BMM3521

ENGINEERING FLUID MECHANICS LAB

SECTION 03
TITLE: EXPERIMENT 03: DETERMINATION OF FRICTION LOSSES
IN PIPES

No.
1.

Contents

Page(s)

ABSTRACT

2.

BRIEF BACKGROUND

3.

OBJECTIVES

4.

EQUIQMENTS AND MATERIALS

5.

EXPERIMENT PROCEDURES

7 - 10

6.

RESULTS
(a) Straight Pipe
-Head Loss
-Volume Flow Rate
-Velocity
-Reynolds Number, Re
-Measured Friction Coefficient
-Calculated Friction Coefficient
-Calculated Head Loss

11 - 15

3
4-5

(b) Pipe Elbows and Bends

-Head Loss
-Volume Flow Rate
-Velocity
-Minor Loss Coefficient, K
-Reynolds Number, Re
-Calculated Friction Coefficient
- Measured Friction Coefficient
-Calculated Head Loss
Head Loss vs. Velocity Graph
Pipe Coefficient of Friction vs. Reynolds
Number Graph1
SAMPLE CALCULATIONS

7.

QUESTIONS

16 - 17

8.

DISCUSSIONS

17

9.

CONCLUSION

17

10.

REFERENCES

17

ABSTRACT
This report was written in order to fullfill the requirement of subject of Engineering Fluids
Mechanics Laboratory (BMM 3521). As this is the third experiment that conducted by us, the
title of the experiment is Determination of friction losses on pipes. Closed circuit of any
cross-section used for flow of liquid is known as apipe. In hydraulics, generally, pipes are
assumed to be running full and ofcircular cross section. Liquids flowing through pipes are
encountered withfrictional resistance resulting in loss of head or energy of liquids.

BRIEF BACKGROUND
Pipe flow under pressure is used for a lot of purpose. A fundamental understanding of fluid
flow is essential to almost every industry related with chemical engineering. In the chemical
and manufacturing industries, large flow networks are necessary to achieve continuous
tranport of products and raw materials from different processing units. This requires a detailed
understanding of fluid flow in pipes. Energy input to the gas or liquid is needed to make it
flow through the pipe. This energy input is needed because there is frictional to energy loss
(also called frictional head loss or frictional pressure drop) due to the friction between the
fluid and the pipe wall and internal friction within the fluid. In pipe flow substantial energy is
lost due to frictional resistances.
One of the most common problems in fluid mechanics is the estimation of this pressure
loss. Calculating pressure losses is necessary for determining the appropriate size pump.
Knowledge of the magnitude of frictional losses is of great importance because it determines
the power requirements of the pump forcing the fluid through the pipe. For example, in
refining and petrochemical industries, these losses have to be calculated accurately to
determine where booster pumps have to be placed when pumping crude oil or other fluid in
pipes to distances thousands of kilometres away.
Pipe losses in a piping system result from a number of system characteristics, which
include among others; pipe friction, changes in direction of flow, obstruction on flow path,
and sudden or gradual changes in the cross-section and shape of flow path.

Resistance to flow in a pipe

When a fluid flows through a pipe, the internal roughness of the pipe wall can create local
eddy currents within the fluid adding a resistance to flow of the fluid. The velocity profile in a
pipe will show that the fluid elements in the center of the pipe will move at a higher speed
than those closer to the wall. Therefore friction will occur between layers within the fluid.
This movement of fluid elements relative to each other is associated with pressure drop,
called frictional losses. Pipes with smooth walls such as glass, copper, brass and polyethylene
have only a small effect on the frictional resistance. Pipes with less smooth walls such as
concrete, cast iron and steel will create larger eddy currents which will sometimes have a
significant effect on the frictional resistance. Rougher the inner wall of the pipe, more will be
the pressure loss due to friction.
4

As the average velocity increases, pressure losses increase. Velocity is directly related to flow
rate.
Velocity=Volumetric flow rate /Cross sectional area of the pipe
An increase or decrease in flow rate will result in a corresponding increase or
decrease in velocity. Smaller pipe causes a greater proportion of the liquid to be in contact
with the pipe, which creates friction. Pipe size also affects velocity. Given a constant flow
rate, decreasing pipe size increases the velocity, which increases friction. The friction losses
are cumulative as the fluid travels through the length of pipe. The greater the distance, the
greater the friction losses will be. Fluids with a high viscosity will flow more slowly and will
generally not support eddy currents and therefore the internal roughness of the pipe will have
no effect on the frictional resistance. This condition is known as laminar flow.
The Reynolds number expresses the ratio of inertial (resistant to change or motion) forces to
viscous forces.

