Friction Loss Along A Pipe: ME 337 Fluid Mechanics Lab
Friction Loss Along A Pipe: ME 337 Fluid Mechanics Lab
Friction Loss Along A Pipe: ME 337 Fluid Mechanics Lab
Loss along a Pipe
ME‐337 Fluid Mechanics Lab
Department of Mechanical Engineering
College of E&ME, NUST Pakistan
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Objective:
• Pumping power calculation
• Fluid line length estimation
• Line material selection
• Fluid transport between reservoirs
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Application:
• In engineering applications, it is important to increase pipe
productivity, i.e. maximizing the flow rate capacity and
minimizing head loss per unit length.
• According to the Darcy‐Weisbach equation, for a given flow
rate, the head loss decreases with the inverse fifth power of
the pipe diameter. Doubling the diameter of a pipe results in
the head loss decreasing by a factor of 32 (≈ 97% reduction),
while the amount of material required per unit length of the
pipe and its installation cost nearly doubles.
• This means that energy consumption, to overcome the
frictional resistance in a pipe conveying a certain flow rate,
can be significantly reduced at a relatively small capital cost.
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Introduction:
• The total energy loss in a pipe system is the sum of the major and
minor losses.
• Major losses are associated with frictional energy loss that is caused by
the viscous effects of the fluid and roughness of the pipe wall. Major
losses create a pressure drop along the pipe since the pressure must
work to overcome the frictional resistance.
• The Darcy‐Weisbach equation is the most widely accepted formula for
determining the energy loss in pipe flow. In this equation, the friction
factor (f ), a dimensionless quantity, is used to describe the friction loss
in a pipe.
• In laminar flows, f is only a function of the Reynolds number and is
independent of the surface roughness of the pipe. In fully turbulent
flows, f depends on both the Reynolds number and relative roughness
of the pipe wall. In engineering problems, f is determined by using
the Moody diagram.
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Introduction:
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Experiment:
• Determination of flow profile
• Calculation of flow velocity
• Determination of fluid viscosity
• Computation of Reynold’s number
• Computation of friction factor
• Comparison of “f” against “Re”
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Calculations:
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Calculations:
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Experimental Data:
Kinematic
Length of Reynold's
viscosity (at Hydraulic Friction
the Pipe, L 524 1.131E‐06 Number,
15.3 °C), ν Gradient, i Factor, f
(mm) 2 Re
(m /s)
Diameter of
Poeisuille's Equation (Valid for
the Pipe, d 3 i = 32μV/ρgD2
Laminar Regime Only)
(mm)
Cross‐
f = 16/Re [Laminar]
sectional Friction Factor (Both Laminar and
Area of the Turbulent Regimes)
1/sqrt(f) =4*log(Re/sqrt(f))‐0.4 [Turbulent]
Pipe, A (m2)
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Experimental Data:
Observations
Fluid
Velocity
Water Collection Manometer Water Hydraulic Reynolds
Manometer through Friction
Ser No Quantity time, t limb, h2 Temperature, Gradient, Number,
limb, h1 (mm) the factor, f
(ml) (sec) (mm) θ (°C) i Re
pipe,
(m/s)
1 400 50.8 521 56 15.3
2 400 54 500 85 15.3
3 300 57.8 390 223 15.3
4 300 71.9 375 245 15.3
5 900 39 431 195 15.5
6 900 42.9 414 214 15.5
7 600 54.6 351.5 283.5 15.9
8 600 70.4 340 294 15.9
Results with water manometer
Results with mercury manometer
Friction Loss along a Pipe
Assumptions:
1. Compute the Reynolds Number, hydraulic gradient and friction factor
from the experimental data.
2. At what value of Re does turbulent flow change to laminar flow? How
does this value compare with the accepted value of 2000?
3. What accuracy have you achieved in measuring the coefficient of
viscosity for the laminar regime through Poiseuille’s equation?
4. What difference in friction factor you expect if the inside surface of the
pipe is very rough? Plot f against Re for Laminar & Turbulent Regimes.