Year 3 Fluid Mechanics MA3006

Year 2019-2020 Special term

Tutorial 8 – Pipe Flow – Frictional Losses

1. A pipeline carrying natural gas is 10 cm in diameter. The two points A and B, 30 m apart, are
connected to a water-kerosene manometer. Given f = 0.016,  of natural gas = 0.6 kg/m3, 
of kerosene = 800 kg/m3, calculate the mass flow rate of natural gas. (Ans : 0.053 kg/s)

Gas
B

10 m

hm 36 mm
Kerosene
10 mm

Water

Given friction factor and properties of fluid,

Apply Energy equation between upstream point A to point B:

𝑝 𝑉 𝑝 𝑉
+ +𝑧 = + +𝑧 +ℎ
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

Information given :
𝑝 − 𝑝 = ? , 𝑉 = 𝑉 (constant pipe diameter)

𝑧 − 𝑧 = 10 m , ℎ = head loss due to friction = 𝑓 =?

Use manometer equation link 𝑝 − 𝑝

36 10 36 10
𝑝 − 𝑝 =𝜌 𝑔ℎ + 𝜌𝑔 10 + − −𝜌 𝑔
1000 1000 1000 1000

Substitute into energy equation to find velocity.

Mass flow rate 𝑚̇ = 𝜌𝐴𝑉

Year 3 Fluid Mechanics MA3006
Year 2019-2020 Special term

2. A centrifugal pump draws water from a well 3 m below its centreline through 7 m of 100 mm
diameter pipe. It delivers freely at 15 m above pump centreline through 30 m of 75 mm
diameter pipe. Both pipes are smooth. What are the pressures at the pump inlet and delivery
flange when the flow rate is 30 l/s ? (Ans : -43.6 kPa, 264 kPa)

Given volume flow rate, find velocities in inlet (V1) and outlet pipes (V2).
Find Reynolds numbers in inlet and outlet pipes. Pipes are smooth, use
Moody chart to determine friction factor in inlet and outlet pipes. Apply
Energy equation between points A and B:

𝑝 𝑉 𝑝 𝑉
+ +𝑧 = + +𝑧 +ℎ ( )
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

Information given :
𝑝 = 0 , 𝑝 = ? , 𝑉 = 0 (surface of reservoir), 𝑉 = 𝑉

𝑧 −𝑧 =3m ,ℎ ( ) = head loss due to friction = 𝑓

Substitute to find 𝑝 .

For the pressure at 𝑝 , apply energy equation between points C and D:

𝑝 𝑉 𝑝 𝑉
+ +𝑧 = + +𝑧 +ℎ ( )
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

Information given :
𝑝 = 0 (exit to atmosphere), 𝑝 = ? , 𝑉 = 𝑉 = 𝑉 , (constant pipe
diameter)

𝑧 − 𝑧 = 15 m , ℎ ( ) = head loss due to friction = 𝑓

Substitute to find 𝑝 .

Note: you can apply energy equation between any 2 points in the pipeline.
But if you apply energy equation between B and C (or A to C or B to D), it
is correct but you have too many unknowns and it is not useful!!
Year 3 Fluid Mechanics MA3006
Year 2019-2020 Special term

3. A pipe 900 m long and 200 mm diameter discharges water to the atmosphere at a point 10 m
below the level of entrance to the pipe. With a pressure at the upstream end of the pipe (pipe
entrance) of 40 kN/m2 above atmospheric, the steady discharge from the pipe is 49 l/s. At a
point half way along the pipe, a tapping is made from which water is to be drawn off at a rate
of 18 l/s. If conditions are such that the pipe is always flowing full, to what value must
pressure at the pipe entrance be raised so as to provide an unaltered discharge from the end of
the pipe? The friction factor of the pipe can be assumed to remain the same and minor losses
may be neglected. (Ans : 97.2 kN/m2)

Given volume flow rate, find velocity in pipe (V1) .

Apply Energy equation between upstream point A and B (at outlet):

𝑝 𝑉 𝑝 𝑉
+ +𝑧 = + +𝑧 +ℎ ( )
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

Information given :
𝑝 = 40 kPa , 𝑝 = 0 (exit to atmosphere) , 𝑉 = 𝑉 = 𝑉 (constant pipe
diameter) , 𝑧 − 𝑧 = 10 m ,
ℎ ( ) = head loss due to friction = 𝑓

Only unknown is the friction factor f, substitute to find f.

