Turbulent Flow in Circular Pipes

1.Derive the formula for friction factor.

2.Able to use friction factor chart.
3.Calculate head and energy loss due to friction in pipes.

•Flow Profile
•Major Loss
•Minor Loss
 Turbulent Flow
•Most flow encountered in engineering practice are turbulent –
how turbulences affects wall shear stress

•Turbulent flow characterized by random and rapid fluctuations

of swirling regions of fluid (eddies) throughout the flow

•The swirling eddies transport mass, momentum and energy to

other regions of flow more rapidly from molecular diffusion –
higher values of friction, heat and mass transfer

•The chaotic fluctuations of fluid particles in turbulent flow play

a dominant role in pressure drop thus energy losses.
•These energy losses may be categorized into:

Major Losses: Minor Losses:

Due to friction Due to -sudden expansion
- sudden contraction
- bends
hL, total  hL, major  hL, minor - pipe fittings
- obstruction

Note: we are going to consider Newtonian fluid

 Fully Developed Pipe Flow
 Recall, for simple shear flows u=u(y), = 
du/dy where y is measured from wall

 Thus, in fully developed pipe flow,

= - du/dr where r is measured from centre
Laminar Turbulent

w w

w = shear stress at the wall,

acting on the fluid w,turbulent > w,laminar
 Turbulent flow along a wall consist of
4 regions – characterized by the
distance from the wall
1. Viscous/laminar/linear/wall
sublayer – very linear, flow is
streamlined
2. Buffer layer – flow is still dominated
by viscous effect
3. Overlap/transition layer – turbulent
effects more significant but not
Turbulent layer
dominant
Overlap layer 4. Outer/turbulent layer – turbulent
effects dominate over viscous effect
Buffer layer
Viscous sublayer
For non-rounded pipes, apply the
hydraulic diameter, Dh

Dh = 4(A)/P
A = cross-section area
P = wetted perimeter
where R = Shear Stress
 L ρu 2
ΔP  f
d 2
Where:
f = friction factor (Darcy friction factor, Moody Chart)
L = pipe length, m
d = pipe diameter, m
u = average flow velocity, m/s
g = acceleration of gravity, m/s2
The friction factor in fully developed turbulent pipe flow depends
on the Reynolds number and the relative roughness

Value of ε is determined experimentally by using artificially

roughened surfaces (by gluing sand grains in the inner of pipes) –
by Prandtl’s student.

Friction factor was calculated from the measurements of flow rate

and pressure drop.
Colebrook equation:
Observations from Moody chart:

For laminar flow, f ↓ with ↑ Re; independent of surface

roughness.

f – minimum for smooth pipe & ↑ with roughness.

Transition region – shaded area.

>> Re – the line is nearly horizontal thus making it

independent of Re
CHART A: Pipe friction chart 𝛷Re2 versus Re for various values of e/d

where, 𝛷Re2 =
Example – Frictional Losses
A pipe of 0.5 m diameter and 1200 m long is used to deliver an oil
of density 950 kg/m3 and viscosity 0.01 Ns/m2 at 0.4 m3/s.
If the roughness of the pipe surface is 0.5 mm, determine the
pressure drop due to frictional losses across this pipeline.

The same pipeline is used to deliver a second oil of density 980

kg/m3 and viscosity 0.02 Ns/m2 to the refinery. If the same
pressure drop is to be maintained for optimum operation,
determine the required volumetric flow rate of the second oil in
the pipe.
Fluid in piping system passes through various fittings,
valves, bends, elbows, tees, inlets, exits, enlargements
and contractions.

These components interrupt the smooth flow of the

fluid inducing flow separation and mixing which cause
additional losses.

In a long pipe system, these losses are minor compared

to the total head loss in the pipes.
When the pipe diameter increases abruptly, the fluid
experience “shock”.
This causes the formation of eddies and some energy is
lost due to increased local turbulence.
This head loss can be evaluated using the continuity,
momentum and energy principles.

v1 v2
A1 P1 P2 A2
Area of
smaller pipe Area of
1 Eddies 2 larger pipe
 v1 v2
A1 P1 P2 A2
Area of
smaller pipe Area of
1 Eddies 2 larger pipe

Applying Bernoulli’s equation between section 1 & 2 and taking

horizontal axis as the datum;

Where hL is the energy loss due to sudden expansion. Rearranging

the above equation;

A
Consider Net Force acting on the liquid in the control volume in the
direction of flow:

Fx = P1A1 + P’(A2 – A1) – P2A2

Where P’ is the pressure of the liquid eddies on the area (A2 – A1)
Experimentally P’ = P1
Fx = P1A1 + P1(A2 – A1) – P2A2
= P1A2– P2A2 = A2(P1 – P2) B
Consider Momentum of liquid per second at 1
= mass/sec x velocity = ρA1v1 x v12 = ρA1v12
Consider Momentum of liquid per second at 2 = ρA2v22
Change of Momentum per second = ρA2v22 - ρA1v12
From Continuity equation: A1v1  A2 v2
A2 v2
A1 
v1
𝐴2 𝑣2 2
Change of momentum per second = 𝜌𝐴2 𝑣22 − 𝜌 𝑣1
𝑣1
= 𝜌𝐴2 𝑣22 − 𝜌𝐴2 𝑣1 𝑣2

