Plot 70, Goede Hoop Ave

Doornkloof East, Centurion

Postnet Suite 51, Private Bag X8
Elarduspark, 0047
Tel:+27 11 316 0077
Fax:+27 11 316 0066

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Pump Station Design
1.1 Flow losses in pipes
Pipe head loss factor in [m] due to pipe friction:

2
2
f
fLV
h
gd
=
Where f is friction factor
The friction factor is dependent on the mode of flow in the pipe, e.g. lamellar flow or turbulent flow.
The mode of flow is determined by the Reynolds number for the flow.
The Reynolds number:
Re
d
Vd

= or alternatively Re
d
Vd
v
=
Where is the density, the viscosity and v the kinematic viscosity of the fluid (see
pg.810, Fluid Mechanics, Frank M. White)
The density, viscosity and kinematic viscosity of water at 20C are

3
3 2
6 2
998
1.003 10
1.005 10
w
w
w
kg m
N s m
m s

=
=
=

The flow in the pipe is lamellar when Re 2300
d
s and turbulent when Re 4000
d
> .
The friction factor for the lamellar region:

64
Re
lam
d
f =
The friction factor in the lamellar region is independent on the surface roughness of the pipe walls.
The friction factor for the turbulent region:

1 2 1 2
1 2.51
2.0log
3.7 Re
d
d
f f
c | |
= +
|
\ .

This formula was used to plot the Moody chart on pg. 366, Fluid Mechanics, Frank M. White.
ERTEC (Pty) Ltd [T]+27 11 316 0077|[F]+27 11 316 0066

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Where c is the surface roughness of the material inside the pipe diameter in [m]. Typical values of
surface roughness can be found on pg. 367, Fluid Mechanics, Frank M. White.
The surface roughness of commercial steel can be taken as
0.046
steel
mm c = and as
2
rust
mm c = for rusted steel.