Hazen-Williams Formula

In the absence of solid scientific data, engineers in the past have experimented with and used
empirical equations for determination of friction losses in pipe flow. Many of these equations
were developed over the early years but most have fallen into disuse. Due to the difficulty in
using the DArcy-Weisback equation for pipe flow one singular example still endures, which is
the Hazen-Williams formula. Hazen-Williams is simpler to use than DArcy-Weisbach where
you are solving for flowrate, pressure drop or velocity dependent on the flow.
The DArcy-Weisbach formula is generally considered more accurate and is valid for any liquid
or gas. The Hazen-Williams method is very popular, especially among civil engineers, because
of its ease of use and its friction coefficient C is not a function of velocity or pipe diameter.
Its validity depends on the successful selection of the constant friction loss coefficient C,
which is a function of pipe material, pipe linings and pipe age to indicate the roughness of a
pipe interior. The higher the C factor, the smoother the pipe. Typical values of the roughness
coefficient C is given in the table following this definition.
The Hazen-Williams equation has narrow applicable ranges for Reynolds numbers and pipe
sizes. The equation is generally valid for pipe sizes 3 in. (75 mm) and larger, for water flowing at
temperatures of between 40 to 75F (21 to 24C) and pressures up to 175 psi (1.2 MPa). The
level of error when the Hazen-Williams equation is used outside its data ranges is significant.
In this case, the DArcy-Weisbach formula must be used. The Hazen-Williams equation is commonly used for pressure drop calculations in American fire sprinkler systems, water distribution
systems, and irrigation systems where conditions are mostly constant.

Hazen-Williams Formula
Solving for psi pressure drop per 100 feet of pipe
Q1.85
Pd = 4.52
C1.85 d4.87
Solving for total psi pressure drop in system
1.85
1.85
Q1.8655
Td=0.002082 L 100
C
d
Solving for velocity
V=1.318 C R0.63 S0.54
Solving for flow rate
Q=0.849 C A R0.63 S0.54
Solving for friction head loss per 100 feet of type, SI units.
6.05 Q1.85
f=
C1.85 d 4.87

where
Q = quantity rate of flow, gpm (Lpm)
C = roughness coefficient, dimensionless
d = inside pipe diameter, in. (mm)
f = friction head loss in ft. hd./100 ft. of pipe (m per 100m)
Pd =pressure drop, psi/100 feet of pipe
R = hydraulic radius, feet (m)
V = Velocity, feet per second
A = cross section area, in (mm)
Td = Total drop in system, psi
L = Total length of pipe run, ft.

Plumbing Engineering and Design Handbook of Tables

73

Sizing and Capacity (Natural Gas)

Gas): U.S./English

Maximum Capacity in Cubic Feet of Gas Per Hour (Natural Gas)

Material: Steel, ASTM A53 Schedule 40

Nominal
Actual OD
WT
Actual ID
Feet

1
0

10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
125
150
175
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950
1,000
1,100
1,200
1,300
1,400
1,500
1,600
1,700
1,800
1,900
2,000

1032

Inlet Pressure = 5.0 psi

Pressure Drop = 3.5 psi Specic Gravity 0.60 Temperature 70F
Pipe Size (inch)

1
1
1
2
0.840
1.050
1.315
1.660
1.900
2.375
0.109
0.113
0.133
0.140
0.145
0.154
0.622
0.824
1.049
1.380
1.610
2.067
Cubic Feet of Gas per Hour
3276
2251
1808
1547
1371
1243
1143
1064
998
943
835
757
696
648
574
520
479
445
418
395
375
358
342
329
317
306
296
287
279
271
258
246
235
226
218
210
204
197
192
186

6850
4708
3781
3236
2868
2598
2390
2224
2087
1971
1747
1583
1456
1355
1201
1088
1001
931
874
825
784
748
716
688
663
640
619
600
583
567
539
514
492
473
455
440
426
413
401
390

12903
8868
7121
6095
5402
4895
4503
4189
3930
3713
3291
2981
2743
2552
2262
2049
1885
1754
1646
1554
1476
1408
1349
1296
1248
1205
1166
1131
1098
1068
1015
968
927
891
858
828
802
777
755
734

26491
18207
14621
12514
11091
10049
9245
8601
8070
7623
6756
6121
5631
5239
4643
4207
3870
3601
3378
3191
3031
2891
2769
2660
2563
2475
2395
2322
2255
2193
2083
1987
1903
1828
1761
1701
1646
1596
1550
1507

39692
27280
21907
18749
16617
15056
13852
12886
12091
11421
10122
9171
8438
7850
6957
6303
5799
5395
5062
4781
4541
4332
4149
3986
3840
3708
3588
3479
3379
3286
3121
2978
2851
2739
2639
2548
2466
2391
2322
2259

76443
52539
42190
36110
32003
28997
26677
24818
23286
21996
19494
17663
16250
15117
13398
12140
11169
10390
9749
9209
8746
8344
7990
7676
7395
7141
6911
6700
6507
6329
6011
5735
5492
5276
5082
4908
4750
4605
4472
4350

2
2.875
0.203
2.469
121838
83738
67245
57553
51008
46217
42519
39556
37114
35058
31071
28152
25900
24095
21355
19349
17801
16560
15538
14677
13939
13298
12735
12234
11786
11382
11015
10679
10371
10087
9580
9140
8753
8409
8101
7823
7570
7340
7128
6933

