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HYDRAULIC DIAMETER

SUMMARY
Hydraulic mean diameter provides a method by which non-circular pipe
work and ducting may be treated as circular for the purpose of pressure
drop and fluid flow rate calculations. This article provides the equations
required to determine the hydraulic diameter for a range of non-circular
geometries.

1. DEFINITIONS
A : Area
B : Characteristic Length

C : Characteristic Length
D : Characteristic Diameter
Dh : Hydraulic Diameter
P : Wetted Perimeter
Rh : Hydraulic Radius
: Characteristic Angle (Radians)

2. INTRODUCTION
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The hydraulic diameter (aka hydraulic mean diameter) is used for a fluid
flowing in a pipe, duct or other conduit of any shape. This uses the
perimeter and the area of the conduit to provide the diameter of a pipe
which has proportions such that conservation of momentum is maintained.

The concept of the hydraulic diameter allows the use of relationships

developed for circular pipes with non-circular conduits. It works well for
turbulent flow where geometry is less important, but should not be used for
the laminar flow regime, which is influenced to a much higher degree by
conduit geometry.

3. CALCULATION OF HYDRAULIC DIAMETER

The hydraulic diameter is calculated as 4 times the flow area divided by the
wetted perimeter of the conduit.

A
Dh = 4
P

4. HYDRAULIC DIAMETER FOR SIMPLE GEOMETRIES

This list contains the hydraulic diameter for some simple shapes.

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Shape Dimensions Formula

Circle Dh = D

Square Dh = B

Rectangle
2BC
Dh =
B+C

B sin()
Isosceles Triangle Dh =
1 + sin(2)

Right Triangle
2BC
Dh =
B + C + (B 2 + C 2 )1/2

4BC(64 16E 2 )
Dh =
(B + C)(64 3E 4 )
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Ellipse
BC
E=
B+C

Circular Sector
2B
Dh =
1+

Annulus Dh = D2 D1

5. USAGE OF HYDRAULIC DIAMETER AND EQUIVALENT DIAMETER

5.1 Using the Hydraulic Diameter in Pressure Loss Calculations

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The hydraulic diameter may be used to determine the flow regime of a

flowing fluid by calculating Reynolds Number using the hydraulic diameter.
If the fluid is in the turbulent regime it may also be used to calculate the
friction factor which is subsequently used to calculate the pressure loss for
the system.

For the calculation of pressure loss and Reynolds Number the velocity
should be calculated by dividing the volumetric flow by the actual cross
sectional area of the flow path, and not by using the hydraulic diameter.

5.2 Equivalent Diameter

An alternative to the hydraulic diameter, called the equivalent diameter
was developed in 1948. The equivalent diameter aims to use empirically
determined relationships between non-circular geometries and the
equivalent diameter to achieve the same outcome as the hydraulic
diameter.

Current research (Koch, 2008) concludes that the equivalent diameter is a

poor approximation and should not be used for pressure loss calculations.

6. HYDRAULIC RADIUS
The hydraulic radius (Rh ) is often used for systems with free surface flows,
such as water in open channels, streams or rivers. In this case the hydraulic
radius is defined as the flow area divided by the wetted perimeter.

A
Rh =
P

This results in the potentially confusing situation where the hydraulic

diameter is not twice the hydraulic radius, but instead is 4 times the
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hudraulic radius.

Dh = 4Rh

7. FURTHER READING
1. Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook, Eighth Edition

2. Chemical Engineering Volume 1, Sixth Edition: Fluid Flow, Heat

Transfer and Mass Transfer (Coulson & Richardson's Chemical
Engineering)

Article Created: April 1, 2012

ARTICLE TAGS

Annulus Circle Elipse Fluid Flow Hydraulic Mean Diameter

Rectangle Reynolds Number Square Triangle

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