Second part : when there is leak at midpoint C. Assume friction factor is

the same as first part.
Note: flow rate from A to C is = 49+18= 67 l/s, but from C to B, flow rate
is 49 l/s. To find new pressure at point A, apply energy equation between
points A and B:

𝑝 𝑉 𝑝 𝑉
+ +𝑧 = + +𝑧 +ℎ ( ) +ℎ ( )
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

Information given :
𝑝 =?, 𝑝 = 0 (exit to atmosphere) , 𝑉 ≠ 𝑉

𝑧 − 𝑧 = 10 m , ℎ ( ) = head loss due to friction = 𝑓

ℎ ( ) = head loss due to friction = 𝑓

Substitute into energy equation to obtain new 𝑝

(Note : In fact, without any computation, you should be able to tell that the
new 𝑝 is higher than 40 kPa. Please try to figure this out)
Year 3 Fluid Mechanics MA3006
Year 2019-2020 Special term

4. Two reservoirs A and B have a difference in level of 9 m, and are connected by a pipeline 200
mm in diameter over the first part AC, which is 15 m long, and then 250 mm diameter for
CB, the remaining 45 m length. The entrance to and exit from the pipe are sharp edged and
change of section at C is sudden. The friction factor f = 0.01 for both pipes. Calculate the flow
rate in m3/s. (Ans : 0.263 m3/s)


A
9m
C

B
Let velocity in pipe AC be V1 and in pipe CB be V2 .
Apply Energy equation between free surface of upper reservoir (0) to free
surface of lower reservoir (3):

𝑝 𝑉 𝑝 𝑉
+ +𝑧 = + +𝑧 +ℎ ( )
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

Information given :
𝑝 = 𝑝 = 0 (free surface of reservoirs) , 𝑉 = 𝑉 = 0 (free surface of
reservoirs) , 𝑧 − 𝑧 = 9 m ,

𝑉 𝑙 𝑉 𝑉 𝑙 𝑉 𝑉
ℎ ( ) =𝐾 +𝑓 +𝐾 +𝑓 +𝐾
2𝑔 𝐷 2𝑔 2𝑔 𝐷 2𝑔 2𝑔

Entry, sudden expansion and exit loss coefficients can be obtained from
lecture notes.
In this equation, only unknowns are V1 and V2.
Can use continuity equation to relate V1 and V2.

𝜌𝐴 𝑉 = 𝜌𝐴 𝑉

Substitute into energy equation to obtain the velocities and hence the
volume flow rate.

NOTE : for sudden contraction or sudden expansion, the velocity used is

always the velocity in the smaller diameter pipe. (Please refer to lecture
notes).
Year 3 Fluid Mechanics MA3006
Year 2019-2020 Special term

5. The three tanks in Figure are connected by pipes as indicated. If minor losses are neglected,
determine the flow rate in each pipe. (0.0284, 0.0141, 0.0141 m3/s)

V1

HJ
V3
V2

Unknowns: 𝑄 , 𝑄 , 𝑄 (question is made easier because flow direction is

given). Three equations:
 Energy equation from A (60 m) to B (0 m)
 Energy equation from A (60 m) to C (20 m)
 Mass conservation
𝑄 =𝑄 +𝑄
𝑧 = 60, 𝑧 = 0, 𝑧 = 20

Energy equation from A to B

𝑝 𝑉 𝑝 𝑉
+ +𝑧 = + +𝑧 +ℎ ( )
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔
60 = 0 + +
60 = 𝐾 𝑄 + 𝐾 𝑄 (1)

Energy equation from A to C

𝑝 𝑉 𝑝 𝑉
+ +𝑧 = + +𝑧 +ℎ ( )
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔
60 = 20 + +
40 = 𝐾 𝑄 + 𝐾 𝑄 (2)

Mass Conservation (no need to assume flow direction)

𝑄 =𝑄 +𝑄 (3)

Solve equations (1), (2) and (3) to get 𝑄 , 𝑄 , 𝑄

(Note : 𝐾 , 𝐾 and 𝐾 are constants. Replace velocity by volume flow rate.)