Pipe Size Optimization for Carbon and Stainless Steel Pipes

This spreadsheet is designed to utilize the "Solver" within Microsoft Excel 97 or higher. Be sure to activate the macro
when opening this sheet. The macro is designed to enable the solver automatically. Click on the worksheets marked
"Carbon Steel" or "Stainless Steel" at the bottom of this page. Enter the information in the yellow cells and click on
"Calculate". The spreadsheet will calculate the economic optimum pipe diameter and velocity for your system. The only
inputs needed are the fluid's viscosity, density, and the flowrate. Easy as can be!
The algorithm within this spreadsheet is based upon research performed by the following people and published in the
May 1999 issue of Chemical Engineering magazine:
Alejandro Anaya Durand
Jorge Arroyo Boy
Joaquin Lastra Corral
Luis Ojeda Berra
Jose Suarez Trueba
Pedro Villalon Brena
The article entitled "Updated Rules for Pipe Sizing" can be found on pages 153-156. Derivation and a more in-depth
analysis of this algorithm can be found in this resource.
Chris (author of The Chemical Engineers' Resource Page)
Pipe Size Optimization for Carbon Steel Pipes
Enter data into yellow cells and click on "Calculate"
Flowrate (gpm) = 1000
Fluid Density (lb/ft
3
) = 62.4
Fluid Vicosity (cP) = 1
Economical Diameter (in) = 3.70898
Economical Diameter (ft) = 0.309082
Economical Velocity (ft/s) = 4.319428
Calculated Flowrate (gpm) = 145.4603
***Compliments of The Chemical Engineers' Resource Page at www.cheresources.com
Calculate
Pipe Size Optimization for Stainless Steel Pipes
Enter data into yellow cells and click on "Calculate"
Flowrate (gpm) = 1000
Fluid Density (lb/ft
3
) = 62.4
Fluid Vicosity (cP) = 1
Economical Diameter (in) = 5.505988
Economical Diameter (ft) = 0.458832
Economical Velocity (ft/s) = 13.47473
Calculated Flowrate (gpm) = 1000
***Compliments of The Chemical Engineers' Resource Page at www.cheresources.com
Calculate