Chapter 4

Flow in Pipe
DGC50103
Dr. Anis Sakinah binti Zainal Abidin
[email protected]
 4.0 Flow In Pipe
4.1 Determine Flow Development.
4.1.1 Calculate the entrance length in a circular pipe.
4.1.2 Calculate the cross sectional mean velocity in circular pipe.
4.2 Determine Pressure Drop
4.2.1 Calculate the Pressure Drop in circular pipe.
4.3 Determine Friction Coefficient
4.3.1 Calculate Friction Coefficient in a Smooth Circular Pipe.
4.3.2 Calculate Friction Coefficient in Turbulent Pipe Flow.
4.1 Determine Flow
Development.
 Flow Development
• The flow velocity distribution in a pipe varies in the axial direction until the
boundary layer developing on the pipe wall reaches the centerline of the pipe
(Figure 1).
• The axial regions upstream and downstream of this position are called the
developing region and the fully developed region, respectively.
• The developing region is sometimes called the entrance region or the inlet region.

Figure 1: Flow field near the entrance of a circular pipe

Developing and fully-developed flow in pipes

• When a flow enters a pipe system from a reservoir, there will be section of pipe called
the "entrance region".
• In the entrance region, the velocity profile changes in the axial direction.

• When the fluid enters the pipe, the velocity profile will appear almost completely
uniform and flat.
Developing and fully-developed flow in pipes

• However, the fluid velocity at the walls will be zero due to the no-slip boundary
condition.
• Layers of fluid that are adjacent to the wall will experience shear stress due to the
velocity gradients and decelerate.
• As the fluid travels down the pipe, more and more layers will be impacted by this shear
stress, deforming the outer layers of the velocity profile.
Developing and fully-developed flow in pipes
• As the flow continues through the entrance region, the velocity profile changes in the axial direction
and the flow is said to be "developing".

• At the end of the entrance region, the boundary layer has grown to encompass the entire flow.
• Shear stress exists throughout the entire velocity profile and the flow in now said to be fully
developed.
• In the image shown, the profile is parabolic which is characteristic of laminar flows.
Developing and fully-developed flow in pipes

• Once a flow is fully-developed, the time-averaged velocity profile no longer varies in the axial
direction.
 Entrance length, Le
• The length of the developing region, is also called the entrance length Le, is the distance
required for a flow to become fully-developed.
• The entrance length is a function of the pipe diameter D and the Reynolds number.
• For laminar flows, the Reynolds number is less than 2320. One formula for calculating the
entrance length in circular pipes is Le approximately equal 0.05 times the diameter and
Reynolds number.
• For turbulent flows, when the Reynolds number is greater than 4000, the formula for
calculating the entrance length in circular pipes is Le approximately equal to 50 times the
diameter.
Fully developed laminar velocity
profile characteristic:
• Constant in time
• Parabolic and layered
• Speed has axial component only
• Speed varies in radial direction only

Fully-developed turbulent velocity profile

characteristic:
• Constant in time
• only has axial component and varies radially
• Flatted centre
• Large velocity gradient near wall
 Low mixing occurs in laminar and turbulent type of flow
Laminar flows are characterized by having many layers. If we zoom into the interface between
two of these layes, we would see molecules undergoing random collisions. It is through these
collisions that momentum and other properties are exchanged. mixing occurs relatively slowly
through these collisions and it can take a long time before layers that are far apart to influence each
other.

Molecular collision also occur in turbulent flows. However, eddies of various sizes transport
fluid across the profile, greatly enhancing mixing compared to laminar flows. A consequence of
this rapid mixing is that momentum and other properties become more uniform throughout the flow,
resulting in a more uniform velocity profile.
 Exercise
Silicone oil of density 936 kg/m3 and kinematic viscosity
100 mm2/s is flowing in a horizontal circular pipe of inner
diameter, D, of 1.0 cm. The flow rate, QL, is 1.510-3
m3/min. Estimate the entrance length, Le.
 Try it yourself
Water at 20C enters lead pipe diameter of 10cm, with 8 meters
length. Given that the volumetric flowrate is 15.85 gal/min.
Calculate the entrance length. Given that the viscosity of water
at 20C is , .
𝑄
𝜌 𝐷
𝜌 𝑣𝐷 𝐴
𝑅𝑒= =
𝜇 𝜇