C
Net force on the control volume in the direction of flow must be
equal to the rate of change of momentum, i.e, B = C

D
Substitute D in A: v22  v1v2 v12  v22
hL  
g 2g
From continuity equation
A1v1  A2 v2
A1v1
v2 
A2

where k

= loss coefficient
Example – Sudden Expansion
1. Crude oil flows through a 100 mm diameter pipe at a rate of 40 L/s. If the pipe
suddenly enlarges to 200 mm, estimate the head loss due to this abrupt change
of section.

2. In an experimental set-up shown in Figure 1 is to measure the shock losses due to

sudden expansion, the following observations were made:
d1 = 10 mm, d2 = 20 mm
Water volumetric flowrate, Q =5 L/min

20 mm of water column

Figure 1
Determine the loss coefficient, K and compare it with the theoretical value.
Consider an abrupt contraction of a pipe from are A1 to A2 as
shown below:
1 2
x

v1 v2
Ax
A1 A2
The flow converges up to the vena contracta.
After Ax a sudden enlargement takes place. The loss of head due
to sudden contraction is actually due to sudden enlargement
between x to 2. Since,

thus,
From continuity equation

and thus

k , loss coefficient =
A1/A2 is between 0.1 and 1
Example – Sudden Contraction
A horizontal pipe of diameter 500 mm is suddenly contracted
to a diameter of 250 mm. The pressure in the larger and
smaller pipe are 13.734 x 104 Pa and 11.772 x 104 Pa
respectively. Determine the head loss due to contraction if Cc =
0.62. Then calculate the volumetric flow rate of fluid (water) in
the pipeline.
A poorly designed inlet to a pipe can cause an appreciable head
loss.
Various common inlet conditions:

k = 0.5 k = 0.8 k = 0.01

For a sharp entrance, provided the pipe does not protrude into
the reservoir:
A pumping system will have connections which change
the size and direction of the pipe
Pipe fittings such as valves and elbows
constrict/change the flow direction cause additional
losses
These losses are expressed as equivalent to the friction
loss in a specific length of straight pipe of the same
diameter
The equivalent lengths expressed as a ratio to the pipe
diameter for typical fittings as shown on the next table
Alternatively, the losses due to valves and fittings can be
expressed as:
Pipes in series or compound pipes:
X

1 H
2
Y
3

Where:
D1, D2, D3 = diameter of pipe 1, 2 & 3 respectively.
L1, L2, L3 = length of pipe 1, 2 & 3 respectively.
v1, v2, v3 = velocity of fluid through pipe 1, 2 & 3 respectively.
f1, f2, f3 = friction factor for pipe 1, 2 & 3 respectively.
H = difference of fluid level in the two tanks.
Q = A 1 v1 = A 2 v2 = A 3 v3
Difference of fluid level in both tanks = sum of various head losses in the pipes

Various head losses:

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)
Various head losses:

1) hi =

2) hf1 =

3) hc =

4) hf2 =

5) henlarge =

6) hf3 =

7) hexit =

H = hi + hf1 + hc + hf2 + henlarge + hf3 + hexit

If minor losses are neglected: H = hf1 + hf2 + hf3

Example a):
Two (2) reservoirs with a difference in elevation of 15 m are
connected by three (3) pipes in series. The pipes are as
following:
Pipe 1 = 300 m long, 30 cm diameter, friction factor, f1 = 0.018
Pipe 2 = 150 m long, 20 cm diameter, friction factor, f2 = 0.020
Pipe 3 = 200 m long, 25 cm diameter, friction factor, f3 = 0.019

All contraction and expansion are sudden and the coefficient of

sudden contraction from pipe 1 to pipe 2 is taken as 0.24.

Determine the volumetric flow rate of the liquid.

Example b)

Three (3) pipes of diameter 300 mm, 200 mm and 400 mm and length
450 m, 255 m and 315 m respectively are connected in series. These
connected pipes are placed in between two (2) tanks. The difference
in water level in both tanks is 18 m. Determine the volumetric flow
rate if:

Friction factor, f1 = 0.03, f2 = 0.0312, f3 = 0.0288

for the following conditions:

i) Including the minor losses.

ii) Neglecting minor losses.
 Determine the
Calculate average Determine relative friction factor
velocity, Re to roughness from Moody
determine flow chart.
regime
f = ??

Calculate the pressure

drop
Calculate the head loss
hL, total  hL, major  hL, minor L ρu 2
ΔP  f
d 2