
Across Tee Fittings:
Vol. Flow Rate Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Calc. Pressure Drop Calc. Pressure Calc. Pressure

Hg Height (m) Hg Height (m) Hg Height (m)
(Pa) Drop Drop

400 0.028 3490.778 0.025 3188.25 0.025 3296.16

Friction Loss (J/kg) 3.490778 3.18825 3.29616

   

Trial 1:  
 
   
Recommendations
• Before supplying water into the piping system, it is best to check for
any possible opening where the water could flow out in order to
prevent accidents involving wet slippery surfaces from happening.
• To remove bubbles or spaces of air inside the pipes, it is desirable to
set a high flow rate.
• Consider the height of the water present in the u-tube manometer in
our calculations.
• Upon taking water out of u-tube manometer using a syringe, make
sure that there is no mercury included. It is recommended to wear
gloves to prevent physical contact from mercury.
THANK YOU!