( )( )( )
3
𝑔𝑎𝑙 1 𝑚𝑖𝑛 0.0037 𝑚 3
𝑄= 15.85 =0.001𝑚 / 𝑠
𝑚𝑖𝑛 60 𝑠 1 𝑔𝑎𝑙

𝑅𝑒=12860 ( 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡 ) , 𝐿𝑒 =50 𝐷

 Exercise
Water enters a 5cm diameter piping system from a reservoir with volumetric flow rate of 50cm 3/s.
Determine whether the flow is laminar or turbulent if during the winter the water temperature is 7 and if it
reaches 18 during the summer. What is the length of pipe necessary to reach fully developed flow? Given
that the viscosity of water at 7 and 18 is and respectively.
 Try it yourself
Oil of density 936 kg/m and kinematic viscosity 100 mm /s is
3 2

flowing in a horizontal circular pipe of inner diameter, D, of 1.0

cm. The Reynolds number is 2000. Estimate cross sectional
mean velocity and volumetric flowrate of the flowing oil.
 Try it yourself
Oil of density 936 kg/m and kinematic viscosity 100 mm /s is
3 2

flowing in a horizontal circular pipe of inner diameter, D, of 1.0

cm. The Reynolds number is 2000. Estimate cross sectional
mean velocity and volumetric flowrate of the flowing oil.
4.2 Determine Pressure Drop
Pressure Distribution along Pipe
 Pressure Distribution for fully developed
and steady
• If the flow is fully developed and steady, the distortion on each end of the fluid element is
the same, and no part of the fluid experiences any acceleration as it flows.

• Apply the Newton’s second Law to the cylinder of fluid Apply the Newton’s second Law
to the cylinder of fluid

F=ma
The force (pressure & friction) balance:

Basic balance in forces needed to drive each fluid particle along the pipe with constant
velocity.
Relationship between Pressure drop
and shear stress
Relationship between Pressure drop and volume
flowrate
Relationship between Pressure drop and flow
velocity
 Try it yourself
Engine oil () with a viscosity of 0.2 Pa.s flows through a 5 m long pipe with a radius of 5cm and a
pressure difference of 95000 Pa. Calculate the volume and mass flowrate in this pipe? Assume the
flow is laminar.
 Try it yourself
Water with a laminar flow has a viscosity of 0.001 Pa.s at 20°C. What pressure difference is
necessary to keep water moving with a volume flowrate of 0.015 m 3/s through a 3 m long pipe with
a radius of 2 cm?
 Exercise
An oil with a viscosity of and density flows in a pipe of diameter D=0.20m. What is
the pressure drop needed to produce a flowrate of 2.0 x 10-4 m3/s if the pipe is
horizontal with x1=0 and x2=10m?

Tips:
1) Find the Reynolds number
2) Substitute value in presuure drop equation in the function of vol
flowrate.
 Exercise
An oil with a viscosity of and density flows in a pipe of diameter D=0.20m. What is
the pressure drop needed to produce a flowrate of 2.0 x 10-4 m3/s if the pipe is
horizontal with x1=0 and x2=10m?
 Exercise
6m

0.3 m

The flowrate , Q of corn syrup through the horizontal pipe shown in the figure is
monitored by measuring the pressure difference between sections (1) and (2). The
pressure drop of the pipe is 118.9 kg/m.s2. Determine the flowrate and average
velocity of the pipe if the corn viscosity is 0.4 kg/m.s
4.3 Determine Friction
Coefficient
 What is friction coefficent?
Coefficient of friction is a measure of the amount of friction existing between two surfaces. When you
find a coefficient of friction, you're calculating the resistance to motion at the interface of two surfaces
of similar or dissimilar materials.

Friction Factor Calculations

The Darcy-Weisbach equation, for calculating the friction loss in a pipe, uses a dimensionless value
known as the friction factor (also known as the Darcy-Weisbach friction factor or the Moody friction
factor)

Coefficient friction when a flow in a circular pipe is LAMINAR :

 How about turbulent?
The most common method to determine a friction factor for turbulent flow
is to use the Moody diagram. The Moody diagram (also known as the
Moody chart) is a log-log plot of the Colebrook correlation that relates the
Darcy friction factor, Reynolds number, and the relative roughness for fully
developed flow in a circular pipe.

Colebrook correlation:
How to read Moody Chart
As with many fluid mechanics problems, the first order of
business is to determine the Reynolds number of the flow.

