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Sec. 11.3 / Simple Pipe Systems 555

Example 11.3
Find the distribution of flow and the drop in hydraulic grade line for the three-parallel-
pipe arrangement shown in Fig. E11.3. Use variable friction factors with n  106 m2/s.
The total water discharge is Q  0.020 m3/s.

[1] Pipe L (m) D (m) e (mm) K

Q [2] 1 100 0.05 0.1 10

2 150 0.075 0.2 3
[3] 3 200 0.085 0.1 2

Fig. E11.3

Solution
The initial estimates of f are based on Eq. 11.2.6. Preliminary calculations provide the
following:

f Le
R
Pipe e/D (Eq. 11.2.6) (Eq. 11.3.6) (Eq. 11.3.8)

1 0.002 0.023 21.7 7.40  105

2 0.0027 0.025 9.0 1.38  105
3 0.0012 0.021 8.1 8.14  104

Apply Eq. 11.3.11, and the first estimate of W is

0.020 2
W  
(7.40  105)12  (1.38  105)12  (8.14  104)12
 7.39 m

Then with Eq. 11.3.9, estimates of Qi are made:

12
7.39
Q1  5  0.00316 m3s
7.40  10

12
7.39
Q2  5  0.00732 m3s
1.38  10

12
7.39
Q3  4  0.00953 m3s
8.14  10

A continuity check is made using Eq. 11.3.4:

3

Qi  0.00316  0.00732  0.00953  0.0200 m3s

i1

Even though the sum satisfies the solution, another iteration will be carried out to
-values are updated using
study the convergence of the solution technique. First, the R
Eq. 11.2.3 to evaluate the friction factors.
(continued)

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67730_11_ch11_p542-597.qxd 12/1/10 11:26 AM Page 556

556 Chapter 11 / Flows in Piping Systems

4Q f
R
Re  
Pipe pDn (Eq. 11.2.3) (Eq. 11.3.8)

1 8.05  104 0.026 8.20  105

2 1.24  105 0.027 1.49  105
3 1.43  105 0.022 8.51  104

Evaluating W using Eq. 11.3.11 yields W  7.88 m, and application of Eq. 11.3.9 gives
the new estimates of Qi:
Q1  0.00310 m3s Q2  0.00727 m3s Q3  0.00962 m3s
A continuity check shows that
3

Qi  0.0200 m3s
i1

which is the same as in the first iteration.

A solution of Example 11.3 using Mathcad is shown in Appendix F, Fig. F1.

11.3.3 Branch Piping

The branching network, illustrated in Fig. 11.5a, is made up of three elements
connected to a single junction. In contrast to the parallel system shown in
Fig. 11.4, no closed loops exist. In the analysis, one assumes the direction of flow
in each element; then the energy equation for each element is written using an
equivalent length to account for minor losses:

g  z
p p
   z 
R1Q 21 (11.3.12)
A g B

g  z
p p
   z 
R2Q 22 (11.3.13)
B g C

g  z
p p
   z 
R3Q 32 (11.3.14)
B g D

The piezometric heads at locations A, C, and D are considered known. The

unknowns are the piezometric head at B and the discharges Q1, Q2, and Q3. The
additional relation is the continuity balance at location B, which is

Q1  Q2  Q3  0 (11.3.15)

Thus there are four equations with four unknowns. One convenient ad hoc
method of solution is outlined below and illustrated in Example 11.4:
1. Assume a discharge Q1 in element 1 (with or without a pump). Establish
the piezometric head H at the junction by solving Eq. 11.3.12 (a category 1
problem).

Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.