Where D is the diameter of the pipe

is the density of fluid
V is the average velocity of the fluid
is the viscosity of fluid.
The Reynolds number can be written in terms of kinematic viscosity

The Reynolds number is important in analyzing any type of flow when there is
substantial velocity gradient (i.e. shear.) It indicates the relative significance of the
viscous effect compared to the inertia effect.
The flow is
laminar when Nre < 2100
transient when 2100 < Nre < 4000
5

 turbulent when 4000 < Nre

OBJECTIVE
1) To design complete measurement technique for fluid flow and determine major and
minor losses in different piping system.
2) To investigate the velocity for different diameters of pipe.

EQUIQMENTS AND MATERIALS

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

Pipe friction apparatus

Sensors
Personal Computer with DasyLab
Data Acquisition System
National Instrument Equipment (NI)

Pipe friction apparatus.

PROCEDURE
a) Straight Pipe
1. The pipe friction apparatus were checked to make sure the apparatus were in a
good condition so that any error in the result can be minimize.
2. The strain gauge sensors connected to the National Instrument (NI9219) were
fitted to the pipe.
3. The flow sensor were connected to the National Instrument (NI9201).
4. The National Instrument were make sure that it is connected to the computer with
DasyLab setup.
5. The voltage generated by the flow sensor were converted into frequency using
DasyLab.
6. The volume flow rate were determined manually by measuring the time taken of
water to fill up 5 Litres. The step were repeated 5 times using different speed of
the water flow.
7. The graph of volume flow rate versus frequency was plotted in Microsoft Excel in
order to obtain synchronized values of a and b for the DasyLab setup.
8. The strain gauge sensors were calibrated with value a and b that were written in it.
9. The scaling process were done in the DasyLab before the pipe friction apparatus
were operated to reduce any error in the digital meter reading.
10. Again, the scaling process were done after the pipe friction apparatus were
operated to eliminate any error in the DasyLab digital meter reading.
11. The pressure differences between the inlet and outlet pipe were obtained using
DasyLab digital meter.
12. The velocity, measured and calculated head loss, measured and calculated pipe
coefficient of friction and Reynolds number were obtain using the Formula
Interpreter in the DasyLab.
13. The result were recorded and tabulated.

b) Pipe Elbow, 450 Pipe and Pipe Bends

1. Step 1 to 10 in the straight pipe friction experiment were repeated for this
experiment.
2. The pressure differences between the inlet and outlet of pipe elbow, 45o pipe
and pipe bends were obtained using DasyLab digital meter.
3. The velocity, measured and calculated head loss, measured and calculated pipe
coefficient of friction ,Reynolds number and minor loss friction were obtain
using the Formula Interpreter in the DasyLab for pipe elbow, 45o pipe and pipe
bend.
4. The result were recorded and tabulated.

Procedure of Setup Virtual Instrument Software

Click open the NI-DAQ system software and click data neighborhood and create new task.
Then Analog Input were selected according the sensors that we were using (strain).

The channels a2 and a3 which is connected to the National Instrument were selected.

Then, the value of gauge factor and gage resistance which is 2.11 and 119.5 respectively were
inserted. Then, the Quarter Bridge 1 were selected at strain configurations.

The voltage input were added for flow sensor. Then, the button Run were clicked and the data
were saved.

The DasyLab were set up as shown in the figure. Input 0 is for the flow rate measurement,
Input 1 is for the pressure head 1(head loss 1) measurement and Input 2 is for the pressure 2
measurement (head loss 2).
After the setup were finished, the measurement button were clicked and hardware setup were
selected, then NI-DAQmx selected and finally synchronise with max configuration.
Finally, the setup were run and the data were collected.

10

RESULTS
Straight Pipe
Length of pipe, l=800 mm
PVC pipe internal diameter = 20 mm
PVC pipe outside diameter = 23 mm
Volume
Head
Flow
loss, m
rate, m3/s

