VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

16. Pipe flow IV (6.5)

Smooth turbulent flow
Rough turbulent flow
Friction coefficient, Moodys diagram
Non-circular pipes
Exercises: D8

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

Nikuradses experiments

A major contribution on determining the friction factor as a function

of Reynolds number, Re, and pipe roughness
A series of experiments where friction factor and velocity distribution
were determined for various Reynolds numbers
In the experiments, pipes were artificially roughened by sticking
uniform sand grains to smooth pipes

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

a) L >> kS:
b) L kS:
c) L << kS:

f = f(y0), y0 = y0(L), L = L(Re) f = f(Re)

f = f(y0), y0 = y0(L, kS), f = f(Re, kS/D)
f = f(y0), y0 = y0(kS) f = f(kS)

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

Thickness of laminar sublayer

Laminar sublayer thickness, L (from measurements):

L =

4
v*

where = kinematic viscosity

Friction velocity, v*, can be determined from:

4 0 L
L V2
= f
hf =
gD
D 2g

0
f
v* =
=V

8
R = radius

= 0 r/R

r = distance from pipe wall

0 = shear stress at pipe wall

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

Example laminar sublayer

Water is flowing in a 100 mm pipe with an average velocity
of 1 m/s. Pipe friction factor is 0.02 and kinematic viscosity,
= 110-6 m2/s.

v* = V

f
= 0.05 m / s
8

4
= 0.08 m
L =
v*

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

FORMULAS USED TO DETERMINE THE

FRICTION FACTOR
Prandtls and von Karmans semi-empirical laws

For smooth pipes

Re f
1
= 2 log(
)
2.51
f

For rough pipes

1
3.7
= 2 log(
)
kS / D
f

Colebrook-White transition formula:

k
1
2.51
= 2 log( S +
)
3.7 D Re f
f

This formula is applicable to the whole turbulent region for

commercial pipes (iterative solution)

Eq. 6.16

Eq. 6.17

Eq. 6.18

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

Example turbulent pipe flow.

200 l/s of water is pumped through a straight 300
mm pipe. The pipe has a roughness value of
ks=0.3 mm and the water temperature is 20C.
Calculate the head loss for 1000 m of pipe and
required pump power assuming that the end
points of the pipe are at the same level.

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

D8 A horizontal rough pipe of 150 mm diameter

carries water at 20C. It is observed that the fall of
pressure along this pipe is 184 kPa per 100 m
when the flowrate is 60 l/s. What size of smooth
pipe would produce the same pressure drop for
the same flowrate?

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

NON-CIRCULAR PIPES THE HYDRAULIC RADIUS

Although the majority of pipes have circular cross-sections, there are
some cases where one has to consider flow in rectangular or other
types of non-circular pipes.
Head loss calculations for non-circular pipe sections are done using the
hydraulic radius concept
The hydraulic radius, Rh, is defined as the area, A, of the pipe section
divided by the wetted perimeter (circumference), P.
Rh = A/P

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

NON-CIRCULAR PIPES THE HYDRAULIC RADIUS

(cont.)
For a circular pipe: Rh = area/wet perimeter = (D2/4)/(D) = D/4; or D = 4Rh
This value for the diameter may be substituted into the Darcy-Weisbach
equation, Reynolds number, and relative roughness:

L V2
hf = f
,
4RH 2 g

Re =

V (4Rh )

ks
D

ks
4R

Using these equations, the head loss for non-circular cross-sections may be
determined, using an equivalent diameter for a non-circular pipe.
The hydraulic radius approach works well for turbulent flow, but not for laminar
flow.

VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

Example non-circular pipe.

Calculate the loss of head and the pressure drop when
air at an absolute pressure of 101.3 kPa flows through
600 m of a 450 mm by 300 mm smooth rectangular
horizontal duct (pipe) with a mean velocity of 3 m/s. air
= 1.225 kg/m3, dynamic viscocity air = 1.78910-5 Pas.