LESSON 2:

FLOW IN PIPES
Engr. Earl Jan L. Santos
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected
to:
• Demonstrate the ability to apply principles of fluid
mechanics to analyze and solve problems related
to pressure, velocity, and flow rate in building
piping systems.
Fluid Flow in Pipes

Principle Formula Application

I. Flow Rates

Principle:
Formula: Application:
Conservation Flow rates
Q=A●V
of Mass
Conservation of Mass
Principle:
Formula:
Conservation of Problem Solving
Q=A●V
Mass

• Foundational principle of fluid mechanics

• Applied in closed system, meaning a system with
no mass entering or leaving
• The total mass within the closed system remains
constant over time
• Mass cannot be created or destroyed within the
system; it can only change forms or be transferred
• Expressed by Continuity Equation: =
Source: https://www.endocool.com/guide-to-chilled-water-systems-and-improving-efficiency/
Source: https://www.hvacinvestigators.com/webinars/the-basics-of-chillers-how-they-work-where-theyre-used-and-common-problems/
Formula: Q = A●V
Principle:
Formula:
Conservation of Problem Solving
Q=A●V
Mass

• Q – Flow rate
• A – cross-sectional area
• V – fluid velocity

*The flow rate is equal to the product of the

cross-sectional area and the velocity of the fluid.
 Formula: Q = A●V
Principle:
Formula:
Conservation of Problem Solving
Q=A●V
Mass

Q A V
(Flow Rate) (Cross-sectional Area) (Fluid Velocity)

Metric Units /s, L/s, /h, L/min , m/s, cm/s

English /s, GPM, CFM,

, ft/s, in/s
Units GPH
Derivation:
Principle:
Formula:
Conservation of Problem Solving
Q=A●V
Mass

• From the continuity equation = which can be expressed

as:
● ● =● ●
• Assuming the fluid is incompressible (density is constant),
we can simplify the equation to:
● = ●
• The volumetric flow rate (Q) is defined as the product of
the cross-sectional area and the velocity
● = Q = ● = constant
Problems:
Principle:
Formula:
Conservation of Problem Solving
Q=A●V
Mass

1. Water flows through a pipe with a diameter of 0.5 m at

a velocity of 1 m/s. Calculate the flow rate.
2. An oil pipeline with a diameter of 10 in has a flow rate
of 200 gallons per minute (GPM). Determine the fluid
velocity in m/s.
3. A chemical plant uses a pipe with a diameter of 18 cm
to transport a corrosive liquid. If the flow rate is 25 L/s,
calculate the fluid velocity in km/h.
II. Head Loss

Formula:
Principle: Bernoulli’s Application:
Conservation of Equation &
Head Loss
Energy Darcy-Weisbach
Equation
 Formula:
Principle:

Conservation of Energy
Bernoulli’s Equation Application:
Conservation of
& Darcy-Weisbach Head Loss
Energy
Equation

• States that the total energy of a fluid particle remains

constant when subjected to conservative forces only (no
energy is lost or gained).
• Key Aspects:
• Potential Energy (Elevation)
• Kinetic Energy (Velocity)
• Pressure Energy
• Mathematically Expressed through Bernoulli’s Equation,
which combines these energy components
Bernoulli’s Equation
Formula:
Principle: Bernoulli’s Equation & Application:
Conservation of Energy Darcy-Weisbach Head Loss
Equation

• Assumptions:
• Steady, incompressible flow
• No viscous effects or friction
• No work is done by external force
• =
• Components:
• Potential Energy: PE = mgh
• Kinetic Energy: KE= ½ m
• Pressure Energy: PE = P●V
Bernoulli’s Equation
Formula:
Principle: Bernoulli’s Equation & Application:
Conservation of Energy Darcy-Weisbach Head Loss
Equation

• Combining the components:

