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Experiment #7

Pipe Flow

Stephen Mirdo

Performed on November 4, 2010

Report due November 11, 2010


Table of Contents

Object ………………………………………..………………………….………….…. p. 1

Introduction …………………….……………………………………….………...pp. 1 - 2

Procedure ………………………………………………...………...…………………. p. 3

Results ……………………………………………………………..……...……………p. 4

Discussion and Conclusion …………………………………………………….………p. 5

Appendix ……………………………………………………..……...........………pp. 6 – 8
Object
The object of the experiment was to examine the pressure losses in turbulent pipe
flow due to frictional forces present at the boundaries of the pipe’s flow area.

Introduction
For turbulent pipe flow, there is no convenient derivation of a velocity
distribution that can be used to describe the pressure losses that occur over a given length
of conduit. The observable pressure drops that occur in turbulent pipe flow are due to
frictional forces due to pipe roughness (see Figure 1), the fluid’s viscosity, velocity and
the area of the flow. Employing experimental data and dimensional analysis, a friction
factor, f, can be determined. A fluid flow’s frictional factor is useful in understanding
how the flow behaves and can be used as a tool to aid in the design of hydraulic systems.

Figure 1: Diagram of turbulent velocity distribution and protuberances of a pipe wall


that contribute to the frictional forces experienced by the pipe flow.

In order to generate a dimensionless group to describe the frictional losses


experienced by a pipe flow, the Bernoulli energy equation is used generate an expression
that describes the pressure losses due to friction.

P1/ρ + V12/2 + gz1 - Ws + q = P2/ρ + V22/2 + gz2 + ghL (Equation 1)

where ρ is the density of the fluid, P1 is the pressure of the fluid upstream, V1 is the
upstream velocity of the flow z1 is the upstream height, Ws is shaft work done by the
flow, q is heat addition to the flow, P2 is the downstream pressure, V2 is the downstream
velocity, z2 is the downstream height of the flow and ghL is the head loss.

Assume the pipe flow is fully developed, therefore the velocity at states one and
two are equal and can be neglected. It will also be assumed that the heights of state one
and two are equal and negligible, that there is no shaft work being done by the flow and
that there is no heat addition to the flow. Therefore, Equation 1 can be simplified to
produce the following equation:

P1 - P2/ρ = ghL (Equation 2)

1
The head loss component of Equations 1 and 2 can also be represented as a pressure drop
Δh. Multiplying both sides of the equation by the fluid’s density, ρ, yields the hydrostatic
equation (Equation 3).
ΔP = ρgΔh (Equation 3)

Another equation used to represent pressure losses in pipe flow is the Darcy-
Weisbach equation. The equation is written as follows:

ΔP = f (L/D)(ρV2/2) (Equation 4)

where ΔP is the pressure difference over a segment of conduit, f is the friction factor of
the flow, L is the length over which the pressure drop is measured, D is the diameter of
the conduit, ρ is the fluid’s density and V is the average velocity of the flow. Setting the
hydrostatic equation equal to the Darcy-Weisbach equation yields the following
expression:
ρgΔh = f (L/D)(ρV2/2) (Equation 5)

Rearranging Equation 5 to solve for the dimensionless friction factor of the flow yields
the following equation:
f = [2gΔh] / [V2(L/D)] (Equation 6)

It is common to generate a log-log graph of the friction factor plotted against the
Reynolds number for a series of volume flow rates. This diagram is known as the Moody
diagram (Figure 2) and is useful to determine the characteristics of pipe flow. To
calculate the Reynolds number, employ the following equation:

Re = (VD)/ν (Equation 7)

where V is the average velocity of the pipe flow, D is the diameter of the conduit and ν is
the kinematic viscosity of the fluid.

