Fluid Flow Problems

and Equations

Sadananda Konchady
September 2015
 Solving Word Problems
• Analyze
– List knowns and unknowns.
– Draw a diagram.
– Devise a plan.
– Write the math equation to be used.
• Calculate
– If needed, rearrange the equation to solve for the
unknown.
– Substitute the knowns with units in the equation and
express the answer with units.
• Evaluate
– Is the answer reasonable?
IMPORTANT CONVERSIONS
Dynamic Viscosity:
1 cP = 0.01 gm/cm-s
= 0.001 N-s/m2
= 0.001 Pa-s
= 0.001 kg/m.s

Kinematic Viscosity:
(Dynamic Viscosity/Density)
1 Stoke = Poise/gm/cm3
= 100 cS
= 1e-4 m/s2
Pressure
1 atm = 1.033 kg/cm2
= 1.013 bar=10.33 mWC
= 14.696 psi
1 bar = 1.02 kg/cm2 = 14.51 psi
= 10.2 mWC
1 kg/cm2 = 14.23 psi
Reynolds Experiment 1883
 PIPE VELOCITY THUMBRULE
FOR WATER

METALLIC PIPES OF SIZE 3” AND GREATER

FOR CONTINUOUS SERVICE

VELOCITY (FT/S) < 4 + D/2

E.G. 3” ---- 5.5 FT/S

EG 16” ---- 12 FT/S (IN THE ABSENCE OF

OTHER CONSTRAINTS)

MAXIMUM --- BELOW 17 FT/S

BELOW 3” --- 5 FT/S VELOCITY

 TYPICAL LINE VELOCITIES

Sugar Engineers Library

http://www.sugartech.co.za/piping/fluidflow/
Hugot. Handbook of Canesugar Engineering
 STEAM / VAPOR LINE SIZING
BY VELOCITY
Determine volumetric flowrate from the required mass
flowrate and specific volume of steam
Typical line velocities (by Hugot) --
Saturated Steam -- 24 m/s to 37 m/s
Superheated Steam -- 40 m/s to 76 m/s
Exhaust steam -- 31 m/s to 46 m/s
Vacuum (Evap.) -- 46 m/s to 76 m/s
Bleed vapour -- 37 m/s to 49 m/s
Permissible Pressure Drop -- 0.1 bar / 100 m.,
minimum 0.7 bar for Flow Control Valve
TYPICAL VELOCITIES
TYPICAL SUGAR INDUSTRY
RANGE OF VELOCITIES M/S

Suction
Water 1 1.25
Juice 1 1.2
Syrup 0.5 1
Molasses 0.25 0.5
Massecuites 0.1 0.2
Delivery
1.25 2.5

Water
Juice 1.2 2
Syrup 0.75 1.25
Molasses 0.5 0.75
Massecuites 0.15 0.3
 NEWTONIAN FLUIDS
WATER / PETROCHEMICAL LIQUIDS
SLURRIES AT LOW CONCENTRATION
 REYNOLDS NUMBER

RATIO OF INERTIAL FORCE

TO VISCOUS FORCE
TRANSITION VELOCITY PROBLEM

FIND TRANSITION VELOCITY FOR NEWTONIAN

FLUID

INTERNAL DIAMETER: 300 mm

LIQUID PROPERTIES:

DENSITY: 900 kg/m3

VISCOSITY: 0.8 cP (0.008 kg/m.s)

USE REYNOLDS NO. OF 2100

 Friction Factor
Turbulent Flow Friction Factor (Re > 4000)
Colebrook-White Equation (Fanning friction
factor)
1 / sqrt(f) = - 4 log ((EPS
√
/ D)+1.255 / (Re*sqrt(f))
(Darcy-Wiesbach friction factor)
f = 1.14 – 2 log( EPS/D + 9.35/ (Re*SQRT(f)) )^2
Transition Regime ( 2100 < Re < 4000)
EPS = Roughness. D = Pipe internal diameter
Linear interpolation between Laminar and Turbulent
14 regime values
 Swamee Jain Equation (1976)

Turbulent Flow Friction Factor (Re > 4000)

Colebrook-White Equation (Fanning friction factor)
1 / sqrt(f) = - 4 log ( (EPS / D)+1.255 / (Re*sqrt(f) )
Solve by trial and error neglecting second term initially
Darcy Friction Factor = 4 * Fanning friction factor
 Fanning Friction Factor
Churchill Equations

Darcy Friction Factor = 4 * Fanning Friction Factor

EQUIVALENT LENGTH
 FLUID
FLOW
CALCULA
TION
EQUIVALENT LENGTH PROBLEM
COMPRESSED AIR PIPING

LENGTH – 500 FT
DIAMETER – 12 INCH
NO. OF 10 INCH GATE VALVES – 2
NO. OF STD.90 DEGREE ELBOWS --10

FIND EQUIVALENT LENGTH

(EQUIVALENT LENGTH DUE TO FITTINGS CAN BE

HIGHER IN PLANT PIPING)
 Fittings Loss

FITTINGS LOSS IN REDUCERS DUE TO AREA CHANGE

– ECCENTRIC / CONCENTRIC 20
Fittings Loss

21
RESISTANCE COEFFICIENT “K”
DEPENDS ON “D”
CV CONVERSION TO “K”

Cv = Flow in gpm of 60 deg F water at

pressure differential of 1 psi
(gpm/psi^0.5)
Pressure drop for other flow rates =
(gpm/Cv)^2
FLUID BEHAVIOUR
Dynamic Viscosity:
1 Poise = gm/cm-s
= 100 cP
= 0.1 N-s/m2

Kinematic Viscosity:
1 Stoke = Poise/gm/cm3
= 100 cS
= 1e-4 m/s2
 BINGHAM PLASTIC FLUIDS
CLAY SUSPENDED IN WATER
SEWAGE SLUDGE
COAL SLURRY
FLYASH SLURRY
PAINT SLURRY
 PSEUDOPLASTIC FLUIDS
LIMESTONE WATER MIXTURES
HYDROCARBON GREASE
 DILATANT FLUIDS
Quick Sand,
Starch suspension in water

Opposite to Pseudoplastic tendency:

Flow decreases with increase in shear rate
YIELD PSEUDOPLASTIC FLUIDS
 TIME DEPENDENT FLUID
VISCOSITY
THIXOTROPIC
(VISCOSITY REDUCING WITH TIME)

DRILLING MUD, PAINTS, INKS

BENTONITIC CLAY –

RHEOPECTIC FLUID
(VISCOSITY INCREASING WITH TIME)

GYPSUM SUSPENSION IN WATER

PSEUDOPLASTIC FLUID
PROBLEM
 HAZEN WILLIAMS EQUATION

FOR
WATER
HAZEN WILLIAMS EQUATION
UNWIN EQUATION FOR STEAM
PIPE SIZING
UNWIN EQUATION FOR STEAM
PIPE SIZING
FRITZCHE EQUATION FOR
STEAM PIPE SIZING
FRITZCHE EQUATION FOR
STEAM PIPE SIZING
DENSITY OF AIR
 STANDARD AIR (FREE AIR)
COMPRESSOR PROBLEM

FIND STANDARD CONDITIONS FOR FLOW OF 1000 ACFM

AIR AT 80 DEG F AND 100 PSIG
 ISOTHERMAL COMPRESSIBLE
FLOW

SECOND TERM NEGLIGIBLE FOR ENGINEERING CALCULATIONS

R = 53.3
ISOTHERMAL COMPRESSIBLE
FLOW PROBLEM
 HARRIS EQUATION
COMPRESSED AIR PRESSURE
DROP STANDARD CONDITIONS
 UNWIN EQUATION FOR
COMPRESSED AIR FLOW
 WEYMOUTH EQUATION
HIGH PRESSURE GAS FLOW
 COMPRESSED AIR PROBLEM
PIPELINE LENGTH: 20000 FT
AIR FLOW: 4000 SCFM
INITIAL PRESSURE: 150 PSIA
FLOW TEMPERATURE: 60 DEG F
PRESSURE DROP LIMIT: 50 PSI

FIND APPROX. PIPE DIAMETER WITH HARRIS, UNWIN,

AND WEYMOUTH FORMULAS.
 HEDSTROM NUMBER
FOR BINGHAM FLUIDS
 BINGHAM FLUIDS
FANNING FRICTION FACTOR
 BINGHAM FLUIDS
EFFECTIVE VISCOSITY
(first term negligible)
 BINGHAM FLUIDS
DARCY FRICTION FACTOR
FOR LAMINAR FLOW ONLY
PSEUDOPLASTIC FLUIDS
LAMINAR FLOW
 PSEUDOPLASTIC FLUIDS
TURBULENT FLOW

DODGE METZNER EQUATION

 PSEUDOPLASTIC FLUIDS
FANNING FRICTION FACTOR
PSEUDOPLASTIC FLUIDS
PROBLEM
SLURRIES
 SLURRIES –
EINSTEIN EQUATION

VALID ONLY FOR LAMINAR FLOW WITH SPHERICAL

PARTICLES
AND BELOW 1% VOLUME CONCENTRATION
HIGH CONCENTRATION
SLURRIES –
D G THOMAS
 HIGH CONCENTRATION
SLURRY VISCOSITY
PROBLEM
VOLUME CONCENTRATION = 15%
LIQUID VISCOSITY = 3 cP

FIND MIXTURE VISCOSITY IF LIQUID IS WATER AND

FLOW IS LAMINAR
HIGH CONCENTRATION SLURRY
BRINE CONCENTRATION
PROBLEM
 ASME B31 PRESSURE PIPING
CODES
1. POWER PIPING

3. PROCESS PIPING

4. PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION FOR LIQUID

HYDROCARBONS, AND OTHER LIQUIDS

5. REFRIGERATION PIPING

8. GAS TRANSPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION

PIPING SYSTEMS

9. BUILDING SERVICES PIPING

11. SLURRY TRANSPORTATION PIPING

58 SYSTEMS
ASME B31.3

59
 Fittings Loss Factors
References
For most pipe fittings, and Area changes,
Entrance/Exit loss
Crane Co., Flow of Fluids Through Valves,
Fittings, and Pipe, Technical Paper No.
410, Crane Co., Joliet, IL, 1988.
Option for Valves, Check Valves, and
Orifices
Idelchik, I. E., Handbook of Hydraulic
Resistance, 3rd edition, CRC Press,
60 Boca
Recommended
Reference

61
THANK YOU