=
P+K+P=P+K+P
mg + ½m = mg + ½m
• Simplifying using mass continuity:
g+½=g+½
g+½=g+½
Bernoulli’s Equation
Formula:
Principle: Bernoulli’s Equation & Application:
Conservation of Energy Darcy-Weisbach Head Loss
Equation

g+½=g+½
• Divide by g:
+ = + = constant
• Multiplying all sides by g:
g+ ½ + = g+ ½ +
• Bernoulli’s Equation:
h + + = constant = h + ½ + P
Bernoulli’s Equation
Formula:
Principle: Bernoulli’s Equation & Application:
Conservation of Energy Darcy-Weisbach Head Loss
Equation

Total Head = h + +

Elevation head

Velocity head

Pressure head
Head Loss
Formula:
Principle: Bernoulli’s Equation & Application:
Conservation of Energy Darcy-Weisbach Head Loss
Equation

• Reduction in the total head of a fluid as it flows

through a pipe.
• Primarily a result of energy dissipation due to
factors like:
• Friction Loss: frictional resistance against the
walls of pipes
• Sudden changes in flow direction (bends,
elbows, and fittings can lead to turbulence)
• Obstructions (valves)
• Contraction and Expansion (changes in cross-
sectional area)
Darcy-Weisbach Equation Principle:
Conservation of Energy
Formula:
Bernoulli’s Equation &
Darcy-Weisbach
Equation
Application:
Head Loss

• Used to calculate the head loss () due to

friction in a pipe
• Used for analyzing the pressure drop or
energy loss in pipes caused by fluid flow
=f
• - head loss due to friction
• f - Darcy-Weisbach friction factor
• L - length of pipe
• - fluid velocity
• g - acceleration due to gravity
• D - diameter of the pipe
Darcy-Weisbach Equation Principle:
Conservation of Energy
Formula:
Bernoulli’s Equation &
Darcy-Weisbach
Equation
Application:
Head Loss

• Relates the head loss in a pipe to the

friction factor, pipe length, fluid velocity,
gravity, and pipe diameter.
Friction Factor Principle:
Conservation of Energy
Formula:
Bernoulli’s Equation &
Darcy-Weisbach
Equation
Application:
Head Loss

• A dimensionless quantity used in fluid

mechanics to characterize the amount of
friction or resistance encountered by a
fluid as it flows through a pipe or conduit.

• A key parameter in equations such as the

Darcy-Weisbach equation, which is used
to calculate head loss due to friction in a
fluid system.
Darcy-Weisbach Equation Principle:
Conservation of Energy
Formula:
Bernoulli’s Equation &
Darcy-Weisbach
Equation
Application:
Head Loss

1. You are designing a water supply system,

and water is flowing through a pipe with a
length of 200 meters. The diameter of the
pipe is 0.1 meters. The average flow velocity
is 2 m/s. The Darcy-Weisbach friction factor
(f) for the pipe is given as 0.02. Determine
the head loss due to friction.
Darcy Friction Factor Principle:
Conservation of Energy
Formula:
Bernoulli’s Equation &
Darcy-Weisbach
Equation
Application:
Head Loss

• In laminar flow, f is equal to 64/Re, where

Re is the Reynolds number.
f =
• In turbulent flow, Moody’s Diagram is
used to determine the Darcy friction factor
considering the Reynolds number (Re)
and relative roughness (k).
Darcy-Weisbach Equation Principle:
Conservation of Energy
Formula:
Bernoulli’s Equation &
Darcy-Weisbach
Equation
Application:
Head Loss

2. Water is flowing through a pipe with a

diameter of 0.04 meters. The length of the
pipe is 100 meters. The average flow velocity
is 0.5 m/s. The Reynolds number (Re) for the
flow is 1500. Determine the head loss due to
friction using the Darcy-Weisbach equation.
III. Fluid Flow Behavior

Formula:
Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re)
Friction Factor
Behavior Tool: Moody’s
Chart
 Formula:

Fluid Flow Behavior

Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re)
Friction Factor
Behavior Tool: Moody’s
Chart