Measured
friction
coefficien
t

Velocity
m/s

Reynolds
number,
Re

0.091
0.124
0.137
0.151
0.168
0.198

0.6154
0.2451
0.2035
0.1872
0.1371
0.0998

0.2577
0.3258
0.4362
0.4583
0.5474
0.6335

4891
5146
5741
8983
10732
12644

0.0758
0.0785
0.0794
0.0795
0.0809
0.0821

Calculate
d
coefficien
t of
friction
0.0491
0.0375
0.0320
0.0307
0.0301
0.0296

Calculate
d head
loss, m

Calculate
d
coefficien
t of
friction
0.0243
0.0367
0.0451
0.0498
0.0544
0.0646

Calculate
d head
loss, m

0.0071
0.0118
0.0127
0.0134
0.0170
0.0240

Elbow Pipe
Length of elbow pipe = 203 mm
Volume
Head
Flow
loss, m
rate, m3/s

Measured
friction
coefficien
t

Velocity
m/s

Reynolds
number,
Re

0.211
0.226
0.248
0.317
0.329
0.344

0.0425
0.0463
0.0486
0.0531
0.0564
0.0592

0.6321
0.6642
0.6859
0.7238
0.7580
0.7981

5452
6243
6651
7845
8079
8570

0.0861
0.0869
0.0884
0.0925
0.0946
0.0961

11

0.0067
0.0070
0.0073
0.0085
0.0094
0.0116

Bend Pipe
Lengths of bend pipe = 322 mm
Volume
Head
Flow rate, loss, m
m3/s
0.211
0.226
0.248
0.317
0.329
0.344

0.0724
0.0735
0.0752
0.0769
0.0778
0.0783

Measured
friction
coefficien
t
0.3402
0.3631
0.3750
0.3921
0.4210
0.4355

Velocity
m/s

Reynolds
number,
Re

0.6321
0.6642
0.6859
0.7238
0.7580
0.7981

5452
6243
6651
7845
8079
8570

Velocity
m/s

Reynolds
number,
Re

0.6321
0.6642
0.6859
0.7238
0.7580
0.7981

5452
6243
6651
7845
8079
8570

Calculate
d
coefficient
of friction
0.0243
0.0367
0.0451
0.0498
0.0544
0.0646

Calculate
d head
loss, m

Calculate
d
coefficient
of friction
0.0243
0.0367
0.0451
0.0498
0.0544
0.0646

Calculate
d head
loss, m

0.0125
0.0148
0.0169
0.0231
0.0266
0.0283

45o Angle Pipe

Length of angle 45 pipe = 247 mm
Volume
Head
Flow rate, loss, m
m3/s
0.211
0.226
0.248
0.317
0.329
0.344

0.0710
0.0728
0.0745
0.0760
0.0774
0.0781

Measured
friction
coefficien
t
0.3321
0.3365
0.3410
0.3448
0.3660
0.3821

12

0.0078
0.0126
0.0144
0.0168
0.0188
0.0216

Head Loss vs. Velocity Graph

Head loss vs Velocity

0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06

Head Loss

0.04

Calculated Head Loss

0.02

Measured Head Loss

Pipe Coefficient of Friction vs. Reynolds Number Graph

13

Pipe coefficient of friction vs. Reynolds Numbers

0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
Pipe Coefficient 0.3
0.2

Measured coefficient
Calculated Coefficient

0.1
0

Total loss ;

H Loss= H major

losses

Total Loss = (0.0785+0.0790+0.0779+0.0786+0.0804+0.0817)

= 0.4761m

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS
These are the sample calculations for our result obtained shown in result part.
Straight Pipe
Volume Flow Rate,

Q=

Volume of water
time

14

5 0.001
61.31

=0.000092 m3/s
Flow Speed,

V=

4Q
d2

=4(0.000082)/(20x10-3)2
=0.2579 m/s
Assuming that the water is at room temperature, Troom=20C
Density of water, p=1000kg/m3
Dynamics Viscosity, = 1.00210-3
Re

vd

Reynolds Number,
= (1000) (0.2578) (20x10-3)/ 1.00210-3
=4920
(

For Calculated, using Colebrook Equation,

5.74
+
)
3.7 D 0.9
log

0.25
f=

Roughness of pipe PVC,=0mm (smooth)

= 0.25/(log (5.74/(49200.9)2)
=0.0420
For Measured,

f=

2hdg
l v2

=2(0.0476) (20 x10-3) (9.81)/ (0.8) (0.25782)

=0.5794

15

fl v
Head Loss for calculation, hloss= 2 dg
= (0.0375) (0.8) (0.25782) / 2 (0.02)(9.81)
= 0.0051m
Measured Head loss = h1- h2
= 0.2938-0.2153= 0.0785m

Pipe Elbow 450 Pipe and Pipe Bends

Volume Flow Rate, Q=0.211

Flow Speed,

V=

10-3

4Q
2
d

= 4( 0.211 10-3 )/(0.022)

= 0.672m/s
Assuming that the water is at room temperature, Troom=20C
Density of water, p=1000kg/m3
Dynamics Viscosity, = 1.002 x10-3
Re

vd

Reynolds Number,
= (1000) (0.672) (0.02)/ 1.002 x10-3
= 5440
Pipe Coefficient of Friction
(

