Loss calculation of Contraction / Enlargement

In this application, the study of loss calculation for Contraction and Enlargement is shown.
Regarding Loss coeffcients definition, there are several approaches includes Crane method
and Hooper's method. In order to understand the differences, the comparion on loss
coefficients and pressure drop is performed in this document.

Contraction

Enlargement

References:
- Flow of Fluids Through Valves, Fittings, and Pipe, Crane Valves North America,
Tecnical Paper No. 410M. 1979, p A-26
- Ron Darby, Chemical Engineering Fluid Mechanics 2nd edition, Marcel Dekker, 2001
- William B. Hooper, Calculate Head loss caused by change in pipe size, Chemical
Engineering November 1988, p 89
0. Common equations
In this section, the commonly-used equations are defined.

Table of equations Eq d table

2
r$v
Pressure drop Eq "Pdrop" d dp = K$
2

r$v$Dh
Reynolds number Eq "Reynolds" d Rey =
m

mflow
Flow equation Eq "Flow" d v =
A$r
d1
Ratio of diameters Eq "Beta" d b =
d2
(d2 O d1

1. Loss coefficient
In this section, the loss coefficient for Contraction and Enlargement is defined based on two
methods, Crane's and Hooper's. The crane method is introduced in Crane Technical Paper 410,
and Hooper's method is explained in Darby's reference book.

Table of loss coefficient Loss d table

1-1. Crane method (Contraction)

q 2
0.8$sin 1Kb
2 45
4
q% $p
b 180
Loss coefficient Loss "C_C_I" d K =
(Inlet) 2 q
0.5$ 1 K b $ sin
2
4
otherwise
b
 4
And, the coefficient of small pipe (outlet) is Koutlet = Kinlet$b , thus

q 2 45
0.8$sin 1Kb q% $p
2 180
Loss coefficient Loss "C_C_O" d K =
(Outlet) 2 q
0.5$ 1 K b $ sin otherwise
2

1-2. Crane method (Enlargement)

2 2 45
2.6$sin 0.5$ q $ 1 K b q% $p
Loss coefficient Loss "C_E_I" d K = 180
(Inlet) 2 2
1Kb otherwise

Kinlet
And, the coefficient of lager pipe (outlet) is Koutlet = 4
, thus
b

2 2
2.6$sin 0.5$ q $ 1 K b 45
4
q% $p
b 180
Loss coefficient Loss "C_E_O" d K =
2 2
(Outlet) 1Kb
4
otherwise
b
1-3. Hooper method (Contraction)
Loss coefficient (Inlet)

160 1 q
1.2 C $ 4
K1 $1.6$ sin Rey % 2500
Rey b 2
45
q% $p
2 180
1 Kb q
0.6 C0.48$f $ 4
$1.6$ sin otherwise
b 2
Loss "H_C_I" d K =
160 1 q
1.2 C $ K1 $ sin Rey % 2500
4
Rey b 2
otherwise
2
1 Kb q
0.6 C0.48$f $ 4
$ sin otherwise
b 2

4
And, the coefficient of small pipe (outlet) is Koutlet = Kinlet$b , thus

Loss coefficient (Outlet)

160 1 4 q
1.2 C $ 4
K1 $b $1.6$ sin Rey % 2500
Rey b 2
45
q% $p
2 180
1 Kb 4 q
0.6 C0.48$f $ $b $1.6$ sin otherwise
4
b 2
Loss "H_C_O" d K =
160 1 4 q
1.2 C $ 4
K1 $b $ sin Rey % 2500
Rey b 2
otherwise
2
1 Kb 4 q
0.6 C0.48$f $ 4
$b $ sin otherwise
b 2

Darcy Friction factor (Colebrock-White equation)

1 e 2.51
Loss "friction" d f = solve =K2$log10 C ,f
f 3.7$Dh Rey$ f
1-4. Hooper method (Enlargement)

Loss coefficient (Inlet)

4 q
2$ 1 Kb $2.6$sin Rey % 4000
2 45
q% $p
2 2 q 180
1 C0.8$f $ 1 Kb $2.6$sin otherwise
Loss "H_E_I" d K = 2

4
2$ 1 Kb Rey % 4000
otherwise
2 2
1 C0.8$f $ 1 Kb otherwise

Kinlet
And, the coefficient of lager pipe (outlet) is Koutlet = 4
, thus
b

Loss coefficient (Outlet)

4 1 q
2$ 1 Kb $ $2.6$sin Rey % 4000
4 2
b 45
q% $p
2 2 1 q 180
1 C0.8$f $ 1 Kb $ 4
$2.6$sin otherwise
b 2
Loss "H_E_O" d K =
4 1
2$ 1 Kb $ 4
Rey % 4000
b
otherwise
2 2 1
1 C0.8$f $ 1 Kb $ 4
otherwise
b

Darcy Friction factor (Colebrock-White equation) is the same as for Contraction

2. Comparion
In this section, 2 approaches are compared for loss coefficients and pressure drop. And, the
common parameters are defined as follows.

