1.

0 Abstract:
As water flows through a pipeline, energy is lost due to friction along pipe walls and flow
separation at fittings.This energy loss is termed as head loss.The aim of this experiment is to calculate
these losses using darcy-weisvach equation HL = f LV2/2gD and to check the equations validity. This
energy drop is dependent on the wall shear stress () between the fluid and pipe surface . Two types of
flow will be experimented upon turbulent and laminar.Two different flows are chosen because shear
stress is different for both. For turbulent flow, the pressure drop is dependent on the roughness of the
surface, while in laminar flow, the roughness effects of the wall are negligible. This is due to the fact that
in turbulent flow, a thin viscous layer is formed near the pipe surface which causes a loss in energy,
while in laminar flow, this viscous layer is non-existent.

2.0 Introduction:
In hydraulic engineering practice, it is frequently necessary to estimate the
head loss In cured by a fluid as it flows along a pipeline. For example, it may be desired to
predict the rate of flow along a proposed pipe connecting two reservoirs at different level or it
may be necessary to calculate what additional head would be required to double the rate of
flow along an existing pipeline. Loss of head is incurred by fluid mixing which occurs at fittings
such as bends or valves, and by frictional resistance at the pipe wall.
The frictional resistance to fluid as it flows along a pipeline results in continuous loss of energy
or total head loss of the fluid. Figure A illustrates that the frictional loss along a horizontal pipe
with length, , is equals to the difference in levels between piezometers A and B, .

Figure A: Diagram illustrating the frictional loss in terms of pressure head

The friction loss can be determined by darcy formula. The Darcy formula or the Darcy-Weisbach
equation as it tends to be referred to, is now accepted as the most accurate pipe friction loss
formula, and although more difficult to calculate and use than other friction loss formula, with

the introduction of computers, it has now become the standard equation for hydraulic
engineers.
Weisbach first proposed the relationship that we now know as the Darcy-Weisbach equation or
the Darcy-Weisbach formula, for calculating friction loss in a pipe.
Darcy-Weisbach equation:
hf = f (L/D) x (v^2/2g)
where:
hf = head loss (m)
f = friction factor
L = length of pipe work (m)
d = inner diameter of pipe work (m)
v = velocity of fluid (m/s)
g = acceleration due to gravity (m/s)
The friction factor in the darcys equation is effected by the type of flow (which can be either
laminar or turbulent) as well as the relative roughness of the pipe.
Fluid flow can be either laminar or turbulent or transitional. The factor that determines which
type of flow is present in the ratio of inertia forces to viscous forces within the fluid expressed
by the non-dimensional Reynolds number:
Reynolds number : Re= VD / where
Where V and D are a fluid characteristic velocity and distance. For example, for fluid flowing in
a pipe,V - could be the average fluid velocity, and D- would be the pipe diameter. Typically,
viscous stresses within a fluid tend to stabilize and organize the flow, where as
excessive fluid inertia tends to disrupt organized flow leading to chaotic turbulent behavior.
Fluid flows are laminar for Reynolds Numbers up to 2000. Beyond a Reynolds
Number of 4000, the flow is completely turbulent. Between 2000 and 4000, the
flow is in transition between laminar and turbulent, and it is possible to find sub regions of
both flow types within a given flow filed.

3.0 Apparatus:

Figure C shows the set up for friction loss experiment. Water was supplied from a flexible hose
to the inlet (4) of the 3 mm ID smooth bore pipe, and discharged at the outlet (3). Water
manometer (1) and mercury manometer (2) were used to measure the frictional loss between
the inlet and the outlet of the pipe. The rate of flow along the pipe is controlled by a needle
valve at the pipe exit (3), and is measured by timing the collection of water in a measuring
cylinder.

Figure C: Diagrammatic arrangement of apparatus for measuring friction loss along a pipe

4.0 Procedure :
1. The inlet valve was adjusted to obtain a flow of water through the required test pipe.
2.Flow rates were measured using the volumetric tank in conjunction with flow control valve.
3.For small flow rates the measuring cylinder in conjunction with flow control were used.
4.Head loss between the tapping was measured using the mercury manometer or pressurised
water manometer as appropriate.

5.Pressure head readings were obtained (at the inlet,

and outlet,

) on test section.

step 1 -5 were repeated to obtain at least three sets of data for laminar, transitional and
turbulent flows.

5.0 Results:

Water (mm H20)

No of Run

Volume

Time

Flow rate

Velocity

H1-H2
mm

Renaults
number
VD /

Type of
flow

mL

m3/s

m/s

1.

54

21.48

0.0000025

0.356

327-260=67

953.57

laminar

2.

43

7.42

0.0000058

0.822

390-210=180

2196

transition

3.

91

22.75

0.000004

0.566

360-238=122

1518.76

laminar

4.

92

14.14

0.0000065

0.920

420-150=270

2464.29

transition

5.

94

11.90

0.0000078

1.117

510-80=430

2991.96

transition

6.

88

40.06

0.0000022

0.311

310-265=45

833

laminar

Mercury (mm Hg)

7.

