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Simple Pipe Flow Problems and

Their Solutions

Types of Problems in Pipeline Designs

In practice, there are three types of problems that occur most frequently
in the design of pipelines as mentioned below:
(1) Determination of the head lost due to friction hf from the known
values of discharge Q, length of pipe L, pipe diameter D, roughness k,
and kinematic viscosity υ of the flowing fluid.
(2) Determination of discharge Q from the known values of head loss
due to friction hf, pipe diameter D, length of pipe L, roughness k, and
kinematic viscosity υ of the flowing fluid.
(3) Determination of the diameter D of a pipe from the known values of
discharge Q, head loss due to friction hf, length of pipe L, roughness k,
and kinematic viscosity υ of the flowing fluid.
In the first case, the Reynolds number Re and the relative roughness k/D
can be calculated from the given data. For these values of Re and (k/D),
the friction factor f can be found from Moody’s diagram or the relevant
resistance equations.

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In the second case, the relative roughness (k/D) is known and the
parameter (Re f 1/2) can be computed from the following expression.

From these values of (k/D) and (Re f 1/2), the friction factor f can be
found from Moody’s diagram or the relevant resistance equation.
In the third case, since the diameter of the pipe is unknown, the relative
roughness (k/D), Reynolds number, and friction factor f are also
unknown. As such only a trial-and-error solution is possible.
The procedure will be to first assume a suitable value of f and compute
the value of diameter D from the Darcy-Weisbach equation. This will
give a trial value of D.
With this trial value of D, values of Re and (k/D) can be computed to find
a new value of f from Moody’s diagram.
The new value of f is used for the next trial and the procedure is repeated
until the value of f does not change.

Pipes in Series or Compound Pipes:

If a pipeline connecting two reservoirs is made up of several pipes of
different diameters, D1, D2, D3, etc., and lengths L1, L2, L3 etc., all
connected in series (i.e., end to end) as shown in Figure below, then the
difference in liquid surface levels is equal to the sum of the head losses
in all the sections.

Figure: Pipes in series

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Further the discharge through each pipe will be same. Thus with
reference to Figure below following equations may be obtained.

(1)

(2)

However, if the minor losses are neglected as compared with the loss of
head due to friction in each pipe, then Equation (1) becomes

(3)

The above noted equations may be used to solve the problems of

pipelines in series.
There are two types of problems which may arise for the pipelines in
series, viz., (a) given discharge Q, to determine the head H, and (b) given
H, to determine discharge Q.

In the case of (a) the solution is simple since the discharge and diameters
and lengths of the pipes are known, Reynolds numbers can easily be
computed and the values of the friction factors f1, f2 and f3 readily found
from Moody’s diagram. These can then be substituted in the above
equations to determine the value of H.
In the case of (b) first of all the values of f1, f2 and f3 are assumed. For
simplicity, these may even be assumed to be equal. Then by substituting
in equation for H, and solving by trial the value of discharge Q may be
obtained.
Using this value of Q the value of Reynolds number for each pipe may
be computed and from Moody’s diagram the values of f1, f2 and f3 are
found.
With these new values of f1, f2 and f3 a new value of Q is computed by
substitution in the equation for H.
Since in actual practice rough turbulent flow occurs for which the value
of f varies very little with Reynolds number and therefore only one or
two trials will be necessary to get the correct value of Q.

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Equivalent Pipe
An equivalent pipe is defined as the pipe of uniform diameter having loss
of head and discharge equal to the loss of head and discharge of a
compound pipe consisting of several pipes of different lengths and
diameters.
The uniform diameter of the equivalent pipe is known as the equivalent
diameter of the series or compound pipe. The size of the equivalent pipe
may be determined as follows.
If L1, L2, L3 etc., are the lengths and D1, D2, D3 etc., are the diameters
respectively of the different pipes of a compound pipeline, then the total
head loss in the compound pipe, neglecting the minor losses, is

(4)

Also, from continuity considerations:

Assuming

(5)

If D is the diameter and L is the length of the equivalent pipe then it

would carry the same discharge Q if the head loss due to friction in the
equivalent pipe is same as that in the compound pipe. The loss of head
due to friction in the equivalent pipe is

(6)
Thus equating the two head losses, we get

(7)

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Equation (7) is known as Dupuit’s equation, which may be used to

determine the size of the equivalent pipe.
Thus if the length of the equivalent pipe is equal to the total length of the
compound pipe i.e., L = (L1 + L2 + L3 + ....), then the diameter D of the
equivalent pipe may be determined by using Equation (7).

Sometimes a pipe of given diameter D which is available may be

required to be used as equivalent pipe to replace a compound pipe, in
which case the length of the equivalent pipe may be required to be
determined and the same may also be determined by using Equation (7).

