Major and Minor Energy Loses in Pipes and Fittings

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Contents

1. Introduction Page 2
2. Methodology Page 3
3. Major Fluid Friction Loss Page 4-7
4. Moody Diagram Page 8-9
5. Minor Fluid Friction Loss Page 10-12
6. Experimental Errors Page 13
7. Appendix Page 14-15

Introduction

This is a report focusing on the major and minor energy losses experiencing in a fluid moving through pipes of different diameters, varying internal irregularity and bends. Major losses are due to the viscous effects on the internal wall of a pipe whilst minor losses occur due to various pipe components. The experiment was executed with the use of fluid friction apparatus, a setup shown below in figure 1.

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This piece of apparatus allows us to study the effects of our variables such as: wall roughness, the shape of the bend and the valves.

http://www.jfccivilengineer.com/pipe_friction_loss.htm for image

Methodology

The experiment required the following equipment:

• Fluid Friction Loss Apparatus
• Hydraulic Bench
• Stop Watch
• Digital Manometer
• Vernier Caliper

The first step would be to connect the hydraulic bench to the fluid friction loss apparatus, in our experiment this setup was readied for us in preparation. We only needed to make sure the connection was in working order, turning it on in order to see whether water would flow through the network and the pipes appropriate to our experiments.

Our first experiment involved the rough pipe, shown in figure 1 as pipe 7. Using a valve on the hydraulic bench we would pass water through the pipe at 5 different flow rates, measuring the pressure loss in the pipe and the volume of water passing through our system in 10 seconds. We measured this 3 times for each and worked out an average, this is the value which will be used in my data. The manometer was at zero before starting the stopwatch and we attempted to increase the flow rates in even increments; this however would be difficult to achieve as there is no visual aid when turning the valve so we had to estimate how much we were turning the valve.

This had to be done with various other fixtures: a smooth pipe, a sudden expansion pipe (10 to 16) and a pipe with a 90° elbow (pipe 13).

Unfortunately for our experiment the Fluid Friction Loss Apparatus was leaking and therefore may have some undesirable outcome on the results of our experiment.

For ease of reading I will set out a table with the dimensions below.

Major Fluid Friction Loss

Theory

There are three types of flow through a pipe, though one of these is only a transitional period between the two main stages and only lasts a very short amount of time showing no definable relationship.