Determination of Pipe Friction Factor

Aerospace Engineering Department

1



















PIPE FRICTION APPARATUS



























Determination of Pipe Friction Factor

Aerospace Engineering Department
2
Exp. No :............
Date :............

DETERMINATION OF PIPE FRICTION FACTOR

Aim :
To determine the Friction Factor (f) of the given pipe.
Apparatus :
U tube manometer connected across a pipe line, Stop Watch, Collecting tank, etc.

Theory :
The experimental set up consists of two pipes of different diameters. The pipes are provided with
pressure-tapping at certain distance so that a U Tube manometer can be connected between them. The flow of
water through a pipeline is regulated by operating a control valve and the head loss between the two sections
can be measured. Actual discharge through pipe line is calculated by collecting the water in collecting tank and
by noting the time for collection.

Velocity of flow, V =
( )
a
t / AH
a
Q
=
Where,
A = Area of tank.
H = Height of water collected in tank.
t = Time required to collect the water up to a height H in the tank.
a = Area of pipe.
Q = Discharge through pipe.

For the flow of water through a horizontal pipe of uniform size, the total head of the fluid particle on a
stream line at any cross section 1 is given by Bernoullis theorem as,
( ) 1 Z
2g
V
g
p
1
2
1 1
+ +

At section 2, the total head of the fluid particle is again given by Bernoullis theorem as,
( ) 2 Z
2g
V
g
p
2
2
2 2
+ +
Equation (1) and (2) would be equal if there is no frictional loss in the pipe. Fluid friction results in loss of
energy of the fluid particle. By adding the term h
f
to equation (2) to account for loss of energy due to friction,
we get,
f 2
2
2 2
1
2
1 1
h Z
2g
V
g
p
Z
2g
V
g
p
+ + + = + +
Where p
1
and p
2
are pressures; V
1
and V
2
are velocities; Z
1
and Z
2
are the elevation of fluid particles at
section (1) and (2) respectively.
Determination of Pipe Friction Factor

Aerospace Engineering Department
3
For a horizontal pipe of uniform diameter, Z
1
= Z
2
and V
1
= V
2
Hence,
g
p p
h
2 1
f

=
h
f
is predicted by Darcy-Weisbach equation as,

d g 2
V l f
h
2
f
=
Where,
f = friction factor.
l = length of pipe.
V = Velocity of flow through pipe.
d = Diameter of pipe.
g = Acceleration due to gravity.

The difference in pressure head
|
|
.
|

\
|
g
p p
2 1
between the two sections (1) and (2) is determined by using a U-
tube manometer.

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

= 1

h
g
p p
h
w
m
m
2 1
f

Where,
m
= density of the manometric liquid.

w
= density of the fluid (water).
h
m
= manometric level difference in m of water.

Friction factor can also be found from the Moodys chart, if the surface roughness factor and the flow Reynolds
number are known.
The basic Moody chart plots DarcyWeisbach friction factor against Reynolds number for a variety of
relative roughness and flow regimes (Ref Appendix 1). The relative roughness being the ratio of the mean value
of roughness for the pipe to the pipe diameter, ie
d

.
The value of c for the GI pipe is 0.00015
Reynolds Number, R
e
=

Vd

Where, = Density of the fluid.
= Dynamic viscosity of fluid.
V = Velocity of flow.
d = Diameter of the pipe.

Ref: Fundamentals of fluid mechanics, B.R.Munson, D.F.Young, Th.Okiishi, Fifth Edition, Chapt.8




Determination of Pipe Friction Factor

Aerospace Engineering Department
4
Procedure :

1. Note down the diameter of pipe (d).
2. Note the density of manometric liquid (
m
) and that of fluid (water) flowing through the pipe i.e. (
w
).
3. Connect the U tube manometer to the corresponding pipe in between two pressure tappings.
4. Start the pump and adjust the control valve in pipe line for required discharge.
5. Measure the pressure difference at two points 1 & 2 of a pipe by means of a U tube manometer.
6. Note the time taken for H cm rise of water in the collecting tank.
7. Determine the velocity of flow (V) and frictional head loss (h
f
) by using appropriate equations.
8. Determine the friction factor (f) in pipe by using Darcy Weisbach formula.
9. Change the flow rate by adjusting the control valve & repeat the process for different flow rates.
10. Find out the mean friction factor (f) the pipe.
11. Find out the Reynolds number of flow and from Moodys chart find the Friction Factor.
12. Plot a graph of velocity of flow (V) on Y axis verses frictional head loss (h
f
) on X axis which shows
a straight line.


Observation :


l = Length of Pipe = ______ m
d = Diameter of Pipes = ______ cm and ______ cm
A = Area of collecting tank = ______ x ______ = ______ m
2

m
= Density of mercury = 13600 kg/m
3

w
= Density of water = 1000 kg/m
3



















Determination of Pipe Friction Factor

Aerospace Engineering Department
5
Observation Table :

F
r
i
c
t
i
o
n

f
a
c
t
o
r

f
r
o
m

M
o
o
d
y

s

c
h
a
r
t

f

-


R
e
y
n
o
l
d

s

N
u
m
b
e
r

R
e

-


f
r
i
c
t
i
o
n

f
a
c
t
o
r

f

-


V
e
l
o
c
i
t
y

o
f

f
l
o
w

V

m
/
s


A
c
t
u
a
l

D
i
s
c
h
a
r
g
e

Q
a
c
t

m
3
/
s


F
r
i
c
t
i
o
n
a
l

H
e
a
d

L
o
s
s

h
f



T
i
m
e

f
o
r

H

c
m

r
i
s
e

o
f

w
a
t
e
r

i
n

C
o
l
l
e
c
t
i
n
g

T
a
n
k

M
e
a
n

t

s


t
2

s


t
1

s

M
a
n
o
m
e
t
e
r

r
e
a
d
i
n
g
s

h
m
=

h
2
-
h
1

m

o
f

H
g


h
2

m

h
1

m

S
l
.

N
o
:

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

D
i
a
m
e
t
e
r

o
f

P
i
p
e

d

m


E
Determination of Pipe Friction Factor

Aerospace Engineering Department
6

Sample Calculation : ( Set no:___ )






















Result :
Mean friction factor for the pipe,

Diameter of pipe

Friction factor from
experiment

Friction factor from
Moodys chart


Inference :




Determination of Pipe Friction Factor

Aerospace Engineering Department
7
Appendix 1: