THE FOLLOWING CAN BE USED AS A GUIDE TO ESTIMATE PIPE FRICTION LOSSES AND MAXIMUM PRESSURES FOR PRESSURE FLOW

IN PLASTIC PIPE

FRICTION LOSS AND PRESSURE CALCULATOR

Input Notes
Flow 20 L/s
Internal Pipe dia 200 mm refer to Table 2 for metric pipe and Table 3 for rural pipe sizes for typical diameters ranges and pressure ratings
Pipe length 16000 m straight length not including fittings
Equivalent length of fittings 0.00 m use calculator attached to Table 1 below to estimate an equivalent straight pipe length for fittings.
Elevation head 0m difference in level between source water and discharge point
Output
Estimated friction loss 29.17 m to decrease losses use a larger diameter pipe
Flow velocity 0.64 m/s
Maximum pressure head 29.17 m represents the maximum pumping requirements (if applicable) and the maximum pipe pressure. Refer to Tables 4 to 6 for maximum allowable heads for different class pipes.

Some general notes to consider:

1 For a given flowrate, a LARGER diameter pipe will have a lower velocity and lower pipe friction loss.
2 For a given flowrate, a SMALLER diameter pipe will have a higher velocity and higher pipe friction loss.
3 Higher velocity in a larger diameter pipe produces less pipe friction loss when compared to the same velocity in a smaller pipe.
4 Higher pipe friction losses require larger pumps or can reduce flows at outlets. They can also result in higher power costs to run pumps.
5 Pipe velocities should not exceed 5 m/s, and preferably be less than 1.5 m/s
6 Refer to Tables 4 to 6 below for allowable pressures for different pipe categories, as well as pressure deratings at higher temperatures.

TABLE 1 Approximate Equivalent Lengths for Plastic Pipe Fittings CALCULATOR

INPUT OUTPUT
Fitting Equivalent Length No. of fittings Eq. Length
Running Tee 20D 0 0 m
Branch Tee 50D 0 0 m
90o elbow 30D 0 0 m
60o elbow 25D 0 0 m
45o elbow 18D 0 0 m
45o Wye 60D 0 0 m
Conventional globe valve (fully open) 350D 0 0 m
Conventional angle valve (fully open) 180D 0 0 m
Conventional wedge gate valve (fully open) 15D 0 0 m
Butterfly valve (fully open) 40D 0 0 m
Conventional swing check valve 100D 0 0 m
Total Eq Length 0.00 m
TABLE 2 METRIC PIPE INFORMATION

Nominal Size PN6.3 PN8 PN10 PN12.5 PN16 PN20

DN min wall mean min wall mean min wall mean min wall mean min wall mean min wall mean
thickness I.D. thickness I.D. thickness I.D. thickness I.D. thickness I.D. thickness I.D.
mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
16 1.6 13 1.6 13 1.6 13 1.6 13 1.8 12 2.2 11
20 1.6 17 1.6 17 1.6 17 1.9 16 2.3 15 2.8 14
25 1.6 22 1.6 22 1.9 21 2.3 20 2.8 19 3.5 18
32 1.6 29 1.9 28 2.4 27 2.9 26 3.6 24 4.4 23
40 1.9 36 2.4 35 3 34 3.7 32 4.5 31 5.5 38
50 2.4 45 3 44 3.7 42 4.6 40 5.6 38 6.9 35
63 3 57 3.8 55 4.7 53 5.8 51 7.1 48 8.6 45
75 3.6 67 4.5 66 5.5 63 6.8 61 8.4 58 10.3 53
90 4.3 81 5.4 78 6.6 76 8.2 73 10 69 12.3 65
110 5.3 99 6.6 96 8.1 93 10 89 12.3 84 15.1 78
source:
DWLBC, 2006

TABLE 3 RURAL PIPE INFORMATION

Nominal Size Mean ID Wall Thickness

DN mm mm
mm min. max. min. max.
12 12.2 13.1 1.4 1.7
19 18.8 19.3 1.4 1.7
25 25 25.5 1.5 1.8
32 31.4 31.9 1.9 2.2
40 37.9 38.3 2.2 2.5
50 50.6 51.1 3 3.3
source:
DWLBC, 2006

