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Pressure Drop

Pressure drop is the difference in total pressure between two points in a fluid network. It occurs due to frictional forces acting on the fluid as it flows through pipes. The main factors affecting pressure drop are fluid velocity, viscosity, pipe roughness, fittings and joints. Higher flow velocities and viscosities result in greater pressure drop. Pressure drop can be calculated using the Fanning or Darcy equation, which relates pressure drop to mass flow rate, fluid properties, pipe diameter and length.

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Kartik Chaddarwala
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435 views4 pages

Pressure Drop

Pressure drop is the difference in total pressure between two points in a fluid network. It occurs due to frictional forces acting on the fluid as it flows through pipes. The main factors affecting pressure drop are fluid velocity, viscosity, pipe roughness, fittings and joints. Higher flow velocities and viscosities result in greater pressure drop. Pressure drop can be calculated using the Fanning or Darcy equation, which relates pressure drop to mass flow rate, fluid properties, pipe diameter and length.

Uploaded by

Kartik Chaddarwala
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is pressure drop ?

• Pressure drop is defined as the difference in total pressure


between two points of a fluid carrying network.

• A pressure drop occurs when frictional forces, caused by


the resistance to flow, act on a fluid as it flows through the
tube.

• The main determinants of resistance to fluid flow are


fluid velocity through the pipe and fluid viscovsity.

• A piping network containing a high


relative roughness rating as well as many pipe fittings and
joints, tube convergence, divergence, turns, surface
roughness, and other physical properties will affect the
pressure drop.

• High flow velocities and/or high fluid viscosities result in a


larger pressure drop across a section of pipe or a valve or
elbow.

Shroff S.R. Rotary Institute of Chemical Technology


Principal Supporter & Sponsor-United Phosphorus Ltd (UPL)/Shroff Family Managed By Ankleshwar
Rotary Education Society Page 1
• Low velocity will result in lower or no pressure drop.

Calculation of pressure drop in pipe


• Relation between pressure drop and pipe diameter is given
by Fanning or Darcy equation.

• It is derived for steady flow in uniform circular pipes


running full of liquid under isothermal conditions.
Δp/L = 2f v2ρ/gcDi = 32f G2/π2ρgcDi5 ………..(1)

 For SI units, gc= Newton’s law conversion factor =1


 Where, Δp = Pressure drop, Pa
 L = Length of pipe, m
 G = Mass flow rate of fluid, kg/s
 ρ = Density of fluid, kg/m3
 Di = Pipe inside diameter, m
 v = Velocity of fluid, m/s

 f = Fanning friction factor

• The Fanning friction factor is a function of the Reynolds


number(Re) and the roughness of inside surface

Shroff S.R. Rotary Institute of Chemical Technology


Principal Supporter & Sponsor-United Phosphorus Ltd (UPL)/Shroff Family Managed By Ankleshwar
Rotary Education Society Page 2
Table 1 : Recommended Velocity

Fluid Condition Recommended


Velocity, m/s

Water Pump suction line 0.3 to 1.5

Pump discharge line 2 to 3

Average service 1 to 2.5

Steam 0 to 2 atm g, saturated 20 to 30

2 to 10 atm g, saturated 30 to 50

Superheated below 10 20 to 50
atm g

Superheated above 10 30 to 75
atm g

Vacuum lines 100 to 125

Air 0 to 2 atm g 20

> 2 atm g or above 30

Shroff S.R. Rotary Institute of Chemical Technology


Principal Supporter & Sponsor-United Phosphorus Ltd (UPL)/Shroff Family Managed By Ankleshwar
Rotary Education Society Page 3
• For turbulent flow in commercial steel pipe
f = 0.0394*Re-0.16 ..………..(2)
• Where Re = Divρ/µ ..........…..(3)
µ = viscosity of fluid
• From equation (1),(2) & (3)

• Δp/L = 0.1229024 G1.84 µ0.16 Di-4.84 ρ-1

• If G in kg/s, µ in kg/(m*s), Di in m, ρ in kg/m3 L in m ,


then p is in Pa

• If p is in kPa , then
 Δp/L = 4.07 * 1013 G1.84 µ0.16 Di-4.84 ρ-1 .............(4)

Equation no.(4) is used to calculate pressure drop in pipe

Shroff S.R. Rotary Institute of Chemical Technology


Principal Supporter & Sponsor-United Phosphorus Ltd (UPL)/Shroff Family Managed By Ankleshwar
Rotary Education Society Page 4

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