Addis Ababa Institute of Technology

Chemical and Bio Engineering Department

Fluid Mechanics and Machines Lab Report
Title: pipe networks investigation

Group Members Id No.

1. Khalid Keno UGR/7794/12
2. Fuad Sadudin UGR/5321/12
3. Firealem Ashenafi UGR/0034/12
4.Mesfin Asresa UGR/3772/12
5.Fikru Gurmu UGR/4360/12
Abstract
This experiment was done to find the head loss at different rate of flow through
the pipe network. we had collected different barometric pressure difference at
different flow rates and pipe network arrangement.
Introduction
In fluid dynamics, pipe network analysis is the analysis of the fluid flow through a
hydraulics network, containing several or many interconnected branches. The aim
is to determine the flow rates and pressure drops in the individual sections of the
network. Because this is a common problem in hydraulic design.
Objective:

Determination of head loss, flow rates and pressure drops of the

individual section of the network.

Theory
Liquid or gas flow through pipes or ducts is commonly used in heating and cooling
applications and fluid distribution networks. The fluid in such applications is
usually forced to flow by a fan or pump through a flow section. We pay particular
attention to friction, which is directly related to the pressure drop and head loss
during flow through pipes and ducts. The pressure drop is then used to determine
the pumping power requirement. A typical piping system involves pipes of
different diameters connected to each other by various fittings or elbows to route
the fluid, valves to control the flow rate, and pumps to pressurize the fluid.

A quantity of interest in the analysis of pipe flow is the pressure drop since it is
directly related to the power requirements of the fan or pump to maintain flow.
the pressure drop is proportional to the viscosity of the fluid, and would be zero if
there were no friction. In the analysis of piping systems, pressure drops are
commonly expressed in terms of the equivalent fluid column height, called the
head loss hl,.The head loss hl represents the additional height that the fluid needs
to be raised by a pump in order to overcome the frictional losses in the pipe. The
head loss is caused by viscosity, and it is directly related to the wall shear Stress.
once the pressure loss (or head loss) is known, the required pumping power to
overcome the pressure loss could be determined by using different types of
formulas.

The fluid in a typical piping system passes through various fittings, valves, bends,
elbows, tees, inlets, exits, enlargements, and contractions in addition to the pipes.
These components interrupt the smooth flow of the fluid and cause additional
losses because of the flow separation and mixing they induce. In a typical system
with long pipes, these losses are minor compared to the total head loss in the
pipes (the major losses) and are called minor losses. Although this is generally
true, in some cases the minor losses may be greater than the major losses. This is
the case, for example, in systems with several turns and valves in a short distance.
Minor losses are usually expressed in terms of the loss coefficient KL(also called
the resistance coefficient).

KL=hl/v2/2g

Another methods used to evaluate the head loss other than applying energy
equation are Darcy-weisbach and Moody diagram.

Darcy-weisbach equation is a phenomenological equation ,which relates the head

loss or pressure loss due to friction along a given length of pipe to the average
velocity of the fluid flow. this equation can be expressed as:

hƒ= ƒ*L/D*v2/2g

Where

 hƒ is the head loss due to friction(SI unit: m)

 L is the length of the pipe(m)
 D is the hydraulic diameter of the pipe (m)
 g is the local acceleration due to gravity
 ƒ is the dimensionless coefficient called the darcy friction factor

Moddy diagram:-is a graph in non dimensional form that relates the

Darcyweisbach friction factor, Reynold number and relative roughness for fully
developed flow discernible in a circular pipe. TheModdy chart can be divided into
two regimes of flow: laminar and turbulent. for the laminar flow regime, the
darcy-weisbach friction factor was determined analytically by poiseuille and 64/Re
is used.in this regime roughness has no effect. for the turbulent flow regime, the
relationship between the friction factor and the Reynold number is more complex
and is governed by the Colebrook equation which is implicit in f.

1/√ƒ=-2log10(ɛ/3.7d+2.51/Re√ƒ)
Re=ρVd/µ
There are precise values of Reynold numbers for the three types of flows.

Re ≤ 2300.....................laminar flow

Re ≥ 100000.....................turbulent flow

Piping systems typically involve several pipes connected to each other in series
and/or in parallel. When the pipes are connected in series, the flow rate through
the entire system remains constant regardless of the diameters of the individual
pipes in the system. The total head loss in this case is equal to the sum of the
head losses in individual pipes in the system, Including the minor losses.

For a pipe that branches out into two (or more) parallel pipes and then rejoins at
junction down stream, the total flow rate is the sum of the flow rates in the
individual pipes. The pressure drop (or head loss) in each individual pipe
connected in parallel must be the same since ∆P=PA-PB and the junction
pressures PA and PB are the same for all the individual pipes.

Material and chemical

Measuring tank
Sub frame for experimental set-ups
Supply tank
Water
Flow rate measurement scale
Pipe network
Regulatory valves
Stop watch
Switch box
Gate valve
Storage panel for connecting pieces
Tube manometer water

Procedure
All the needed apparatus was set up on the bench with the bench feed connected
to the inlet pipe. The bench feed valve, the gate valve, and the flow control valve
was opened to admit water into the apparatus, also to dispose any air pockets.
After the pipe work had filled with water, a short length of flexible tubing was
connected to the air bleed screw was opened carefully to fill all the tapping and
manometer tube readings were taken and the flow rate of water also measured.
This process was repeated 5 times for the 3 different types of pipes by adjusting
the flow rate of the liquid.

Data AND CALCULATION

 Pipe 1 (2.1 cm)

V (l) t Flow Rate Δ
(sec) (l/s) Pressure(Pa)
2 2.41 0.93 99.81
2 3.85 0.52 58.687
2 10.94 0.18 29.343
2 42.74 0.05 24.453

 Pipe 2 (1.7 cm)

V t (sec) Flow Rate Δ

(l) (l/s) Pressure(Pa)
2 2.14 0.93 459.72
2 4.50 0.44 156.5
2 10.89 0.18 97.812
2 56.02 0.036 88.03

 Pipe 3 (1.36 cm)

 V (l) t (sec) Flow Rate (l/s) Δ
Pressure(Pa)
4.58 626
2.55 215.187
1.001 127.156
0.359 92.92

Graph of pressure Vs volumetric flow rate for the first pipe

30

25

pressure drop
20

15

10

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
volume flow rate

Graph of pressure Vs volumetric flow rate for the second pipe

 50
45
40
35
pressure drop
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
volume flow rate

Graph of pressure Vs volumetric flow rate for the third pipe

90
80
70
pressure drop
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
volume flow rate
Conclusion
Generally in any pipe system the flow rate of the fluid is mainly affected by the
internal diameter of the pipe.
as the diameter increases the flow rate shows decrement.in addition the way the
pipes are connected determine the flow rates and the total head loss of the system.

when the pipes are connected in series, the flow rate through the entire system
remains constant regardless of the diameters of the individual pipes in the system.

The total head loss in this case is equal to the sum of the head losses in individual
pipes in the system, including the minor losses.

For a pipe that branches out into two (or more) parallel pipes and then rejoins at
junction downstream, the total flow rate is the sum of the flow rates in the
individual pipes.

The pressure drop (or head loss) in each individual pipe connected in parallel must
be the same since ∆P=PA-PB and the junction pressures PA and PB are the same
for all the individual pipes.