Using Colebrook Equation,

5.74
+ 0.9 )
3.7 D
log

0.25
f=

16

Roughness of pipe PVC, =0mm (smooth)

= 0.25/(log (5.74/(54400.9)2)
=0.0340
For Measured,

f=

2hdg
l v2

=2(0.0866) (20 x10-3) (9.81)/ (0.8) (0.6722)

=0.094

Minor Loss Coefficient, K= 2ghloss / v2

= 2 (9.81) (0.0068) / 0.6722 = 0.2954
QUESTION:
Explain how the strain gauge senses the pressure?
Strain gauges are sensing devices used in a variety of physical test and measurement
applications. They change resistance at their output terminals when stretched or compressed.
Because of this characteristic, the gauges are typically bonded to the surface of a solid
material and measure its minute dimensional changes when put in compression or tension. In
this experiment, the strain gauge convert the pressure detected by water inside the tube into
resistance. The value of resistance will produce potential different (voltage) with this DAQ
able to show this information in our computer and results obtained.
How can you connect the measuring devices to the DAQ?

We using an electrical wire to connect measuring devices with DAQ.

What would happen to the head loss if the diameter of the pipe is decreased?

Based on the formula, the head loss is inversely proportional to the diameter, h_L1/D
h_L=(fLV^2)/2Dg

17

If the inside diameter of the pipe is reduced, the flow area decreases, the velocity of the liquid
increases and the head loss due to friction increases. Hence, it can be conclude that when the
diameter of the pipe is decreased, the head loss will increase.

What would happen to the head loss if the length of the pipe is decreased?
Based on the formula, the head loss is directly proportional to the length, h_LL
h_L=(fLV^2)/2Dg

Head loss due to friction occurs all along a pipe. It will be constant for each foot of pipe at a
given flow rate. The published tables have head loss values which must be multiplied by the
total length of pipe. Hence, it can be conclude that when the length of the pipe is decreased,
the head loss will also decreased.

What are the two types of energy losses typically associated with pipe flow? What determines
which one will predominate as the most significant loss of head incurred by a fluid flowing
along a pipe?

The 2 types of energy head losses that associated with piping flow is minor head losses and
major head losses. If the length of pipe is long, the major head losses will predominates
whereas if the pipe shorter and have lots of turning, minor head loss will be predominates.
How can you find the values of minor loss coefficients from your experiment?
Based on the following formula, we able to find the coefficient of minor loss,
K_L=(h_L 2g)/V^2
From experiment we obtained, the h_L is the head loss in the piping system, g is 9.81
which is constant and V is average velocity.
Compare your critical Reynolds number with the theoretical value at which the transition
from laminar to turbulent flow occurs. What are the most significant reasons for the different
between the two?
Theoretically, critical Reynolds number is 2300. The Re number greater than 4000 consider
as turbulent flow. As all the result getting from our experiment is exceed 4000 Re number.
Hence, the water flow inside the pipe in our experiment is turbulent flow. The difference of
laminar flow is low velocity and highly orderly in motion. Turbulent flow is high velocity
flow, and it is highly disordered in motion.
18

DISCUSSION:
Through this experiment we able to conduct experiment with the help of measurement
instrument. By using Dasylab, we can collect the data such as flow rate, frequency, velocity,
pressure and etc. The major and minor head loss of piping system are able to calculate. But
the data displayed by DasyLab is not 100% accurate, because the data collected does not
include factor and error on our sensor and our system. In order to maximize our data accuracy,
we have to follow some precaution step during experiment.

CONCLUSION:
Based on the study, we are gain knowledge on how to explain the design of the piping system
that influences the result of the lab which affect the flow rate of the water through the pipe.
From our experiment result, we are able to explain the mechanics of fluid friction
phenomenon in pipes. Besides that, we able to learn how to use measurement instrument such
as Dasylab. With the data or electrical signal senses by strain gauges and flow sensor are
analysed and determined by using virtual instrumental software (DASYLab).All the
parameters formula key in into Dasylab software to generate all the data base. The parameters
are head loss, pipe friction coefficient, loss coefficient, Reynolds number and etc. Therefore at
the end of experiment, we can be minimized by proper selection of pipe sizes and fittings that
make up a system by using sensors and computer in future work.

REFERENCES:
http://www.sensorland.com/HowPage002a.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number
http://www.ni.com/getting-started/set-up-hardware/data-acquisition/current
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/total-pressure-loss-ducts-pipes-d_625.html
2nd edition of Fluids mechanics fundamental and application, Yunus A. Cengala and John M.
Cimbala,2008.

19