Calculating

Pressure
Drops in
Piping
Systems

By Thomas G. Lester, P.E., Member ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org/journal0902).

Before creating a functional spread-
sheet for calculating pressure drop, let’s

C alculating pressure drops in piping systems using the Darcy-Weisbach

Equation requires the friction factor to be calculated. The tradi-
first look at the task of solving for the
friction factor in the Darcy-Weisbach
Equation. The Darcy-Weisbach Equation
tional approach used the Moody Diagram to solve the Colebrook Equa-
for head loss is:
tion. Using the Moody Diagram directly has been left mainly to those
L V2
generating tables or graphs that are pub- tion is found under TOOLS/GOAL hf = f
D 2g
lished in various references. One ex- SEEK. In Lotus 1-2-3, the function is
ample is in the 2001 ASHRAE found under RANGE/ANALYZE/BACK where
Handbook—Fundamentals where pres- SOLVE. The advantages of using the h f = friction loss in feet of liquid
sure losses in steam piping is shown on spreadsheet include exactly matching L = pipe length in feet
Pages 35.12 to 35.14. Such tables or the conditions of the fluid, gas or vapor D = inside diameter in feet
graphs are based on specific conditions and eliminating difficult to read graphs V = velocity in feet per second
that may not match exactly with the con- and tables. Engineers often find the g = gravitational constant (32.174
ditions that an engineer is designing to spreadsheet approach is more user fps2)
meet and are often difficult to interpret. friendly than tables or graphs. f = friction factor which is dimen-
This results in some level of inaccuracy. This article is written as if the reader sionless
An alternative has been developed was creating the spreadsheet while read- The friction factor is defined in the
using a PC spreadsheet and an iteration ing the article. This is a good way to fully Colebrook Equation. A number of forms
function within the spreadsheet that understand the spreadsheet. In addition, About the Author
may be unfamiliar to some engineers. the spreadsheet is available for down- Thomas G. Lester, P.E., is senior mechanical
In Microsoft® Excel, the iteration func- loading on the ASHRAE Web site engineer at Bergmann Associates, Rochester, N.Y.

September 2002 ASHRAE Journal 41

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exist for the Colebrook Equation. The one used in the spread-
sheet is:
1  ε 2.51 
= –2 log  + 
f 
10 3.7 D R f 

