Other Friction Losses

Valves and Fittings

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Goals

• Calculate frictional losses in a system

containing valves, fittings, and sudden
expansions and contractions

• Express frictional losses in terms of velocity

head

• Assess relative contributions of different

sources to total viscous dissipation

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Sudden Expansion

Frictional losses occur as result of turbulence generated

immediately downstream of the expansion

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Sudden Expansion
Assume
2
Va
h fe  K e
2

Ke is the expansion loss coefficient which we will

attempt to describe in terms of flow properties.

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Sudden Expansion
Mass Balance

 aVa S a   bVb Sb

Sa
Vb  Va
Sb

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Sudden Expansion
Momentum Balance
Assume turbulent: 12

m   bVb   aVa   pa Sb  pb Sb  Fw  Fg
0 0

Replaced Sa with Sb because

pa is at the point of expansion.

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Momentum Balance
Sb  pa  pb   m Vb  Va 


 p   m
 
 Vb  Va 
 Sb 
 Vb Vb  Va 


  Vb  VaVb
2

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester
 Mechanical Energy Balance
Assume turbulent: 12

1

Wˆ   bVb   aVa  gz 
2 2  pb
 p a   hf
2 
0 0
Va  Vb
2
pa  pb
2
hf  
2 
Va  Vb  p
2 2
 
2 

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Combining

Va  Vb
  
2 2
1
hf    Vb  VaVb
2

2 

Va  2VaVb  Vb
2 2

2


V a  Vb 
2

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Final Result
Sa
Recall Mass Balance Result: Vb  Va
Sb
2
 S a  Va2
h f  1  
 Sb  2
Notes:
• Velocity head is based on smaller cross section
• What if flow becomes laminar in large pipe?

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 For Tank Filling

 Sa 
1    1 for S b  S a
 Sb 

Sa Sb
Va
Va 2
hf   K e  1 .0
2

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Sudden Contractions

At sudden contractions, flow streamlines converge causing

the downstream developed flow to have an area smaller
than the downstream pipe diameter. This flow constriction
is called the vena contracta. Viscous dissipation occurs in
the vortices developed in this area.

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Sudden Contraction
Development of an expression for sudden contraction
proceeds in much the same way as that for sudden
expansion with the definition of a contraction coefficient.
2
Vb
h fc  K c
2
For laminar flow experimentally, Kc < 0.1 and hfc is
usually neglected
 Sb 
Turbulent (empirical): K c  0.41  
 Sa 
Note: Calculations again based on small cross section.

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Tank Emptying

 Sb 
1    1 for S a  S b
 Sa 

Sa Sb
 Vb2  Vb
h f  0.4    K c  0.4
 2 

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Velocity Heads

pa  pb  L V
2
 g  z a  zb    4 f  K c  K e  K f 
  D  2
The above expression shows that friction loss in a complicated flow system can be
expressed as a number of velocity heads. It is a measure of momentum loss
resulting from flow through the system. For instance in making a 90° turn all x-
momentum is turned into y-momentum.
KTee  1 K Globe  6

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Alternate Method
The previous equation can be manipulated to change the
Kf values into equivalent lengths of pipe (see attached
table) of diameter D. When this method is used the
equivalent lengths are add to the length of the actual pipe
sections and the equation becomes.
2
 Ltotal  V
h f  4 f 
 D  2
Note: The values in the table are L/D and must be
multiplied by D to get equivalent lengths.

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester
 Example
Water is pumped at 250 gpm from tank 1 to tank 2 as shown.
Calculate the required power input to the pump assuming a pump
efficiency of 70%.

e
Pe = 30 psig

d Tank 2
L2=10 ft
5” Sch. 40 Steel
∆Zab = -10 ft
Pa = 0 psig ∆Zbc = +0.5 ft
L2=90 ft ∆Zcd = +75 ft
a 4” Sch. 40 Steel ∆Zde = +15 ft

b c
Tank 1

gate valve (open)

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 gal  1 min   ft 3   1  ft
V5"  250          4.0
2 
min  60s   7.48gal   0.1390 ft  s

 5.047   ft  lb 
  ft   4.0  62.4 m3 
 12   s  ft 
N RE   1.56  105
lb
6.7197  10 4 m
ft s

0.00015 ft
k  0.00015 k/D  0.00036
 5.047 
  ft
 12 

f  0.0045

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 gal  1 min   ft 3   1  ft
V4"  250          6 . 3
min  60s   7.48 gal   0.0884 ft 2  s

 4.026   ft  lbm 
  ft   6 . 3 
 62 . 4 
3 
 12   s  ft 
N RE   1.96 105
lb
6.7197  10 4 m
ft s

0.00015 ft
k  0.00015 k/D  0.00045
 4.026 
  ft
 12 

f  0.0042

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Pe Pa  V 2 gz
  
 
 h f  Wp
  2gc gc

V 2 4 f L 
h f 5"    fittings  contraction
2gc  D 

2
 4.0 ft   
   4  0.0045  (10 ft )  ft lb f
s 
h f 5"     0  0.4  0.206
 32.2 ft lbm    5.047   lbm
2    ft
 lb s 2    12  
 f 

V2 4 f L 
h f 4"   D  fittings  exp ansion
2gc

2
 6.3 ft   
    ft lb f
 s  4  0.0042  (90 ft )
h f 4"     2  0.75  0.17  1.0  4.423
 32.2 ft lbm    4.026   lbm
2    ft
 lb s 2    12  
 f 

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 Pe gz
  h f  Wp
 gc

30 lb f  144 in 2 
 
in 2  ft 2  ft lb f
   10  0.5  75  15 ft  4.629  Wp
lbm lb
62.4 3 m
ft

ft lb f
154.4  Wp
lbm

 gal  min   8.33 lbm  lb

m  250       34.71 m
min  60s   gal  s

lbm  ft lb f 
34.71 154.4 
s  lbm   13.9 Hp
P
ft lb f
550 (0.70)
s Hp

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester

 10 Minute Problem
The Alaskan pipeline is 48 in. ID, 800 miles long and carries crude
oil at a rate of 1.2 million bbl/day (1 bbl = 42 gallons). Assuming
North Slope crude oil to be a Newtonian fluid with a viscosity of 25
cP and a specific gravity of 0.87, what total pumping horsepower is
required to operate the pipeline ? The oil enters and leaves the
pipeline at sea level and the line contains the equivalent of 150 – 90
degree elbows and 100 fully open gate valves.

Assume inlet and discharge pressures are equal to 1 atm.

CBE 150A – Transport Spring Semester