ENERGY LOSSES DUE TO

FRICTION
Objectives
Differentiate Bernoulli’s equation from
Darcy’s equation
Explain when can Darcy’s equation and
Hagen – Poiseuille equation be used.
Differentiate laminar from turbulent flow
Distinguish whether the flow in a given
flow system is laminar or turbulent.
Justify why the flow in a given flow
system is classified as laminar or
turbulent
DARCY’S EQUATION
 In the General Energy Equation:

 hL = the energy loss from the system

 One component of energy loss:
◦ Due to friction in the flowing fluid
 Friction –
◦ Proportional to the velocity head of the flow and to the ratio of
the length to the diameter of the flow stream
 Expressed mathematically as Darcy’s equation:

 Where:
 hL = energy loss due to friction (N∙m/N)
 L = length of flow stream (m)
 D = pipe diameter (m)
 v = average velocity of flow (m/s)
 f = friction factor (dimensionless)
Darcy’s equation can be used to:
◦ Calculate the energy loss due to friction in long
straight sections of round pipe for both laminar and
turbulent flow
 (the difference between the two is the evaluation of the
dimensionless friction factor f.)
Friction loss in laminar flow
When laminar flow exists:
◦ Fluid seems to flow as several layers, one on
another
◦ Because of viscosity of fluid, a shear stress is
created between the layers of fluid
◦ Energy – lost from the fluid by the action of
overcoming the frictional forces produced by
the shear stress
Laminar flow – regular and orderly
Relationship – derive between the energy
loss and the measurable parameters of the
flow system
Hagen – Poiseuille equation
Parameters involved:
◦ Fluid properties: viscosity and specific weight
◦ Geometrical features of length and pipe diameter
◦ Dynamics of the flow characterized by the average
velocity
Energy loss is independent of the condition of
the pipe surface
Viscuous friction losses within the fluid
govern the magnitude of the energy loss
◦ Energy loss is
Hagen – Poiseuille equation
◦ Valid only for laminar flow, NR < 2000
◦ Darcy’s equation could also be used to
calculate the friction loss for laminar flow
◦ Relationships for hL are set equal to each
other, value of the friction factor can be
solved:
Example:
Determine the energy loss if glycerin at
25ºC flows 30 m through a 150-mm
diameter pipe with an averag e velocity of
4.0 m/s.
ρ = 1258 kg/cu.m
μ = 9.60 x10 -1 Pa.s
 Notice that each term in each equation is expressed in
the units of the SI unit system. Therefore, the resulting
units for hL are m or Nm/N.
 This means that 13.2 Nm of energy is lost by each
Newton of the glycerine as it flows along the 30 m of
pipe
Friction loss in Turbulent flow
For turbulent flow of fluids in circular
pipes, it is most convenient to use Darcy’s
equation to calculate the energy loss due to
friction
Friction factor – cannot be determined by
simple calculation
◦ Because turbulent flow does not conform to
regular predictable motions – chaotic and
constantly varying
◦ Experimental data to determine the value of f.
Testshave shown that the dimensionless
number f is dependent on two other
dimensionless numbers:
◦ Reynolds number
◦ Relative roughness of the pipe
 Ratio of the pipe diameter D to the average pipe
wall roughness (epsilon)
Pipe wall roughness as the height of the peaks of
the surface irregularities.

Condition of pipe surface is very much

dependent on the pipe material and the method
of manufacture
Commercially available pipe and tubing:
◦ Design value and wall roughness has been determined
 Average values for new, clean pipe. Some variation
should be expected. After a pipe has been in service for
a time, the roughness could change due to the formation
of deposits on the wall or due to corrosion
 Glass and plastic piping has an inside that is virtually
hydraulically smooth
 The value of roughness coefficient, is quite small and
the resulting relative roughness, is very large
 Copper and brass tubing is drawn to its final shape and
size, leaving a fairly smooth surface
 Standard steel pipe (sch. 40 and 80), and steel tubing –
use the values listed for commercial or welded steel
 Ductile iron – typically coated on the inside with cement
mortar for corrosion protection and to improve the
surface roughness
Moody Diagram
One of the most widely used methods for
evaluating the friction factor employs the
Moody Diagram
Diagram shows the friction factor f
plotted versus the Reynolds number NR
with a series of parametric curves related
to the relative roughness.
These curves were generated from
experimental data by L.F. Moody/
Moody Diagram
Moody Diagram
OFFLINE ACTIVITY
 Water flows steadily through the 2 cm-diameter galvanized iron pipe
system shown at a rate of 5.6 x 10 -4 m3/s. Your boss suggests that friction
losses in the straight pipe sections are negligible compared to the losses in
the threaded elbows and fittings of the system. Do you agree or disagree
with your boss? Support your answer with appropriate calculations