2.5.

6 Hydraulics and Operation of Gravity Pipelines

The pipelines in which flow takes place due to the action of gravity force are called
gravity pipelines. In the design of gravity pipelines, an optimum diameter is selected
that minimizes the capital cost and operation cost. Another criterion to select the pipe
diameter is the average velocity in the pipe. Depending on the type of pipe material
used, and the operation schedule of the pipeline, the velocity must be within the
limits of 0.5 m/s ≤ Vavg ≤ 2.0 m/s.
Let’s consider the gravity pipeline shown in the figure below:

Spillway

𝒉𝒉𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎𝒎
𝒉𝒉𝒓𝒓𝒓𝒓𝒓𝒓

𝒛𝒛𝑨𝑨
Valve (Completely open position)
Datum Line
0
B

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Energy equation between the reservoir water surface and the pipe outlet, point B
with a valve head loss. 𝐻𝐻𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 = 𝐻𝐻𝐵𝐵 + ℎ𝐿𝐿𝐴𝐴−𝐵𝐵 Q

Q=Qma
A x
hmax
hres
Q0<Q<Qmax

ZA Q=Q0
B

≈0
0 0 Datum
0 valve
𝑃𝑃𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 𝑉𝑉𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 2 𝑃𝑃𝐵𝐵 𝑉𝑉𝐵𝐵 2 𝑉𝑉𝐵𝐵 2 22
𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴 + ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 + + 2𝑔𝑔 = 𝑍𝑍𝐵𝐵 + + + ℎ𝐿𝐿𝐴𝐴−𝐵𝐵 ≤ = 0.2 𝑚𝑚 (negligible)
𝛾𝛾 𝛾𝛾 2𝑔𝑔 2𝑔𝑔 2𝑥𝑥𝑥.81

(𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴 +ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 ) = ℎ𝐿𝐿𝐴𝐴−𝐵𝐵 = ℎ𝑓𝑓 + ℎ𝑣𝑣

𝐿𝐿 𝑉𝑉 2 8𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 2
Where: ℎ𝑓𝑓 = 𝑓𝑓 2𝑔𝑔 = 2 5 . 𝑄𝑄 = 𝐾𝐾𝑄𝑄2 = 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙
𝐷𝐷 𝑔𝑔𝜋𝜋 𝐷𝐷
𝑲𝑲
𝑉𝑉 2 𝑄𝑄2 8𝐾𝐾
ℎ𝑣𝑣 = 𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣 2𝑔𝑔 = 𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣 𝜋𝜋2 𝐷𝐷4
= 𝑔𝑔𝜋𝜋2𝐷𝐷𝑣𝑣 4 . 𝑄𝑄2 = 𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙
2𝑔𝑔 16
𝑲𝑲𝒗𝒗 ′

𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣 = 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐

(𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴 +ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 )
(𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴 +ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 ) = (𝐾𝐾 + 𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣′ )𝑄𝑄2 𝑄𝑄 = Discharge corresponding to hres.
𝐾𝐾+𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣′
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 (𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴 +ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 )
By applying the energy eqn we obtained discharge expression 𝑄𝑄 =
𝐾𝐾+𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣′
(𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴 +ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 )
When the valve is fully open 𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣′ = 0 , 𝑄𝑄 =
𝐾𝐾
Some observations:

[1] For a full reservoir, ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 = ℎ𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 Q = 𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

(𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴 +ℎ𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 )
𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = : Maximum discharge that may occur in the pipeline is
𝐾𝐾
also called the system capacity.

[2] For an empty reservoir, ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 = 0 𝑄𝑄 = 𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖

𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 is the minimum flow rate which will still pressurize the pipe, in other words, it
is the minimum flow rate for a full pipe flow.

𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴
𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
𝐾𝐾

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Some remarks:

i) If Q > 𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 , then, there is a spill over the reservoir. 𝑄𝑄𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 = 𝑄𝑄 − 𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚

ii) If 𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 < 𝑄𝑄 < 𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 , then 0 < ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 < ℎ𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 ,

iii) If Q < 𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 , then the reservoir is empty and inflow is not sufficient to keep the
pipe pressurized, so free surface flow occurs through the pipe. In other words,
the water will not fill the whole cross section of the pipe. In this case, to prevent
free flow the valve is partially closed such that

(𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴 +ℎ𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 )
𝑄𝑄 =
𝐾𝐾 + 𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣′

-When valve is completely closed 𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣′ ∞ ,Q=0

-Opening of the valve reduces 𝐾𝐾𝑣𝑣′ , producing the desired flowrate.

METU Civil Engineering Department CE 372 HYDROMECHANICS

Example 2.14: Consider the reservoir-pipe system given below, with the following values.
Reservoir depth hmax=5m, zA=5m, L=2000m, D=0.8m, f=0.02
Q
Determine: Q=Qma
a) The system capacity, Qmax. A x
hmax
b) Minimum flowrate, Q0. hres
Q0<Q<Qmax
c) Spill flowrate, if Q=1.2m3/s.
Q=Q0
Solution: d) Valve loss, hv, if Q=0.5m3/s. ZA
B
Datum
valve
Energy equation between A and B with only friction losses (valve is fully open) yields:
(𝑍𝑍𝐴𝐴 +ℎ𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 ) 8fL
𝑄𝑄𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 = where K= = 10.09
𝐾𝐾 gπ 2 D 5
1/ 2
a)  5+5 
Q max =  ≅ 1 .0 m 3 / s
 10 . 09 
1/ 2 1/ 2
Z   5 
b) Q = A =  ≅ 0.70 m 3 / s
min  K   10.09 

c) Qspill = Q − Q max = 0.20 m3 / s

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 d) The magnitude of the valve loss depends on the depth of water we
want to keep in the reservoir.
• If we want to maintain a water depth of 2 m, then hres= 2 m., then:
• HA=HB+hfAB+hV where HB≈0, hfAB=KQ2

• HA=hres+ zA = 2 + 5 = 7 m.

• 7=10.09Q2+hV hV=7-10.09(0.5)2 = 4.48 m

• Or the minimum value of the valve loss will be obtained when hres=0

hres + z A = hV + KQ in2 ⇒ hV ≥ z A − KQ in2

hV ≥ 5 − 10.09.(0.5)2 hV ≥ 2.48 m

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