Gas Pipeline Hydraulics

Flow rate of a gas in a pipe depends upon;

Gravity, Compressibility
viscosity etc.

Gas Properties
Pipe Diameter & Length
Initial and Final Temperature and Pressure of Gas
Pressure Drop
Due to Friction

 Energy of a gas moving through a pipeline

consists of;
Energy due to Velocity
Energy due to Position
Energy due to Pressure

EROSIONAL VELOCITY
umax = maximum or erosional velocity
= gas density at flowing temperature

Z = compressibility factor of gas, dimensionless

R = gas constant
T = gas temperature
G = gas gravity
P = gas pressure

Problem
A gas pipeline, NPS 20 with 0.500 in. wall
thickness, transports natural gas (specific gravity
= 0.6) at a flow rate of 250 MMSCFD at an inlet
temperature of 60F. Assuming isothermal flow,
calculate the velocity of gas at the inlet and outlet
of the pipe if the inlet pressure is 1000 psig and
the outlet pressure is 850 psig. The base pressure
and base temperature are 14.7 psia and 60F,
respectively. Assume compressibility factor Z =
1.00. What is the erosional velocity for this
pipeline based on the above data and a
compressibility factor Z = 0.90?

REYNOLDS NUMBER OF FLOW

Re = Reynolds number, dimensionless

u = average velocity of gas in pipe
D = inside diameter of pipe
= gas density
= gas viscosity

Pb = base pressure
Tb = base temperature
G = specific gravity of gas
Q = gas flow rate
D = pipe inside diameter
= viscosity of gas

FRICTION FACTOR
How difficult it is to move a certain quantity of
a gas through a pipeline.
1. Darcy Friction Factor
2. Fanning Friction Factor

velocity of the fluid

and the resistance due
to friction

Shear stress at wall

 Fanning and Darcy Friction factors are related

as;

For laminar flow;

 For Turbulent Flow, f is a function of;

1. Re number
2. Pipe inside diameter
3. Internal roughness of pipe

We may have turbulent flow in;

1.
2.
3.

Smooth Pipes
On Re Number
More on
Diameter and
Fully Rough Pipes
Roughness
Between Smooth and Rough Pipes
On all above
parameters

COLEBROOK-WHITE EQUATION

f = friction factor
D = pipe inside diameter
e = absolute pipe roughness
Re = Reynolds number of flow

Relative Roughness
e = absolute or internal
roughness of pipe
D = pipe inside diameter

 For smooth pipe flow;

For turbulent flow in fully rough pipes;

TRANSMISSION FACTOR
A direct measure of how much gas can be
transported through the pipeline.

Colebrook Equation in terms of the transmission

factor;

Problem
For a gas pipeline, flowing 100 MMSCFD gas of
specific gravity 0.6 and viscosity of 0.000008
lb/ft-s, calculate the friction factor and
transmission factor considering an NPS 20
pipeline, 0.500-in. wall thickness, and an internal
roughness of 600 microinches. Assume the base
temperature and base pressure are 60F and 14.7
psia, respectively. If the flow rate increases by
50%, what is the impact on the friction factor and
transmission factor?

MODIFIED COLEBROOK-WHITE
EQUATION
In terms of friction factor;

In terms of transmission factor;

AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION (AGA)

EQUATION
For the fully turbulent zone

For the partially turbulent zone

Pipe Drag Factor

Von Karman Smooth Pipe
Transmission Factor

WEYMOUTH EQUATION

Q = volume flow rate

E = pipeline efficiency
Pb = base pressure
Tb = base temperature
P1 = upstream pressure
P2 = downstream pressure
G = gas gravity
Tf = average gas flow temperature
Le = equivalent length of pipe segment
Z = gas compressibility factor
D = pipe inside diameter

PANHANDLE A EQUATION

Q = volume flow rate

E = pipeline efficiency
Pb = base pressure
Tb = base temperature
P1 = upstream pressure
P2 = downstream pressure
G = gas gravity
Tf = average gas flow temperature
Le = equivalent length of pipe segment
Z = gas compressibility factor
D = pipe inside diameter

PANHANDLE B EQUATION

Q = volume flow rate

E = pipeline efficiency
Pb = base pressure
Tb = base temperature
P1 = upstream pressure
P2 = downstream pressure
G = gas gravity
Tf = average gas flow temperature
Le = equivalent length of pipe segment
Z = gas compressibility factor
D = pipe inside diameter

INSTITUTE OF GAS TECHNOLOGY (IGT)

EQUATION

Q = volume flow rate

E = pipeline efficiency
Pb = base pressure
Tb = base temperature
P1 = upstream pressure
P2 = downstream pressure
G = gas gravity
Tf = average gas flow temperature
Le = equivalent length of pipe segment
Z = gas compressibility factor
D = pipe inside diameter
= gas viscosity

SPITZGLASS EQUATION
Low Pressure Equation;

High Pressure Equation;

MUELLER EQUATION

Q = volume flow rate

E = pipeline efficiency
Pb = base pressure
Tb = base temperature
P1 = upstream pressure
P2 = downstream pressure
G = gas gravity
Tf = average gas flow temperature
Le = equivalent length of pipe segment
D = pipe inside diameter
= gas viscosity

FRITZSCHE EQUATION