Pipes in Parallel:
When a main pipeline divides into two or more parallel pipes which
again join together downstream and continue as a main line, the pipes are
said to be in parallel.
The pipes are connected in parallel in order to increase the discharge
passing through the main.

Such a system is analogous to a parallel electric circuit in which the drop

in potential and flow of electric current can be compared to head loss and
discharge (or flow rate) in a fluid flow respectively.
Referring Figure below, the discharge in the main line is equal to the sum
of the discharges in each of the parallel pipes.
Thus Q = Q1 + Q2 (8)

Figure: Pipes in parallel

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The flow of liquid in pipes (1) and (2) takes place under the difference of
head between the sections A and B and hence the loss of head between
the sections A and B will be the same whether the liquid flows through
pipe (1) or pipe (2). Thus if D1, D2 and L1, L2 are the diameters and
lengths of the pipes (1) and (2) respectively; then the velocities of flow
V1 and V2 in the two pipes must be such as to give

(9)

Assuming the same value of f for each parallel pipe.

(10)

The various problems which may arise for the pipes in parallel may be
solved using these equations.

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Siphon
A siphon is a long bent pipe which is used to carry water from a reservoir
at a higher elevation to another reservoir at a lower elevation when the
two reservoirs are separated by a hill or high level ground in between as
shown in Figure below.

Figure: Siphon

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The rising portion of the siphon is known as the ‘inlet leg (or inlet limb),
the highest point is known as summit and the portion between the
summit and the lower reservoir is known as outlet leg (or outlet limb).
As may be seen in Figure above the inlet leg (or inlet limb) of a siphon is
usually smaller than the outlet leg (or outlet limb). As the siphon is also a
long pipe, the loss of head due to friction will be very large and hence the
other minor losses may be neglected.
Further the length of the siphon may be taken as the length of its
horizontal projection. Hence the hydraulic grade line and the energy
grade line (or total energy line) for a siphon, as shown in Figure, may
also be obtained in the same manner as in the case of an ordinary long
pipe.
It will be seen from Figure above that the hydraulic grade line cuts the
siphon at points C and D, so that some portion of the siphon is above the
hydraulic grade line. The vertical distance between the hydraulic grade
line and the pipe centre line represents the pressure head at any section.

For the portion of the siphon below points C and D the pressure will be
above atmospheric and at points C and D the pressure of the water
flowing in the siphon is equal to atmospheric pressure. For the portion of
the siphon between C and D the pressure will be below atmospheric.

As the highest point of the siphon above the hydraulic grade line is the
summit S, the water pressure at this point is the least. Further as the
vertical distance between the summit of the siphon and the hydraulic
grade line increases, the water pressure at this point reduces.
Theoretically this pressure may be reduced to – 10.3 m of water (if the
atmospheric pressure is 10.3 m of water) or absolute vacuum, because
this limit would correspond to a perfect vacuum and the flow would stop.
However, in practice if the pressure is reduced to about 2.5 m of water
absolute or 7.8 m of water vacuum the dissolved air or other gases would
come out of the solution and collect at the summit of the siphon in
sufficient quantity to form an air-lock, which will obstruct the continuity
of the flow, (or the flow will completely stop).

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A similar trouble may also be caused by the formation of the water

vapour in the region of low pressure. Therefore the siphon should be laid
so that no section of the pipe will be more than 7.8 m above the
hydraulic grade line at the section.
Moreover, in order to limit the reduction of the pressure at the summit
the length of the inlet leg of the siphon is also required to be limited. This
is so because as indicated below, if the inlet leg is very long a
considerable loss of head due to friction is caused, resulting in further
reduction of the pressure at the summit.

Assuming the siphon to run full, then applying Bernoulli’s equation

between points A and B, we get

(1)

where V is the velocity of flow, and L and D are the total lengths and the
diameter of the siphon.
Equation (1) may be used to determine H if the discharge Q is known, or
it may be used to determine Q if H is given.
In the first case, the Reynolds number of the flow being known the value
of f may be determined from Moody’s diagram. But in the second case
the value of f will be required to be assumed first and then checked for
the computed discharge.
In order to determine the maximum value of h, the height of the summit
above the water surface in the upper reservoir, Bernoulli’s equation is
applied between the points A and S, so that

where pa is the atmospheric pressure, ps is the absolute pressure at the

summit, and l is the length of the inlet leg of the siphon.

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(2)

As far as possible, the value of h lower than that given by Equation (2)
should be used.
Further, for a given value of h, the length of the inlet leg l should be so
adjusted that pressure at the summit is not reduced below the permissible
limit as indicated above.

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