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SOLVING
COLEBROOK EQUATION
FOR
PIPING DESIGN AND SIZING CALCULATIONS

M Anil Kumar
(MS Chemical, IIT Madras, Industrial Consultant)

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 Notes

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 The ability to simplify means
to eliminate the unnecessary,
so that
the necessary can speak
-Hans Hofmann

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COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
Published by:
M Anil Kumar
539/5 A N Nivas- Kadirur
Tellicherry, Kerala 670642
India

© MAnil Kumar
This book contains information researched by us/ obtained from authentic and highly
regarded sources. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and
information, but the author and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of
all materials or for the consequences of their use. The user of information to ensure the
correctness and validity of the information or principles for his/her specific application.

No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by
any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval
system, without written permission from the publishers.

Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names mentioned in this book may be trademarks
or registered trademarks of the respective owners, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.

www.ColebrookEquation.com

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CONTENTS
Preface 9

1 Spread Sheet Fundamentals 11

1. Introduction
2. Spreadsheets
3. Worksheet
4. Cells
5. Cell Stability
6. Advantages of Spreadsheet Programming
7. VBA in Excel

2 Numerical Capabilities of Spreadsheets 15

1. Precision
2. Excel Limits and Limitations
3. Scientific/Engineering Limits
4. Engineers and Scientists Can Relax!

3 Excel Basics 19
1. References
i. Entering Formulas
ii. Reference by Range
iii. Reference by Cell/Range Names

2. Operators
i. Arithmetic Operators
ii. Comparison Operators
3. Functions

4 IF Logical Function 23
1. Introduction
2. Conditions
3. A Simple IF equation
4. Simple IF with references
5. Nested IF
6. Maximum Number of Nests
7. Information Functions as Conditions within IF

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5 Information Functions 27
1. ISERROR Function
2. Major Error Types
3. #Div/0! Error
4. #### Error
5. #REF! Error

6 Circular References 29
1. Examples
2. Activating Circular Reference
3. A “Working” Circular Reference
4. Maximum Iteration
5. Maximum Change

7 Advanced Worksheet Iterations 33

1. Applications
2. Simple Iteration
3. Understanding the Convergence
4. Variations of Same Equation
5. Mechanism of Iteration
6. Time Consumed for Iteration
7. Optimum Number of Iterative Cycles

8 Controlling Advanced Iterations 39

1. Concepts
a. Iterating Cells
b. Seed
c. Counter
d. Control Cell
e. ON and OFF Control
f. Reset Control
g. Iteration Cycles
h. Indicator
2. Creating Seed
3. Introducing ON/OFF Control
4. Creating a Counter
5. Creating a Indicator
a. 15 digit precision

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 b. 5 digit precision
6. Creating ON/OFF/RESET Controls

9 Solving of Colebrook Equations 51

1. Darcy-Weisbach Equation
2. Moody Diagram
3. Colebrook Equation
4. Relative Roughness
5. Solving Colebrook Equation

10 Fixed Point Iteration- Basics 55

1. Introduction
2. Examples
3. Solution
4. Iteration
5. Fixed Point
6. Fixed Point with Colebrook Equation
7. Divergence Conditions

11 Colebrook Equation – Important Points To Note 61

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 ---NOTICE---

By purchasing this book, the purchaser is abide to

international copy right rules

1) to prevent illegal copies of this work entering in to

public domain in any form, as computer file or print
copy

2) To use this book if purchased as software copy

(PDF) only in a single computer system

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PREFACE
Many books exist to elaborate application of Excel for engineers and
scientists. Every engineers and scientist use Excel or other worksheet for
their professional calculations.

FORTRAN, which was a sequential programming tool, became unpopular

for general engineering tasks because it needed sequential intervention and
any error in feeding the inputs required that everything is executed again.
Excel being a special calculation tool provides advantages like special data
and inputs (instead of sequential in FORTRAN). Any error in input can be
corrected in a click.

A recent survey indicated that majority of Excel users does not like to use
VBA or Macros because of several reasons. The spatial feel (sense of space
that we have in our life) and the comfort is lost. Many have no time to learn
macros or rather not consider it worthy. Some fear also exists that macros
can erase data and equations or enter values in wrong cells if a minor error
occurs in program. I always look for doing things well within worksheet! It
is like we always wish to do things within than sourcing from outside!

Implicit equations in the form x = g (x) exist everywhere in engineering,

especially in transport phenomena (heat, momentum and mass transfer),
chemical kinetics, and in certain area of physics and most importantly in
fluid dynamics. All scientists and engineers are not great mathematicians
and thus finds it difficult to proceed with “complicated” equations where the
parameter x appear on the either side of the equation.

We consulted many famous books like Excel Scientific and Engineering

Cookbook (by David M. Bourg), Excel for Scientists and Engineers –
Numerical Methods (by E Joseph Billo), Excel 2007 for Scientists (by Dr.
Gerard M. Verschuuren) etc. to name a few to know how Excel can solve
these equations. There is no treatment of iterative solutions within worksheet
seen in any reference books we could examine as on the publication date..

Engineers need a method to solve thousands of instances within their

worksheet with a good degree of simplicity. We worked a great deal on

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iterations within worksheet, how to introduce a iteration, to seed an initial
approximation, to control and to limit number of iterations to a specified
times – without using VBA or Macros or solver or goal seek. We succeeded
and this book share you the findings.

This book describes necessary fundamentals for chemical engineers, piping

designers, refrigeration experts, ducting engineers, HVAC experts etc. to
enable them solve Colebrook equation (and other such implicit equations
which converge) in the ease and comfort of a spreadsheet.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks to senior colleague of mine, Mr Mehaboob P K, who
remained with constant encouragement and motivations. Encouragements
extended by friends and by family members and specially patience extended
by my daughter Aradhana in the course of my experimentation and writings
are always remembered.

Your suggestions to improve this book

-M. Anil Kumar

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