• Describes how a fluid moves

• Types of Fluid Flow:
• Laminar Flow
• Smooth and orderly
• Fluid particles move in parallel layers with minimal
mixing
• Common in low-velocity, viscous flows
 Formula:

Fluid Flow Behavior

Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re)
Friction Factor
Behavior Tool: Moody’s
Chart

• Types of Fluid Flow:

• Turbulent Flow
• Chaotic and irregular
• Fluid particle mix rigorously causing eddies and
swirls
• Common in high-velocity flows
 Formula:

Reynolds Number (Re)

Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re)
Friction Factor
Behavior Tool: Moody’s
Chart

• A dimensionless quantity used in fluid mechanics to

characterize the flow of a fluid.
• The Reynolds number helps determine the flow regime of
a fluid and is crucial in predicting the transition between
laminar and turbulent flow.
• The Reynolds number is defined as the ratio of inertial
forces to viscous forces within a fluid flow.
 Formula:

Reynolds Number (Re)

Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re)
Friction Factor
Behavior Tool: Moody’s
Chart

Where:
= mean velocity in m/s
D = pipe diameter in meter
v = kinematic viscosity in /s
= absolute or dynamic viscosity in Pa-s
 Formula:

Reynolds Number (Re)

Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re)
Friction Factor
Behavior Tool: Moody’s
Chart

= absolute or dynamic viscosity

• represents the internal resistance of a fluid to shear or flow.
• The higher the dynamic viscosity, the more resistant the fluid is to
deformation.

v = kinematic viscosity
• It represents the fluid's resistance to flow under the influence of gravity.
• the ratio of dynamic viscosity (μ) to the density (ρ) of the fluid.
•
 Formula:

Reynolds Number (Re)

Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re)
Friction Factor
Behavior Tool: Moody’s
Chart

The significance of the Reynolds number lies in the fact that it

helps predict the type of flow a fluid is likely to exhibit:

Laminar Flow (Re < 2000): At low Reynolds numbers,

viscous forces dominate, and the flow tends to be smooth and
orderly. The fluid moves in distinct layers without much
mixing. This type of flow is known as laminar flow.
 Formula:

Reynolds Number (Re)

Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re)
Friction Factor
Behavior Tool: Moody’s
Chart

The significance of the Reynolds number lies in the fact that it

helps predict the type of flow a fluid is likely to exhibit:

Transitional Flow (2000 < Re < 4000): In this range, the

flow is in transition between laminar and turbulent. The
behavior can be somewhat unpredictable, and the flow may
exhibit characteristics of both laminar and turbulent flow.
 Formula:

Reynolds Number (Re)

Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re)
Friction Factor
Behavior Tool: Moody’s
Chart

The significance of the Reynolds number lies in the fact that it

helps predict the type of flow a fluid is likely to exhibit:

Turbulent Flow (Re > 4000): At high Reynolds numbers,

inertial forces dominate, and the flow becomes chaotic and
disorderly. Turbulent flow is characterized by eddies, swirls,
and increased mixing of fluid particles.
 Formula:

Reynolds Number (Re)

Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re) Reynolds
Behavior Tool: Moody’s Number
Chart

Water having kinematic viscosity v = 1.3 X

flows in a 100-mm diameter pipe at a velocity of
4.5 m/s. Is the flow laminar or turbulent?
 Formula:

Head Loss (
Principle: Reynolds Application:
Fluid Flow Number (Re) Reynolds
Behavior Tool: Moody’s Number
Chart

Oil having specific gravity of 0.869 and dynamic

viscosity of 0.0814 Pa-s flows through a cast
iron pipe at a velocity of 1 m/s. The pipe is 50 m
long and 150 mm in diameter. Find the head lost
due to friction.
PRACTICE EXERCISE #1:
Problem:
Compute the head loss due to pipe friction in a
circular pipe of 40 mm diameter and 750 m laid
horizontal when water flows at a rate:
(a) 4 liters per minute;
(b) 30 liters per minute.
Take dynamic viscosity of water equal to 1.14 x
10-3 N s m-2 . Assume f = 0.032 for turbulent flow.