TABLE 4 PRESSURE TABLE 5 PRESSURE DERATING FOR PE80B PIPE TABLE 6 PRESSURE DERATING FOR PE-X100 PIPE
DERATING FOR RURAL PIPE

Temperature Allowable Temperature Allowable Head m Temperature Allowable Head m

Head

o
C m C
o
PN16 PN12.5 PN10 PN8 PN6.3 o
C PN16 PN12.5 PN10 PN8 PN6.3
20 63 20 163 127 102 81 64 20 163 127 102 81 64
25 55 30 153 120 96 76 60 30 143 112 88 71 56
30 50 40 132 103 82 66 52 40 128 100 80 64 51
35 45 50 112 88 70 56 44 50 117 92 73 59 46
40 40 60 102 80 64 51 40 60 100 78 62 50 39
45 35 70 86 67 54 43 34 70 92 71 57 46 35
source: DWLBC, 2006 source: DWLBC, 2006 80 82 64 52 41 32
minimum of 50 years expected for water up to 45oC 90 74 58 46 36 29
minimum of 28 years expected for water up to 50oC source: DWLBC, 2006
minimum of 9 years expected for water up to 60oC minimum of 50 years expected for water up to 70oC
minimum of 1 year expected for water up to 70oC minimum of 25 years expected for water up to 80oC
minimum of 10 years expected for water up to 90oC
 WORKED EXAMPLE

Gate valve
90o elbow Pump
2 x 90o
elbows

El 10 m

Choose a suitable pipe diameter and class to deliver water to a holding tank at 2 l/s.

Known variables
Elevation head = 50m - 10 m = 40 m
Pipe length (straight) = 500 m
no. of 90o elbows = 4
no. of 45o elbows = 2
no. gate valves = 1
flow required = 2 l/s

Finding pipe diameter and class

Try metric 25 mm pipe class PN6.3

Input Notes
Flow 2 L/s
Internal Pipe dia 22 mm Metric 25 mm dia PN6.3 refer to Table 2
Pipe length 500 m straight length not including fittings
Equivalent length of fittings 3.76 m from calculator attached to Table 1 with 4x90 elbows, 2x45 el
Elevation head 40 m difference in level between source water and discharge point
Output
Estimated friction loss 604.69 m Pipe friction losses are very high. To decrease losses use a l
Flow velocity 5.26 m/s warning beyond accuracy of formulas, select a larger diamet
Maximum pressure head 644.69 m Beyond pressure range of metric pipes. Refer to Table 5

Try metric 50 mm pipe class 6.3

Input Notes
Flow 2 L/s
 Internal Pipe dia 45 mm Metric 50 mm dia PN6.3 refer to Table 2
Pipe length 500 m straight length not including fittings
Equivalent length of fittings 7.70 m from calculator attached to chart 1 with 4x90 elbows, 2x45 el
Elevation head 40 m difference in level between source water and discharge point
Output
Estimated friction loss 18.68 m
Flow velocity 1.26 m/s flow velocity is within recommended limit of 1.5 m/s
Maximum pressure head 58.68 m Represents pumping head required. Max. pipe pressure for P

Solution
Metric 50 mm PN6.3 is suitable. Larger diameters can be used to reduce pumping head.
 El 50 m
90o elbow

2x 45o
elbows

ank at 2 l/s.

ble 1 with 4x90 elbows, 2x45 elbows and 1 gate valve

urce water and discharge point

gh. To decrease losses use a larger diameter pipe

ormulas, select a larger diameter pipe
ric pipes. Refer to Table 5
art 1 with 4x90 elbows, 2x45 elbows and 1 gate valve
urce water and discharge point

ended limit of 1.5 m/s

uired. Max. pipe pressure for PN6.3 at 20oC is 64 m (Table 5), thus chosen class is suitable.

pumping head.