Properties (Fluid is Air)

Density

r d ThermophysicalData:-Property DMASS, P = 101325 Pa, T = 300 K, "Water"

kg
r = 996.557
3
m

Viscosity

m d ThermophysicalData:-Property viscosity, P = 101325 Pa, T = 300 K, "Water"

K4
m = 8.537 # 10 Pa$s

2-1. Contraction
As the first case, 2 approaches are compared for Contraction. And, the following equations
are prepared to calculate these characteristics.

Geometrical parameters

Diameter of Inlet d2 d 0.1 m

Diameter of Outlet d1 d 0.025 m

20
Angle of Contraction qd $p
180

Hydraulics diameter Dh d d2

Roughness of pipe e d 0.000001 m

Crane method

CoeffC_C d eval Loss "C_C_O" , Eq "Beta"

EqC_C d eval Eq "Pdrop" , CoeffC_C

Hooper's method

CoeffH_C d eval recurse Loss "H_C_O" , Eq "Beta" , Eq "Reynolds" , Loss "friction"

EqH_C d eval Eq "Pdrop" , CoeffH_C

Plot data

Crane method

pK_C_C d plot rhs CoeffC_C , 0 ..1, legend = "crane", color = blue

m
pdp_C_C d plot rhs EqC_C , v = 0 ..15 , legend = "crane", color = blue
s

Hooper's method
m
pK_H_C d plot rhs CoeffH_C , v = 0 ..1 , legend = "hooper", color = green
s
m
pdp_H_C d plot rhs EqH_C , v = 0 ..15 , legend = "hooper", color = green
s

Plot of loss coefficients

plots:-display pK_C_C, pK_H_C, gridlines, axes = "framed", view = 0 ..1, 0 ..2 ,

labels = "Velocity [m/s]", "Loss coefficient [-]" , labeldirections = horizontal, vertical =
2

1.5
Loss coefficient [-]

0.5

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Velocity [m/s]

crane hooper
Plot of pressure drop

plots:-display pdp_C_C, pdp_H_C, gridlines, axes = "framed",

labels = "Velocity [m/s]","Pressure drop Pa " , labeldirections = horizontal, vertical =

16000

14000

12000
Pressure drop [Pa]

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0
0 5 10 15
Velocity [m/s]

crane hooper

2-2. Enlargement
For second case, 2 approaches are compared for Enlargement. And, the following equations
are prepared to calculate these characteristics.

Geometrical parameters

Diameter of Inlet d1 d 0.025 m

Diameter of Outlet d2 d 0.1 m

20
Angle of Enlargement qd $p
180

Hydraulics diameter Dh d d1

Roughness of pipe e d 0.000001 m

Crane method

CoeffC_E d eval Loss "C_E_O" , Eq "Beta" = K = 101.584

EqC_E d eval Eq "Pdrop" , CoeffC_E

Hooper's method

CoeffH_E d eval recurse Loss "H_E_O" , Eq "Beta" , Eq "Reynolds" , Loss "friction"

EqH_E d eval Eq "Pdrop" , CoeffH_E

Plot data

Crane method

pK_C_E d plot rhs CoeffC_E , 0 ..1, legend = "crane", color = blue

m
pdp_C_E d plot rhs EqC_E , v = 0 ..15 , legend = "crane", color = blue
s

Hooper's method
m
pK_H_E d plot rhs CoeffH_E , v = 0 ..1 , legend = "hooper", color = green
s
m
pdp_H_E d plot rhs EqH_E , v = 0 ..15 , legend = "hooper", color = green
s

Plot of loss coefficients

plots:-display pK_C_E, pK_H_E, gridlines, axes = "framed", view = 0 ..1, 0 ..300 ,

labels = "Velocity [m/s]", "Loss coefficient [-]" , labeldirections = horizontal, vertical =
300
Loss coefficient [-]

200

100

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Velocity [m/s]

crane hooper
Plot of pressure drop

plots:-display pdp_C_E, pdp_H_E, gridlines, axes = "framed",

labels = "Velocity [m/s]","Pressure drop Pa " , labeldirections = horizontal, vertical =

1. # 107

8. # 106
Pressure drop [Pa]

6. # 106

4. # 106

2. # 106

0
0 5 10 15
Velocity [m/s]

crane hooper