Figure 2: Diagram of friction factors for pipe flow, also known as the Moody diagram.
(Source: The Moody Diagram, Glenn Brown, Oklahoma State University, 2000)

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Procedure
Equipment

Pipe Flow Test Rig

Experiment

1) Ensure that the sump tank is full and engage the pump(s) specific to the
pipe(s) that will be used for the experiment.
2) Open and close the appropriate valves on the apparatus (left and right side of
Figure 3) to obtain the desired flow path.
3) Use the valve closest to the pump(s) on the downstream side of the apparatus
to obtain a desired flow rate.
4) With the pump still running, record the pressure drop that occurs from the
manometer board and record the indicated flow rate from the flow meter.
5) Using the valve closest to the pump(s), increase the flow rate and again record
the pressure drops from the manometer board and the indicated flow rate from
the flow meter.
6) Repeat Step 5 until 9 separate pressure drops and flow rates have been
recorded.

Figure 3: Diagram of the pipe flow test rig, indicating the pump, flow meter and valve
locations.

3
Results

Table 1: Experimental data with lengths converted to feet, calculated friction factor and
calculated Reynolds number for each flow rate.
friction
Q (ft^3/s) Δh (ft) V (ft/s) Re
factor
0.00913 0.0417 1.8288 0.02201 14160
0.02317 0.2083 4.6389 0.01710 35918
0.03141 0.3958 6.2892 0.01768 48696
0.04033 0.6667 8.0734 0.01807 62510
0.04924 1.0417 9.8576 0.01893 76325
0.05748 1.3333 11.5080 0.01778 89103
0.06550 1.6667 13.1138 0.01712 101536
0.07575 2.1667 15.1656 0.01664 117423
0.08466 2.6354 16.9497 0.01620 131237

Reynolds Num ber (Re)


10000 100000 1000000
0.10000
Friction Factor (f)

0.01000

Figure 4: Moody diagram of friction factor, f, and Reynolds number, Re, calculated
from experimental data obtained from pipe flow test rig.

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Discussion & Conclusion
A comparison of the Moody diagram generated from the experimental data
(Figure 4) to the diagram shown in Figure 2 indicates that the data gathered in this
experiment is flawed. The curve in Figure 4 shows a momentary increase in the frictional
factor as the Reynolds number increases. The curve should be a decreasing exponential
function as seen in the Moody diagram of Figure 2.

A possible cause of the discrepancy between the generated Moody diagram and
Figure 4 would be a sudden expansion of the fluid in the testing apparatus. It was noted
during the experiment that the line that returns fluid back to the sump tank was exhibiting
vibration. This vibration was likely due to an interference with the flow, thereby
interrupting the fully developed flow. The assumptions used to derive the dimensionless
friction factor of Equation 6 rely on the flow being fully developed, turbulent and steady.
A sudden expansion in the line would cause the flow to be unsteady and would skew the
data.

Other sources of error were present in this experiment. One source of error was
due to the measurement of the head loss, Δh, from the manometer board. Due to
unsteady flow in the testing apparatus, the air over water manometer did not give a steady
reading. In order to compensate for this discrepancy, the lowest value the fluctuating
fluid took was the recorded value. Another source of error was due to the flow meter of
the testing apparatus. The indicated flow rates would fluctuate over a range of five to ten
GPM, preventing an accurate reading of the flow rate and therefore further skewing the
data.

5
Appendix
Data Usage

Sample calculation of the velocity of the fluid flow at a flow rate of 4.1 GPM:

[4.1 GPM * 0.002228 (ft 3/s)/GPM] / [(π/4) * (0.07975 ft)2] = 1.8288 ft/s

Sample calculation of the friction factor at a flow rate of 4.1 GPM:

[2 * 32.3 ft/s2 * 0.0417 ft] / [(1.8288 ft/s)2 * (2.9 ft / 0.07975 ft)] = 0.02201

Sample calculation of the Reynolds number at a flow rate of 4.1 GPM:

[1.8288 ft/s * 0.07975 ft] / 10.3 x 10-6 ft2/s = 14160

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Bibliography

Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, 3rd Edition


William S. Janna (1993)

A Manual for the Mechanics of Fluid Laboratory


William S. Janna (2008)

The History of the Darcy-Weisbach Equation


Glenn Brown, Oklahoma State University (2000)
http://biosystems.okstate.edu/darcy/DarcyWeisbach/

PVC and CPVC Pipes - Schedule 40 & 80


http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pvc-cpvc-pipes-dimensions-d_795.html

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