Fluid Flow in Pipes

Fluid Flow in Pipes

 Types of Flow (Reynold’s Number)

 Head Losses in Pipe Flow
 Minor Losses
 Major Losses
Fluid Flow in Pipes

 In the previous lessons, we treated fluid as

ideal. That is, the effects of viscosity are
neglected.
 When viscosity is considered, we say that
the fluid is real. The shear forces between
the fluid and the boundary wall are
considered.
Fluid Flow in Pipes

Types of steady flow in real fluids;

- Laminar
- Turbulent
 Laminar Flow
Fluid particles move along straight and
parallel paths in layers.

Turbulent Flow
Fluid particles move n haphazard fashion in
all directions.
Critical Velocity

 Is the velocity below which all turbulence is

damped out by the viscosity of the fluid.
 It is represented by a Reynold’s Number of
2000.
Reynold’s Number, Re

 Is dimensionless and is the ratio of the

inertia forces to the viscous forces in pipes.
 It is an indicator if the flow is laminar or
turbulent
 When Re ≤ 2000, flow is laminar
Reynold’s Number, Re

For circular pipes flowing in full;

where:
v – mean velocity, m/s
D – diameter of the pipe
ν – kinematic viscosity of fluid in m2/s
ρ – density of the fluid
μ – absolute viscosity, N-s/m2
Reynold’s Number, Re

For non-circular pipes;

where:
R – hydraulic radius
Problem 27

Find the critical velocity in a 20mm diameter pipe

for the following fluids:
a) Gasoline, ν = 6.48x10-7 m2/s
b) Water, ν = 1.02x10-6 m2/s
Shearing Stress at Pipe Wall

τo
F1 r x τs
F2
Shearing Stress at Pipe Wall
At any point from the center;

Or,

Max Shear Stress; where;

P1 – Pressure at point 1, kPa
P2 – Pressure at point 2, kPa
r – pipe radius
x – distance of a point from the center
τs – shear stress at any point from the center of
pipe
τo – shear stress at the pipe walls or maximum
shear stress
Velocity Distribution in Pipes
1) Laminar Flow
- velocity distribution of particles follow a parabolic
pattern of variation
vc Or by squared property
v Velocity at any point; of parabola;
ro
r

ux
Velocity Distribution in Pipes
where:
hL – head lost in pipe
L – pipe length
ro – pipe radius
vc – centerline or maximum velocity
μ – absolute viscosity of the liquid
γ – unit weight of the fluid
u – velocity at distance ‘r’ from the pipe center
v – average velocity
Velocity Distribution in Pipes
2) Turbulent Flow
- velocity varies with the Reynold’s number
Velocity at any point;
vc

ro

r
but;
u
Velocity Distribution in Pipes
2) Turbulent Flow
Or (velocity at any point); Average velocity;

Centerline or maximum velocity;

where:
τo – maximum shearing stress at the pipe
f – friction factor
v – average velocity
Velocity Distribution in Pipes

Shear Velocity or Friction Velocity, vs

where:
τo – maximum shearing stress at the pipe
f – friction factor
ρ – density of fluid
Problem 28
Determine the (a) shear stress at the walls of a
300mm diameter pipe when water flowing causes
a head loss of 5m in 90m length. (b) the shear
velocity (c) shear stress at 50mm from the
centerline of the pipe.
Problem 29

The velocities in a 750 mm diameter pipe are

measured to as 4.6 m/s and 4.4 m/s at r = o and
r = 100mm respectively. For turbulent flow,
determine the flow rate.
 Problem 30

The centerline velocity in a 150 mm diameter pipe is 5

m/s. If Reynold’s number is 1500, what is the velocity 30
mm from the pipe wall?
Supplementary Problems
1. What is the ratio of the radius of flow to radius of a pipe of the
mean velocity of a laminar flow (assume pipe radius ro)
Head Losses in Pipes
Head Losses in Pipes

In pipe flow problems, losses are attributed to

the following:
1) Pipe friction
- Sliding of fluid particles against each other
2) Local Disturbance
- Changes in the velocity and flow direction
Head Losses in Pipes
Losses mentioned, respectively are further
categorized as major losses and minor losses
1) Major Losses
- Attributed to pipe friction losses
2) Minor Losses
- attributed to local disturbance such as:
a) sudden contraction loss
b) sudden expansion loss
c) obstruction
d) pipe bend loss
Head Losses in Pipes

Equations for head losses are commonly

expressed in terms of the velocity head.
Equations for Head Losses in Pipes
1) Darcy-Weisbach Formula
For Circular Pipes:
(General Equation)

where: For non-circular Pipes:

f – friction factor
L – length of pipe
D – diameter where:
v – mean velocity Q - discharge
R – hydraulics radius
Equations for Head Losses in Pipes
2) Manning’s Formula
For Circular Pipes:
(General Equation)

where:
n – roughness coefficient
R – hydraulic radius For non-circular Pipes:
S – slope of the energy grade line

where:
Q - discharge
R – hydraulics radius
Equations for Head Losses in Pipes
3) Hazen Williams Formula
For Circular Pipes:

(General Equation)

where:
C1 – Hazen Williams Coefficient For non-circular Pipes:
D – diameter of pipe
R – hydraulic radius
S – slope of E.G.L. = hf/L where:
Q - discharge
R – hydraulics radius
Equations for Head Losses in Pipes
4) Hagen-Poiseuille Equation
(Frictional Loss in Laminar Flow)

or

where:
 Problem 31
A pipe is 450mm in diameter, roughness coefficient = 0.012
and Q = 160 lit/sec, find the head loss for a 1800m long
pipe.
 Problem 32
Glycerin (SG=1.26 & μ = 1.49 Pa-sec) flows through a
rectangular conduit 300mm by 450mm at a rate of 160
lit/sec.
a) Is the flow laminar or turbulent?
b) Determine the head loss per kilometer length of the
pipe.
 Problem 33

The pump draws 20 lit/sec of water from Reservoir A to B

as shown. f = 0.02 for all pipes. Compute the horsepower
delivered by the pump and the pressures at points 1 & 2.
B El. 60m

El. 10m A

200mm –
500m 1
P 2
 Problem 34
The total length of pipe connecting the two reservoirs is
100m. The pipe diameter is 250mm and the Hazen-
Williams coefficient is 120. IF Q = 150 lit/sec, determine the
power generated by the turbine if n=85%.

El. 197m 1

2 El. 50m
T
End