where
R = Reynold’s Number, which is dimensionless
ε = Absolute Roughness in feet
D = inside diameter in feet
f = friction factor which is dimensionless Figure 1: Colebrook solver spreadsheet where iteration has
The Colebrook Equation is difficult to solve, as the fric- not taken place.
tion factor is non-factorable. A spreadsheet, however, can be
created that uses an iterative approach to solve for the R”,IF(D8<4000,”ALERT; Critical Zone, Results may be in-
friction factor. Figure 1 shows a spreadsheet that includes consistent”,””)).
inputs for diameter of a pipe, absolute roughness and The difference between the two parts of the Colebrook Equa-
Reynold’s Number after data has been entered in Cells D5, tion is multiplied by 1,000 in Cell H15. The friction factor
D6 and D8. (The inputs are shown in red.) The diameter is should be calculated to more decimal places than the default
converted to feet in Cell H5. The relative roughness in Cell settings in the spreadsheet iteration function. While there are a
H6 is calculated only for use in comparing results using a number of ways around this situation, the one chosen here is to
Moody Diagram. simply multiply the difference by 1,000, effectively increas-
Row 10 is used to alert the user when ing the number of decimal places by
the iteration routine is needed. It also three before the iteration is stopped.
switches to the formula f=64/R when Using the interation capability built
the Reynold’s Number is below 2,000, into the spreadsheet, a routine will run
indicating laminar flow. After an itera- that will vary the friction factor f in Cell
tion, all conditions should be satisfied B15, while searching for a near zero
and the value in Cell B15 appears in value for the difference in Cell H15. In
Cell D10. Row 10, in Figure 1, indi- Excel, this is initiated with TOOLS/
cates that it is necessary to perform an GOAL SEEK. The dialog box that ap-
iteration to solve for the friction factor. Figure 2: Goal seek dialog box. pears when the GOAL SEEK function is
The formula in Cell D10 is: used appears in Figure 2.
=IF(D8<2000,64/D8,IF(H15>0.001,”ALERT; ITERATION The goal here is to have Cell H15 (the Set cell:) go to a zero
REQUIRED”, IF(H15<–0.001, “ALERT; ITERATION value (To value:), by changing Cell B15 (By changing cell:).
REQUIRED”,B15))). This is virtually identical in the Lotus routine. As this proce-
Row 14 contains column headings for what is contained in dure will be identical regardless of the data, a macro could be
the following row. In Row 15, the Colebrook Equation is split written to perform this operation. As will be seen in the final
into two equations; an equation for what is left of the equal example, an iteration button can be drawn on the spreadsheet
sign and second equation for what is right of the equal sign. that will execute the macro whenever it is clicked.
The starting value for f is in Cell B15. The part of the Once the iteration is run, the spreadsheet will appear as shown
Colebrook Equation that is left of the equal sign is in Cell in Figure 3. Several test cases should be run and the results
D15. The right side equation in Cell F15 and the difference compared with those from the Moody Diagram. This will verify
between D15 and F15, multiplied times 1,000, is under the that the formulas have been entered correctly and that the
heading “Diff × 1,000” in Cell H15. spreadsheet is functioning properly.
Row 12 provides information only and has no effect on the Having calculated the friction factor, it is relatively straight-
calculations. Cell C12 is a logical expression to alert the user forward to create a spreadsheet for a specific pressure drop
if the Reynold’s Number is less than 2,000 and that the for- scenario. The spreadsheet shown in Figure 4 is available on
mula f=64/R is being used instead of the Colebrook Equa- the ASHRAE Web site (www.ashrae.org/journal0902).
tion. It further warns the user if the flow falls in the critical The major change from the Colebrook Solver spreadsheet is
flow zone as determined by the Reynold’s Number being be- that the Reynolds Number is no longer an input but rather is
tween 2,000 and 4,000, but the Colebrook Equation is used calculated. Data is entered for flow, kinematic viscosity, pipe
in this case. If the Reynold’s Number is greater than 4,000, diameter and absolute roughness. Velocity is calculated, in
the cell is blank. The expression used is Cell H3, based on flow, and pipe diameter with conversion
=IF(D8<2000,”ALERT; LAMINAR FLOW; Using f=64/ factors for time and standard density. (Density corrections

42 ASHRAE Journal w w w. a s h r a e j o u r n a l . o r g September 2002

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 Pressure Drop

Figure 3 (left): Colebrook solver spreadsheet after iteration. Figure 4 (right): Spreadsheet for pressure drop in water pipes.

could be added if user desired.) Reynolds Number is calcu- properly converted to calculate loss in psi per 100 ft, as
lated in Cell H4 by the formula R = V*D/Kinematic Viscos- an example.
ity. Velocity Pressure is calculated is Cell H7 and the
Darcy-Weisbach Equation is in Cell H8. Summary and Conclusions
A macro was created to do the iteration routine and a macro The spreadsheet approach to pressure drop calculations is
button is drawn on the spreadsheet. The macro can be ex- an alternative to using a Moody Diagram, tables or graphs.
ecuted by left clicking on the button. Rows 14 and 15 are The advantages, as previously stated, are the ability to match
hidden to improve appearance but they function as in the conditions being designed for and the ability to calculate the
previous example. friction factor more accurately than can be done using a Moody
With minor modifications, the spreadsheet can be used for Diagram. In addition, the spreadsheet can be customized by
any fluid, gas or vapor. Remember that in all cases, the losses the user to suit individual needs and can be used as a worksheet
are calculated in feet of the fluid, gas or vapor and must be in a workbook for any type of analysis.

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September 2002 ASHRAE Journal 43

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