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FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
LAB REPORT
FLUID MECHANICS

Experiment 2: Pipe Friction


Date: XXXXX

NAME
XXXXX
XXXXX

ID
XXXXX
XXXXX

Objectives
1. To obtain the head loss in an internal pipe flow and verify it with Moody Chart.
2. To determine the loss coefficient of a particular pipe fitting.

Introduction
The flow of liquid through a pipe is resisted by viscous shear stresses within the liquid. The
resistance is usually known as pipe friction and as measured is feet or metres head of the
fluid, thus the team head loss is also used to express the resistance to flow.
Many factors affect the head loss in pipes which include the viscosity of the fluid being
handled, the size of the pipes, the roughness of the internal surface of the pipes, the changes
in elevations within the system and the length of travel of the fluid. The resistance through
various valves and fitting will also contribute to the overall head loss. In a well designed
system, the resistance through valves and fittings will be of minor significance to the overall
head loss.
Weisbach first proposed the equation widely known as the Darcy-Weisbach equation:
2

h f =f

where

hf

l V
D 2g

is head loss (m), f is friction factor, l is length of pipe work (m), D is inner

diameter of pipe work (m), V


gravity (m/ s

is velocity of fluid (m/s), and g is acceleration due to

).

The Reynolds number, Re of a flowing fluid is defined as:


=

VD
v

where V is flow velocity (m/s), D is pipe internal diameter (m) and v is kinematic viscosity of
2
water ( m /s ). For Reynolds number less than 2300, laminar flow will occur and the
resistance to flow will be independent of the pipe wall roughness. The friction factor, f for
laminar flow can be calculated from:
f=

64

Turbulent flow occurs when the Reynolds number exceeds 4000. Between the laminar and
turbulent flow conditions where Re varies from 2300 to 4000, the flow condition is known as
transition. The flow is neither wholly laminar nor wholly turbulent. The friction factor, f for
turbulent flow can be calculated from the Colebrook-White equation:

1
9.35
=1.142 log 10( +
)
D f
f

where , D

for Re > 4000

is the ratio of roughness to the diameter of pipe. The absolute roughness of

stainless steel pipe is 0.0015 mm.

Most pipe systems consist of more than straight pipes. These additional components such as
valves, bends, tees, and the like add to the overall head loss of the system. Such losses are
termed minor loss. The most common method used to determine these head losses or pressure
drops is to specify the loss coefficient, KL defined as:
hL . minor

KL =

where

hL

V
2g

is head loss (m) across the component fit to the pipe, V is flow velocity (m/s), g

2
is specific gravity (m/ s ).

In 1944 LF Moody plotted the data from the Colebrook equation and created a chart which is
known as The Moody Chart. It enables a user to plot the Reynolds number and the Relative
Roughness of the pipe and to establish a reasonably accurate value of the friction factor for
various flow conditions.

Apparatus

Layout of heat loss and pipe friction trainer

Table 1: Descriptions of components

Procedures
1.
2.
3.
4.

The valve position of the apparatus is set.


The manometer is connected to the pressure tapping socket.
The water pump is switch on to circulate the water flow through the pipe network.
The water flow rate is controlled by adjusting the flow control valve, and check the
required flow rate at the flow meter.
5. The water temperature is recorded.
6. The pressure drop for each different flow rate is recorded in Table 2 or Table 3 in
Section 4 accordingly. The flowrate is varied according to the suggested flowrate
shown in Table 2 for lead loss along the pipe and Table 3 for head loss for different
pipe fittings.
7. Steps (a) to (f) is carried out for pipe respective diameter (1)7.5mm, (2)10mm, and
(3)16mm followed by respectively, (4)sudden contraction, (5)sudden enlargement,
(6)ball valve, (7)short bend elbow and (8)long bend elbow.

