18/03/2019 Pipeline Head Loss Calculation Process - Engineered Software Knowledge Base - Global Site
Pages / … / General Theory and Equations
Pipeline Head Loss Calculation Process
Created by Product Engineer, last modified on Aug 29, 2014
Note: This knowledge base ar cle provides a detailed example of how to calculate the head loss in a pipeline. It is for a
Pumps and Systems ar cle en tled Looking at the Parts. The first page describes the process, the remaining pages work
through the example presented in the Pumps and System ar cle.in
Problem Descrip on: (Insert a descrip on of the pipeline including pipe material, fluid proper es, valves & fi ngs and
flow rate).
1. Assemble design data
1. Fluid Reference:
Name: Units
Temperature:
Density:
Viscosity:
2. Pipe Material Reference:
Material: Units
Schedule:
Nominal Size:
Inside diameter:
Roughness:
3. Valves & Fi ngs Reference:
Name: Method K – L/D - Cv
2. Select Engineering Units
Variable Units
Flow rate: v/m
Distance:
Pipe ID:
Temperature:
Pressure:
3. Calculate the Reynolds per TP-410 Equa on 6-3
4. Calculate the rela ve roughness of the pipe (e/d)
5. Look up Darcy Fric on Factor on the Moody diagram (TP-410 A-25)
6. Calculate head loss for pipe (TP-410 Equa on 6-8)
7. Calculate K value for valves and fi ng (TP-410 A-27 to 30)
8. Calculate head loss for valves & fi ng (TP-410 Equa on 6-22)
9. Calculate head loss for pipeline
Pipeline Head Loss Calculation Process Example:
This Calcula on Process steps one through the mul -step process needed to calculate the head loss in pipelines
transpor ng Newtonian fluids.
Problem Descrip on:
Calculate the head loss in a 50 long steel schedule 40 pipe with a nominal size of 16 inches. The pipeline is passing
4,000 gpm of fluid with a density of 62 lb/ 3 and a viscosity of .68 cP. The pipeline has two gate valves along with a
sharp edge entrance from a tank into a pipeline
1. Assemble design data
a. Fluid Reference: Proper es provided
kb.eng-software.com/display/ESKB/Pipeline+Head+Loss+Calculation+Process 1/3
18/03/2019 Pipeline Head Loss Calculation Process - Engineered Software Knowledge Base - Global Site
Name: Unknown Units
Temperature: Unknown °F
Density: 62 lb/ 3
Viscosity: .68 cP
2. Pipe Material Reference: TP-410 B-13 to 16
Material: Steel Units
Schedule: 40
Nominal Size: 16
Inside diameter: 15.0 in
Roughness: .0018 in
Length: 50
3. Valves & Fi ngs Reference: TP-410 A-27 to 30
(Turbulent fric on factor) .016
Name: Count Coefficient Method K – L/D - Cv
Gate 2 8 L/D
Sharp edge entrance 1 .5 K
2. Select Engineering Units
Variable Nomenclature Units
Flow rate: v/m Q gpm
Distance: L
Pipe ID: d in
Temperature: t °F
Pressure: P lb/in 2 g
Density: ρ lb/ 3
Viscosity µ cP
3. Calculate the Reynolds per TP-410 Equa on 6-3
4. Calculate the rela ve roughness of the pipe (e/d)
5. Look up Darcy Fric on Factor on the Moody diagram (TP-410 A-25)
6. Calculate head loss for pipe (TP-410 Equa on 6-8)
7. Calculate K value for valves and fi ng (TP-410 A-27 to 30)
Turbulent fric on factor (TP-410 A-27) f t = .012
kb.eng-software.com/display/ESKB/Pipeline+Head+Loss+Calculation+Process 2/3
18/03/2019 Pipeline Head Loss Calculation Process - Engineered Software Knowledge Base - Global Site
Gate valve x 2 .012 x 8 x 2 .192
Sharp Entrance to pipe .5
Total .692
8. Calculate head loss for valves & fi ng (TP-410 Equa on 6-22)
9. Calculate head loss for pipeline:
kb.eng-software.com/display/ESKB/Pipeline+Head+Loss+Calculation+Process 3/3