School of Civil Engineering & Built Environment

Department of Civil Engineering Technology

Doornfontein Campus

HYDRAULICS 2A
(HYDCIA2)

CLASS EXAMPLES 5:
PIPE FLOW
(April 2024)

QUESTION 1

Water flows out of a tank through a siphon formed by a bent pipe ACB, 30 mm in diameter. The
water in the tank is 2.2 m deep and the inlet of the pipe, A, is 0.45 m above the bottom of the tank.
The length of the pipe AC is vertical and is 8.5 m long while CB is 22.5 m long. The pipe
discharges into the atmosphere at B which is 5 m below the water level in the tank. The inlet and
outlet losses are equivalent to v2/2g and 1.5v2/2g respectively, (where v is velocity in the pipe) and
roughness size of the siphon pipe, k = 0.034 mm.

a) Determine the flow rate in the pipe. [1.41 l/s]

b) If the vapour pressure in the water is 2.4 kPa absolute, determine whether cavitation maybe a
problem in the pipe. Take the local atmospheric pressure to be 101 kPa.
[What do you think?]

QUESTION 2

A community is to be supplied with 6250 m3/d of water through a pipeline 6 km long. The
elevation of the delivery point is 12.6 m above the water source. It is expected that through this
pipe, the pressure loss due to friction should be limited to a maximum of 157.0 kPa. Pipes available
for use are in the increment of 10 mm and have a Manning’s coefficient of n = 0.016. With
reasonable assumptions, determine the minimum pipe size that can be used to deliver the water.
[380 mm]

QUESTION 3

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Two tanks A and C containing water with a difference in water level of 3 m are connected by a
pipeline ABC. Pipe AB is made up of steel (commercial) and is 100 mm in diameter. This pipe
joins Tank A at 1.5 m below the water surface. The pipe runs horizontally for 30 m to node B.
Pipe BC, on the other hand, is made up of cast iron and is 150 mm in diameter. This pipe runs a
distance of 24 m long before it discharges into tank C at 0.9 m below water level in the tank C.
making proper assumptions where necessary, determine:

a) Discharge flowing in the pipes, AB and BC. [ 0.026 m3/s ]

b) Absolute pressure at B if the local atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa. [ 82.94 kPa ]

QUESTION 4

Two reservoirs with a water surface level difference of 20 m are connected by a 500 mm pipe that
is 6 km long. What will be the discharge when a cast iron pipe is used? What will be the percentage
increase or decrease in the discharge if the cast iron pipe is replaced with a galvanized iron pipe?
Neglect all minor losses. [0.274 m3/s, 6.3%]

QUESTION 5

A section of a water supply pipe network is as shown in Fig. 5.2 below. The flow direction in the network
is from A to D with no backward flow at any junction. It is required by regulations that the minimum
allowable pressure anywhere in the line must be 2.5 bars at all time. All the information you may require
is provided in Table 5.1 below. Taking all minor losses to be negligible,

a) Determine the pressure at A. [0]

b) With appropriate horizontal and vertical scales, sketch the hydraulic grade line (HGL) with all
values labelled clearly. Use the graph paper and the Moody Chart.

Table 5.1: Pipe information

Pipe name Pipe material Length Diameter

(m) (mm)
AB Cast iron 900 350
BC Galvanized iron 500 200
CD Commercial steel 1200 150

q2 = 0.0130 m3/s
Q = 0.0500 m3/s
EL = 220.0 m EL = 210.0 m

EL = 241.55 m EL = 230.0 m

q3 = ?
3
q1 = 0.0250 m /s

Fig. 5.2

Property of Civil Engineering Technology Prepared by Dr G.K. Nkhonjera

QUESTION 6

Two reservoirs (Fig 6.3) whose water surface levels differ by 30 m, are connected by a pipe 600 mm in
diameter and 3 km long. The pipeline crosses a ridge whose summit is 4.5 m above the level of, and 300
m distant from, the higher reservoir. If the absolute pressure in the pipe is not to fall below 3 m of water
absolute, determine the following:

a) Discharge in the pipe. [ 763 l/s ]

b) Minimum pipe cover as the pipe crosses the ridge. [ 1.5 m ]
(Consider the atmospheric pressure and roughness size of the pipe to be 76 cm of mercury and k = 0.26
mm respectively).

Summit of a
ridge
C

Tank A

Tank B

Fig. 6.3 Q

QUESTION 7

Two large water reservoirs, of which the surface levels differ by 10 m, are 600 m apart.
Considering a PVC pipe in all cases, calculate the quantity of water flowing between the reservoirs
in each of the following cases: (Minor losses are negligible).

(a) If they are connected by a single pipe, having a diameter of 300 mm for the first 300m,
and a diameter of 200mm for the remaining 300m. [0.122 m3/s]

(b) If they are connected by a pipe of diameter 300 mm for the first 300 m, branching, for
the remaining 300 m, into two parallel pipes one with a diameter of 200 mm and the
other with a diameter of 250 mm. [0.257 m3/s]

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QUESTION 8

The diagram below (Fig. 8.4) shows part of a pipe network conveying water at a rate of 0.6 m3/s
under pressure from A towards D. At B the flow diverts into two parallel pipes joining again at C.
The length and diameters of the various pipes are indicated on the diagram. If friction coefficient,
f, is assumed to be 0.032 for all pipes,

(a) Find the head loss due to friction between A and D. [59.5 m]

(b) Find the pressure at D if the pressure at A is 1000 kPa and point A is situated 20 m
lower than D. [220.0 kPa]

(c) What should be the actual diameter of a single pipe from B to C such that it replaces
the existing two pipes given that the length of this pipe is to be 1 km. [509 mm]

Fig. 8.4

ALL THE BEST TO YOU ALL!!!

Property of Civil Engineering Technology Prepared by Dr G.K. Nkhonjera