Results:
MAJOR HEAD LOSS:
Kinematic viscosity, = 9.24791 x 10-7 m2/s

For diameter: 7.5mm


Relative roughness= 0.0002
Water Temperature =23.50C
Flow rate
Velocit
y
3
L/min
m/s
m /s

Head loss

Frictio
n factor

Reynolds
Number

mm H 2 O

Pressur
e losses
Pa

Moody
chart f

Error
%

6.667 x 105 1.509

196.67

0.0172

1.223x104

1929.33

0.028

62.79

8.333 x 10

1.886

316.67

0.0177

1.529x104

3106.53

0.027

52.54

1 x 104

2.264

465.00

0.0180

1.836x104

4473.36

0.026

44.44

Kinematic viscosity, =8.94326x10-7, m2/s

For diameter: 10mm


Relative roughness= 1.5x10-4
Water Temperature =25.40C
Flow rate
Velocit
y
L/min

m/s

m /s

Head loss

Frictio
n
factor

Reynolds
Number

mm H 2 O

Pressure Moody
losses
chart f
Pa

Error

6.667 x 10

0.849

45

0.0165

9.493x103

441.45

0.033

100

8.333 x 105 1.061

75

0.0177

1.186x104

735.75

0.030

69.49

1 x 10

108.33

0.0177

1.423x104

1.62.72

0.029

63.84

Head loss

Frictio
n factor

Pressur
e losses
Pa

Moody
chart f

Error

1.273

Water Temperature =270C


Flow rate
Velocit
y
3
L/min
m/s
m /s

Reynolds
Number

mm H 2 O

6.667 x 105 0.3316

0.0193

6.156x103

49.05

0.036

86.53

8.333 x 10

0.4144

10

0.0247

7.693x103

98.1

0.034

37.65

1 x 104

0.4974

10

0.0171

9.234x103

98.1

0.032

87.13

Kinematic viscosity, =8.6183 x10-7, m2/s

For diameter: 16mm


Relative roughness= 9.375x10-5

Friction factor ,f vs Renold number,Re in different diameter of pipe


0.03
0.03
0.02

Pipe of diameter 7.5mm


Pipe of diameter 10mm

Friction factor ,f

0.02

Pipe of diameter 16mm

0.01
0.01
0
0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

Renold number,Re(104 )

Graph of f(obtained from calculation) vs Re

Friction factor ,f vs Renold number,Re in different diameter of pipe


0.04
0.04
0.03
0.03
Pipe of diameter
7.5mm
Friction
factor
,f

0.02

Pipe of diameter 10mm

Pipe of diameter 16mm

0.02
0.01
0.01
0
0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

Renold number,Re(104 )
Graph of f(obtained from Moody Chart) vs Re

MINOR HEAD LOSS


Sample calculation for loss coefficient,
K L =h L x

KL

, for sudden contraction

2g
V2

0.035 x

2 ( 9.81 )
2
0.8489

0.9529
Sudden contraction (16mm-10mm), T=280C
Kinematic velocity: 8.4152x10-7 m2/s
Flow rate

Velocity

Head loss
Loss
Coefficient
hl

Reynolds No.

mm H 2 O

L/min

m /s

m/s

4
5

6.667x10-5
8.333x10-5

0.8489
1.061

35
58.33

0.9529
1.0166

10087.70
12608.14

1x10-4

1.2732

90

1.0893

15129.77

Sudden enlargement (10mm-16mm), T=28.90C


Kinematic velocity: 8.232x10-7 m2/s
Flow rate

Velocity

Head loss
Loss
Coefficient
hl

Reynolds No.

mm H 2 O

L/min

m3 /s

m/s

4
5

6.667x10-5
8.333x10-5

0.3316
0.4144

0
-0.33

0
-0.0377

6445.10
8054.42

1x10-4

0.4974

-3

-0.2379

9667.63

Flow rate

Velocity

Head loss
Loss
Coefficient
hl

Reynolds No.

mm H 2 O

L/min

m /s

m/s

4
5

6.667x10-5
8.333x10-5

0.8489
1.061

51.67
90

1.407
1.569

10337.19
12919.96

6
1x10-4
1.273
0
Ball valve: D=10mm, T=29 C
Kinematic velocity: 8.2121x10-7 m2/s

136.67

1.655

15501.52

Flow rate

Velocity

L/min

m3 /s

m/s

4
5

6.667x10-5
8.333x10-5

0.8489
1.061

6
1x10-4
1.273
0
Long bent: D=10mm, T=29.5 C
Kinematic velocity: 8.11055x10-7 m2/s

Head loss
Loss
Coefficient
hl

Reynolds No.

mm H 2 O
20
33.33

0.5445
0.5809

10466.61
13081.73

50

0.6054

15695.61

Head loss

Loss

Reynolds No.

