Water Pipe Sizing software
Water Pipe Sizing software
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Determine pipe size by velocity method is common. However, pipe sizing by head loss (friction) method is also commonly adopted to limit the friction loss for energy efficiency issue.
Built-in features:
pipe sizing by velocity or head loss method using Hazen-Williams or Darcy-Weisbach formula.
calculation in imperial or metric system via the selection of flow units (l/s, l/m, m3/s, m3/h, ft3/s, ft3/hr, gpm). You can set default start-up unit.
built-in pipe material and ID (inside diameter) selections for use with the Diameter option to calculate exact head loss for the given pipe diameter.
a separate module to calculate gravity-fed pipe flow with options to find flowrate or static head.
Built-in Pipe Material and ID Selections for use with Diameter Option
Sizing Example:
200 gpm of water flows in a copper pipe. The pipe head loss shall be limited to 3 ftH2O/100 ft. Determine the pipe size.
Solution:
(a) Pipe diameter = 4.0 inch
(b) Pipe velocity = 5.11 ft/s
(c) Actual Friction loss using Hazen-Williams equation:
2.3590 mH2O/100m
23.1344 kPa/100m
0.2313 bar/100m
2.3590 ftH2O/100ft
1.0225 psi/100ft
(d) Actual Friction loss using Darcy-Weisbach equation:
2.1129 mH2O/100m
20.7206 kPa/100m
0.2072 bar/100m
2.1129 ftH2O/100ft
0.9158 psi/100ft
Module to calculate Gravity-fed water flowrate or head or diameter
How to calculate the water flowrate in a gravity-fed pipe ?
You can determine the water flow rate under gravity-fed conditions with the use of this module. Given available static head, Darcy-Weisbach equation is used for the computations of water flowrate. Darcy friction factor f can be automatically determined by using the provided option.
Calculation options available: Find Flowrate or Static head or Pipe diameter.
Darcy equation: head loss due to friction
hL = head loss, m
f = Darcy friction factor
K = Fitting resistance coefficient
L = Pipe length, m
D = Pipe diameter, m
V = Velocity, m/s
g = Gravitational acceleration = 9.81 m/s2
Sizing Problem 1: gravity-fed pipe flowrate sizing
Known:
Static height, Hs = 10m
Pipe material = Stainless steel (roughness, e = 0.0015mm)
Total pipe length, L = 70m
Pipe diameter, D = 50mm
K (entrance) = 0.5, K (elbow 90o std) = 0.75, K (gate valve full open) = 0.17, K (exit) = 1
Total fitting resistance coefficient, ∑K = 3.17
Water density, ρ = 1000 kg/m3, Dynamic viscosity, μ = 1.306 cP
Results:
Flowrate, Q = 0.0051 m3/s (5.15 l/s)
Velocity, V = 2.62 m/s
Darcy friction factor, f = 0.0181
Sizing Problem 2: gravity-fed pipe diameter sizing
Water flow of 0.4 m3/s is to be conveyed from a water tank 50m above the treatment plant. The length of the pipeline is 5 km. Minor losses due to valves and pipe fittings can be accomodated by a loss coefficient K = 80. Estimate the required diameter.
Assumptions:
Pipe material = Ductile iron cement-lined
Water at 20 oC
Answer:
Pipe diameter, D = 0.486 m (486 mm)
Final Thought: Pipe sizing your way, the digital way.
Note:
(1) For Android OS: see aPipeSizer.
(2) For Gravity Flow drainage pipe sizing, see GravityFlow PipeSizer (Windows OS).