100

4.04

0.000024

3.501

225-35=190

9377.68

turbulent

8.

96

4.46

0.000021

3.045

210-50=160

8156.5

turbulent

9.

94

5.34

0.000017

2.49

190-70=120

6670

turbulent

length of pipe = 0.524 m

Diamter of pipe=0.003 m
Area of pipe= 3.142 x
= 0.0000071 m2

5.1 Calculations:
For volume of water collected= 54ml
time =21.48 s

Volumetric flow rate (m/s)

/ 21.48s = 0.0000025 m/s

=(54L x
Velocity (m/s)
=

=
=0.356 m/s
Re =
=

)(

= 953.57
5.2 Graphs :

conve
rt mm
to m
for hg
by
using
1m=7
3.53
mm
hg

No

Head loss
(h1-h2) mm

Head loss
(h1-h2) m

Velocity
m/s

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

67
180
122
270
430
45
190
160
120

0.067
0.180
0.122
0.270
0.430
0.045
2.58
2.17
1.63

0.356
0.822
0.566
0.920
1.117
0.311
3.501
3.045
2.49

Log Head loss

log (h1-h2)
m
-1.17
-0.74
-0.91
-0.57
-0.37
-1.35
0.41
0.34
0.21

Log velocity
log (V) m/s
-0.448
-0.085
-0.247
-0.036
0.048
-0.507
0.544
0.483
0.396

Log (h1-h2)m vs log velocity

-0.6

-0.4

-1.17
-1.35

NO

0.6
0.4
0.2
0
-0.2
-0.2 0-0.37
-0.4
-0.57
-0.74
-0.6
-0.91
-0.8
-1
-1.2
-1.4
-1.6

VELOCITY (v)

Friction factor (F)

0.340.41
0.21

0.2

0.4

0.6

Friction Loss ( )

m/s
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

0.356
0.822
0.566
0.920
1.117
0.311
3.501
3.045
2.49

m
0.067
0.029
0.042
0.025
0.021
0.076
0.0185
0.0188
0.0199

Friction Factor for laminar and transition calculated as :

f=64renaults number
For the velocity of( 0.356) Renaults number = 953.57
f= 64953.57
= 0.067
For turbulent:

or using moodys chart

calculated using Darcy equation :

0.075
0.174
0.119
0.188
0.233
0.065
2.018
1.552
1.098

For the velocity of (0.356)

=0.075 m
For turbulent flow same formula was used for

6.0 Discussion:
After looking at the graphs,it can be seen that more the difference in (h1-h2)
higher the velocity.The least value of (h1 h2) was 45 mm.The flow is laminar and the velocity
calculated was 0.311 m/s.The highest difference in (h1 h2) was 430 mm and the velocity
recorded was 1.117 m/s and the flow was transitional.The velocity was highest when mercury
was used as pressure head loss.The flow founded was turbulent and the velocity was
considerably high compared to the water pressure heads.,when (h1-h2) was 190 mm the
velocity founded was 3.501m/s,while when (h1-h2) was 120 mm the velocity was 2.49 m/s.
When ever something is moving ,there is an opposite force counter acting it.The more the
moving force increases the counter acting force increases as well.The same principle is being
applied here.The higher the velocity the greater the pressure head loss.
Another role velocity plays is that higher the velocity greater the renoults number and the type
of flow changes.
Now coming to the calculated head loss and the experimental head loss.When the (h1-h2) is
0.180 m,the flow is transition and when hf was calculated ,the result was 0.174m.When (h1-h2)
was 0.122 m ,the hf calculated was 0.119m,and the flow was calculated to be laminar. The
result for turbulent when (h1-h2) was 1.63 m ,hf calculated was 1.098.So after this we can
conclude although not accurate the experimental values are quite close.The difference in the
values could have been the result of taking wrong velocity then the actual one.As stop watch
was used to determine the time ,a mistake could have been made as human reactions are slow.
This could have also been led by degration of pipe over time leading to rust, which has a
dramatic affect on friction loss.

7.0 Conclusion:
It was hypothesized that the higher the velocity ,higher the renaults number
and more friction loss caused. The results from our experiment support this.Validity of darcys
equation was also verified and the result we got were quite close to the original ones,so we can
conclude that the experiment was a success.The difference in the darcys equation result and
original result were caused by human error as we have slow reactions. We can improve that by
taking averages of the reading we take. There can also be error in taking readings caused by
parallax error. Finally the degration of a pipe over time leading to rust also has a dramatic affect
on friction loss.We can overcome this problem by changing the pipe with time.

8.0 Refrences:
1) Friction loss - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2014. Friction loss - Wikipedia, the
free
encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friction_loss. [Accessed
14November 2014].
2) Fluid flow (PDF)2014. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.che.ufl.edu/unit-opslab/experiments/FF/FF-theory.pdf. [Accessed 16 November 2014].
3) DarcyWeisbach equation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2014. DarcyWeisbach
equation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available
at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darcy%E2%80%93Weisbach_equation. [Accessed 16
November 2014].
4) Munson, B.R. (2006). Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics 5th Edition. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley &
Sons.