Short bent: D=10mm, T=29.80C


Kinematic velocity: 8.04962x10-7 m2/s
Flow rate

Velocity

hl

Coefficient

mm H 2 O

L/min

m3 /s

m/s

4
5

6.667x10-5
8.333x10-5

0.8489
1.061

60
101.67

1.6336
1.7720

10545.84
13180.75

1x10-4

1.273

156.67

1.8968

15814.41

Discussion:
1. In order to obtain the most accurate data, the experiment was carried out 3 times for
each different pipe flow condition in each different flow rates (from 4 litres/min until
6 litres/min)
2. The water temperature will increase slowly therefore the temperature was checked
regularly so as to obtain an average reading to make sure temperature effects did not
affect the accuracy of the results obtained.
3. The Reynolds Number is always increasing with the increasing velocity,V of fluid, it
can be proofed by
=

VD
v

where v=

At the same time, the major head loss, hL,major increases with the flow rate, Q (m3/s)
increases. This is because the velocity of the water, V is directly proportional to the
flow rate, Q when the fluid flows through a constant diameter pipe. (since Q = AV)
4. Besides, by looking at the difference between the data collected from different
diameter pipe, it shows that the major head loss decreases as the pipe diameter
increases. The larger the diameter, the smaller the head loss. This phenomenon
l V2
h
=f
happens due to Darcy-Weisbach equation major
D 2g

which proves that major

head loss is inversely proportional to the diameter of the pipe used.


5. There are two method to obtain the friction factor, we could do these by using the
hf D 2 g
f
=
formula
lV 2

or refer to the Moody Chart but there is a difference

between them, thus we show a percentage error.


6. In the same pipe diameter condition, the friction factor obtained from experiment is
increasing as the Reynolds Number increases whereas the friction factor obtained
from Moody Chart is decreasing as the Reynolds Number increases.

7. Minor head loss for sudden contraction increases as the flow rate increases however
the minor head loss for sudden enlargement decreases slightly as the flow rate
increases. Theoretically both minor head loss for sudden contraction and sudden
enlargement of the pipe should be having an increasing data. The difference is sudden
contraction will have a larger increment in minor head loss compare to sudden
enlargement which is too small and can be ignore or said to be negligible.
Sudden contraction is where water entering from a larger diameter pipe to a smaller
diameter pipe. Thus the velocity of water will increase and pressure will drop. Thats
why the head loss will increase due to different flow rate.
Sudden enlargement is whereby smaller diameter pipe flow into a larger diameter
pipe. The small changes of minor head loss is due to the low kinetic energy of the
water could not overwork the potential gradient of the high pressure at the larger
diameter pipe which lead to mechanical loss. Thats why the changes in minor head
loss is not significant.
8. Based on the results for minor head loss, the short bent elbow condition have the
highest readings of head loss for each respective flow rates of water compared to the
other conditions When the fluid entering a pipe with a square edged entrance, 50% of

the energy will loss. Since short bend elbow has a =90 edge entrance, so it will

have larger head loss compare to a rounding entrance surface in long bend elbow.

Conclusion:
1. The velocity of the water is directly proportional to the flow rate when the fluid flows
through a constant diameter pipe.
2. Larger diameter of pipe will cause lower head loss.
3. Friction factor increases as the diameter of the pipe increases.
4. The minor head lost condition that brings the highest head loss reading is the short
bent elbow while the lowest readings of head loss readings is from the condition of
sudden enlargement.

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