Refer to the Moody Chart. If the Reynolds Number falls in the

Laminar or Transition range, refer to appropriate equations.
If however the flow is in the Turbulent range, we are ready
to proceed with the Moody Chart.

Compute the relative pipe roughness. This value is the

roughness of the pipe, divided by the diameter of the pipe.
REMEMBER, you want this to be unitless, so ensure that the
roughness and diameter are in matching units
Find the line referring to your relative roughness on the
right side of the diagram. In the case that your value does
not have a printed line, imagine a line paralleling the
nearest line representing your relative roughness. It may be
helpful to sketch in this line.

Follow this line to the left as it curves up until to reach the

vertical line corresponding to your flow's Reynolds Number.

Mark this point on the Chart.

Using a straight edge, follow the point straight left, parallel

to the x axis, until you reach the far left side of the chart.
Read off the corresponding friction factor.
 Simple example
1. Let's imagine we calculate a Reynolds
Number of 4x104. We see that this is
in the Reynolds Number range for
turbulent flow, so we proceed with
the Moody Chart.
2. Next, let's say we calculate a unitless
relative roughness of 0.003.
3. From here we sketch a line following
the curve contours, going left, as see
in the red line below.
4. We follow this line until you Reynolds
number value from before, and mark
this point.
5. From here, we look straight left,
shown by the orange line, until we
hit the left margin of the chart.
6. Here we read off our value of 0.029
or 0.03.
 Moody Chart exercise
1) Pipe roughness = 0.02 mm, diameter = 5 cm , Re = 1.34 x 10 5, f=?

2) Relative roughness = 0.04, Re = 2 x 105, f=?

3) = 1.145 kg/m , = 1.65 x 10 kg/m.s, diameter = 0.267 m, relative

3 -5

roughness = 0.00005, v= 5.42 m/s, f=?

 Try it yourself
Air under standard conditions flows through a 4.0 mm diameter drawn tubing with an average
velocity of v = 50 m/s. For such conditions the flow would normally be turbulent. However, if
precautions are taken to eliminate disturbances to the flow (the entrance to the tube is very
smooth, the air is dust free, the tube does not vibrate, etc.), it may be possible to maintain laminar
flow. Given that =1.23kg/m3 μ=1.79 x 10-5 N.s/m2, ε=0.012 mm. Assume there is friction involved in
pipe flow.
(a) Determine the pressure drop in a 0.1m section of the tube if the flow is laminar.
(b) Repeat the calculations if the flow is turbulent.
 Try it yourself
Air under standard conditions flows through a 4.0 mm diameter drawn tubing with an average
velocity of V = 50 m/s. For such conditions the flow would normally be turbulent. However, if
precautions are taken to eliminate disturbances to the flow (the entrance to the tube is very
smooth, the air is dust free, the tube does not vibrate, etc.), it may be possible to maintain laminar
flow. Given that =1.23kg/m3 μ=1.79 x 10-5 N.s/m2, ε=0.012 mm. Assume there is friction involved in
pipe flow.
(a) Determine the pressure drop in a 0.1m section of the tube if the flow is laminar.
(b) Repeat the calculations if the flow is turbulent.
 Exercise
Water at 15˚C (=999 kg/m3 μ=1.138 x 10-3 kg/m.s) is flowing steadily in a 5-cm diameter
horizontal pipe made of stainless steel at a rate of 0.006 m3/s. Determine the pressure
drop for flow over a 60-m long section of the pipe. Assume the value of ε=0.02 mm.
Assume there is friction involved in pipe flow.
 Exercise
Water at 15˚C (=999 kg/m3 μ=1.138 x 10-3 kg/m.s) is flowing steadily in a 5-cm diameter
horizontal pipe made of stainless steel at a rate of 0.006 m3/s. Determine the pressure
drop for flow over a 60-m long section of the pipe. Assume the value of ε=0.02 mm and
there is friction involved in pipe flow.
 Exercise
Water at 23˚C is transported for 500 m in a 4 cm-diameter commercial steel horizontal
pipe (relative roughness = 0.0012). Given that =1000 kg/m3, v = 2.36 x 10-3 m/s and
=9.431 x 10-7 kg/m.s, calculate the pressure drop over the 500-m length of this pipe,
using Moody chart or by relevant equation. Assume there is friction involved in pipe
flow.