2/19/24, 2:32 AM Pipe Flow-Friction Factor Calculator Excel SpreadsheetLow Cost Easy to Use Spreadsheets for Engineering Calculations

culations Availabl…

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Harlan Bengtson

Pipe Flow-Friction Factor Calculator Excel Spreadsheet

Where to Find a Pipe Flow-Friction Factor Calculator Excel Spreadsheet

For a pipe flow-friction factor calculator Excel Spreadsheet, click here to visit our
spreadsheet store. Why read values from a Moody diagram, make iterative calculations
to get friction factor, or use online calculators, when you can get a pipe flow-friction
factor calculator Excel Spreadsheet for only $19.95? Read on for information about
the Darcy Weisbach equation and its use in an Excel spreadsheet as a friction
factor/pipe flow calculator.

Excel spreadsheets are very convenient for Darcy Weisbach equation/pipe flow
calculations, such as frictional pressure drop calculation or use of a friction factor
calculator, at least in part because some of the calculations require iterative solutions.
The Darcy Weisbach equation is applicable to pressure flow in pipes, rather than
gravity flow (as in sewer pipes), which is handled by open channel flow equations like
the Manning equation. The Darcy Weisbach equation provides the relationship among
the following parameters: pipe diameter and length, pipe flow rate, and frictional
pressure drop or head loss. Any one of these can be calculated if the others are known
along with the density and viscosity of the fluid.

A Friction Factor Calculator and the Darcy Weisbach Equation

The Darcy Weisbach equation
is hL= f(L/D)(V2/2g), with the
parameters in the equation as
follows: hLis the frictional head loss
for flow of a fluid at average
velocity, V, through a pipe of
length,L, and diameter,D. The
Reynolds number for the flow (Re)
and the relative roughness of the
pipe (e/D) are needed to get a value
for the friction factor,f. The Moody
Diagram at the right shows the
nature of the dependence of the
friction factor, f, on Re and e/D.

Equations for f as a function of Re

and e/D would be more convenient
than a graph like the Moody
Diagram for use with Excel
spreadsheets making pipe flow
calculations with the Darcy
Weisbach equation. Such equations
are shown in the box at the left,
giving the relationships between
Moody friction factor and Re & e/D
for four different portions of the
Moody diagram. The four portions
of the Moody diagram are:

laminar flow(Re < 2100 – the straight line at the left side of the Moody

smooth pipe turbulent flow(the dark curve labeled “smooth pipe” in the
Moody diagram – f is a function of Re only in this region)
completely turbulent region(the portion of the diagram above and to the right
of the dashed line labeled “complete turbulence” – f is a function of e/D only in
this region)
transition region(the portion of the diagram between the “smooth pipe” solid
line and the “complete turbulence” dashed line – f is a function of both Re and e/D
in this region and this is not an explicit equation for f)

The table above right gives pipe roughness values for several common pipe materials.
These can be used to calculate the pipe roughness ratio, e/D.

For a low cost Moody friction factor calculator download, that will calculate f for
Reynolds number above 2100, see: www.engineeringexceltemplates.com

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Frictional Head Loss and Frictional Pressure Drop Calculation

After using the Moody friction factor calculator to get a value for the friction factor, f,
frictional head loss calculation is quite straightforward if the pipe length & diameter and
average flow velocity are known. You simply need to substitute values for L, D, V, and f
into the Darcy Weisbach equation [hL= f(L/D)(V2/2g) ]. The Darcy Weisbach
equation is a dimensionally consistent equation, so any consistent set of units can be
used. For U.S. units, hL, L, and D are typically in ft, V is in ft/sec, and g is 32.2 ft/sec2.
For S.I. units, hL, L and D are typically in m, V is in m/s, and g is 9.81 m/s2. If
volumetric flow rate, Q, is known rather than average velocity, V, then V can be
calculated from:

Frictional pressure drop calculation from frictional head loss is done through the
equation:

A Screenshot for a Pipe Flow-Friction Factor Calculator Excel Spreadsheet

The Excel spreadsheet screenshot below shows a pipe flow-friction factor calculator
excel spreadsheet that is available as part of the “Pipe Flow-Friction Factor Calculation
Package,” at our spreadsheet store in either U.S. or S.I. units at a very low cost (only
$16.95). This spreadsheet package has three worksheets: one to calculate frictional
head loss and pressure drop for known pipe diameter, length & material and flow rate;
one to serve as a pipe flow rate calculator for known head loss/pressure drop, and pipe
diameter, length & material; and one to calculate required pipe diameter for known
head loss/pressure drop, flow rate, and pipe length & material.

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References

1. Munson, B. R., Young, D. F., & Okiishi, T. H., Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, 4th
Ed., New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc, 2002.

2. Darcy Weisbach equation history –

http://biosystems.okstate.edu/darcy/DarcyWeisbach/Darcy-WeisbachHistory.htm

3. Source for pipe roughness values –

http://www.efunda.com/formulae/fluids/roughness.cfm

4. Bengtson, H.H., Pipe Flow/Friction Factor Calculations with Excel, and online
continuing education course for Professional Engineers.

5. Bengtson, Harlan H., “Pipe Flow Friction Factor Calculations with Spreadsheets,”
available as an Amazon Kindle e-book and as a paperback.

6. Bengtson, Harlan H., “Pipe Flow Calculations with the Darcy Weisbach Equation“, an
online blog article
This entry was posted in Pipe Flow calculations and tagged Excel spreadsheets, friction factor, friction
factor calculator, frictional head loss, frictional pressure drop, pipe flow calculations, pipe flow
calculator, pipe flow friction factor calculations with excel, S.I. units by Harlan Bengtson. Bookmark
the permalink.

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About Harlan Bengtson

Dr. Bengtson has B.S. and M.S. degrees from Iowa State University and a PhD from the
University of Colorado, all in Chemical Engineering. He is now retired after 30 years in
engineering education, in teaching and administrative positions. His areas of expertise
are environmental engineering, hydrology, engineering science and renewable energy. He
is a licensed Professional Engineer in Missouri. He did consulting work while in academia
and had prior industrial experience. Dr. Bengtson has authored numerous publications,
presentations and technical reports. He is currently active as a technical writer.
View all posts by Harlan Bengtson →

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PIPE FLOW-FRICTION FACTOR CALCULATOR EXCEL SPREADSHEET

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