Equivalent Pipe Length Method - Calculating Pressure Loss in Piping Systems Page 1 of 3

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Length Method
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An efficient and simple way to calculate the pressure loss in a piping system is the "Equivalent Pipe
Home Length Method". PrinterFriendly
• Acoustics ToolBox ShortList
• Air Psychrometrics 1. Make a Diagram of the Piping System • Add this Page!
• Basics Make a diagram where the system is structured with nodes as shown below.
Link to this Page!
• Combustion
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• Mathematics In the very simply circulating system used in this example the first node (0) is the pump. The next
• Mechanics node is the tees (2) where the piping system splits up. The other nodes are the heating radiators.
• Miscellaneous In many systems the structure can be simplified as above since the piping in both directions are of
• Physiology same size. If a more fine grained approach is required, additional nodes can be added in both
• Piping Systems directions as shown below.
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2. Make a calculation table
ToolBox ShortList With the most simplified nodes structure above a calculation table can be made as shown below.
• Add this Page! Each section from node to node is calculated by supplying length, volume flow, pipe size, pressure
loss from diagrams or tables for the actual pipes and components in the sections and their individual
equivalent length substituting the the minor loss.
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Temperature
0 Free Industry
o
Resources
C
o
F
Convert !

Length
1
m
km
in

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/equivalent-pipe-length-method-d_804.html 12/05/2010
Equivalent Pipe Length Method - Calculating Pressure Loss in Piping Systems Page 2 of 3

ft Logistics Manager
yards
miles
nautical miles
Convert !

Volume
1
m3
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liters
in3
ft3
us gal
Convert !

Velocity
1
m/s Modern Plastics
km/h Worldwide
ft/min
ft/s
mph
knots
Convert !

Pressure
1
Advertise on this
Pa (N/m2)
site
bar
mm H2O
kg/cm2
psi An excel template with the table above can be downloaded here:
inches H2O
Convert ! • Equivalent Pipe Length Method - Excel Template

Flow Note! The flow and pressure units must be adjusted to the data available for your piping system.
1
3. Add Volume flow, Pipe Size and Pressure Loss for each Section
m3/s
m3/h Add actual pipe size and in each section. Use tabulated data or a diagrams.
US gpm The pressure loss may alternatively be calculated with the Hazen-Williams Equation or the Darcy-
cfm Weisbach Formula.
Convert !
• Pressure loss for many types of pipes can be found here.
Unit Converter
4. Add Equivalent Length of all Valves, Fittings and Straight Pipes
Scientific Add the equivalent length of all valves, components, fittings and straight pipes in the sections.

5. Summarize the Pressure Loss in each Section

Calculate and summarize the pressure loss in each section.

6. Summarize the Pressure Loss in all Paths

Calculator
Finally, add up the pressure loss in all sections that form unique paths. In the example above there
are two unique paths - one is section 0 - 2 - 3, the other is section 0 - 2 - 4. Add extra columns for
Free Industry additional paths in more complicated systems.
Resources The highest pressure loss determines the pump head.
Logistics Manager 7. Add Balancing Valves
Free Trial P&ID Software Water Pressure Problems? Fluid Control
Add valves
Built where it &is streamline
to improve necessary to balance Low
your the system. In the example
Water Flow? Challis above a balancing valve
Supply is
of penstocks, tilting weirs,
added in section 2-4.
P&IDs from start to finish. Try it! MainsBoost Low Cost /Energy flap valves and stop logs.
Note! The Equivalent Pipe Length Method can
www.Bentley.com/free-trial be adapted
Solution. Call to
Nowmost piping systems - like water supply
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systems, gravity heating systems and similar.
www.alchallis.com
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Related Topics

• Fluid Flow and Pressure Drop Pipe lines - fluid flow and pressure loss - water, sewer, steel pipes,
pvc pipes, copper tubes and more
Modern Plastics
• Heating Heating systems - capacity and design of boilers, pipelines, heat exchangers, expansion
Worldwide
systems and more
• Design Strategies Piping systems and design strategies - documentation, P&ID, flow diagrams -
capacities and limits

Related Documents

• Resistance and Equivalent Length of Fittings Equivalent length of fittings like bends, returns, tees
and valves in hot water heating systems - equivalent length in feet and meter
• D'Arcy-Weisbach Equation for Pressure and Head Loss The D'Arcy-Weisbach
formula can be used to calculate pressure or head loss due to friction in ducts, pipes and tubes
• Pipe Lengths Pipe is supplied and refered to as single random, double random and cut lengths
• Hazen-Williams Equation - calculating Friction Head Loss in Water Pipes Friction head loss (ft

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/equivalent-pipe-length-method-d_804.html 12/05/2010