American Society of Plumbing Engineers

Steel. ASTM A53 Schedule 40

Maximum Capacity in Cubic Feet of Gas Per Hour (Natural Gas)

Material: Steel, ASTM A53 Schedule 40 (Continued)

Nominal
Actual OD
WT
Actual ID
Feet

10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
125
150
175
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950
1,000
1,100
1,200
1,300
1,400
1,500
1,600
1,700
1,800
1,900
2,000

Inlet Pressure = 5.0 psi

Pressure Drop = 3.5 psi Specic Gravity 0.60 Temperature 70F
Pipe Size (inch)
3
4
5
6
8
10
3.500
4.500
5.563
6.625
8.625
10.750
0.216
0.237
0.258
0.280
0.322
0.365
3.068
4.026
5.047
6.065
7.981
10.020
Cubic Feet of Gas per Hour
215387
148035
118877
101743
90173
81703
75166
69928
65611
61976
54928
49769
45786
42595
37752
34206
31469
29276
27468
25946
24642
23509
22513
21628
20836
20121
19472
18879
18335
17833
16937
16158
15473
14865
14320
13829
13383
12975
12601
12256

439322
301943
242471
207524
183925
166649
153315
142630
133825
126410
112035
101512
93390
86881
77001
69769
64186
59713
56027
52922
50263
47952
45919
44115
42499
41040
39716
38507
37397
36373
34545
32957
31560
30320
29209
28207
27297
26466
25703
24999

794795
546258
438665
375440
332746
301492
277368
258038
242108
228694
202687
183649
168955
157180
139306
126221
116122
108029
101360
95744
90932
86751
83075
79810
76886
74248
71852
69664
67656
65804
62497
59624
57097
54853
52843
51030
49384
47880
46500
45227

1286957
884518
710299
607924
538792
488185
449124
417823
392030
370309
328198
297371
273577
254511
225568
204381
188028
174924
164125
155032
147241
140470
134517
129231
124496
120224
116345
112803
109551
106553
101198
96544
92453
88820
85565
82629
79963
77529
75294
73233

Plumbing Engineering and Design Handbook of Tables

2644205
1817347
1459394
1249052
1107012
1003033
922778
858467
805471
760843
674321
610984
562097
522923
463457
419926
386326
359402
337215
318531
302523
288613
276381
265520
255792
247015
239045
231766
225085
218925
207923
198362
189955
182490
175804
169772
164294
159292
154700
150466

4802582
3300787
2650649
2268613
2010629
1821776
1676011
1559205
1462950
1381894
1224747
1109710
1020919
949768
841762
762697
701672
652770
612473
578538
549463
524198
501983
482255
464587
448645
434169
420949
408815
397626
377643
360278
345010
331451
319308
308351
298402
289316
280976
273286

12
12.750
0.375
12.000
7707103
5297048
4253717
3640631
3226624
2923555
2689634
2502185
2347718
2217641
1965454
1780844
1638353
1524172
1350845
1223964
1126031
1047555
982886
928428
881769
841223
805573
773915
745561
719978
696748
675532
656059
638104
606035
578168
553666
531907
512420
494837
478871
464289
450905
438565

1033

1
0

Hazen-Williams Equation: PEX Tubing, ASTM F877

Flow Rate, Velocity, and Friction Loss (Water)

Material: PEX Tubing, ASTM F877

Coefficient of Friction, C=150

OD=Outside Diameter (in.) ID=Inside Diameter (in.) WT=Wall Thickness (in.)

" PEX

OD=0.625 ID=0.485 WT=0.070

Flow
Rate
(gpm)

Velocity
(ft/sec)

Pressure
Loss
(psi/100')

1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
10.00
11.00
12.00
13.00
14.00
15.00
16.00

1.74
3.47
5.21
6.95
8.68
10.42
12.16
13.89
15.63
17.37
19.10
20.84
22.58
24.31
26.05
27.79

1.4448
5.2085
11.0276
18.7767
28.3728
39.7546
52.8736
67.6899
84.1697
102.2839
122.0067
143.3153
166.1891
190.6094
216.5590
244.0222

Plumbing Engineering and Design Handbook of Tables

" PEX

OD=0.875 ID=0.681 WT=0.097

Flow
Rate
(gpm)

1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
10.00
11.00
12.00
13.00
14.00
15.00
16.00
17.00
18.00
19.00
20.00
21.00
22.00
23.00
24.00
25.00
26.00
27.00
28.00
29.00
30.00
31.00
32.00
33.00

Velocity
(ft/sec)

Pressure
Loss
(psi/100')

0.88
1.76
2.64
3.52
4.40
5.29
6.17
7.05
7.93
8.81
9.69
10.57
11.45
12.33
13.21
14.09
14.97
15.86
16.74
17.62
18.50
19.38
20.26
21.14
22.02
22.90
23.78
24.66
25.54
26.43
27.31
28.19
29.07

0.2767
0.9974
2.1116
3.5955
5.4330
7.6124
10.1245
12.9616
16.1173
19.5859
23.3625
27.4428
31.8228
36.4989
41.4679
46.7267
52.2725
58.1028
64.2151
70.6071
77.2768
84.2219
91.4407
98.9314
106.6921
114.7212
123.0173
131.5787
140.4040
149.4918
158.8409
168.4499
178.3175

255