Improve piping design
- Regional Engineering College, Tiruchirappalli (India). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
Three typical variables used in piping system design are pressure drop, pipe diameter and flowrate. Estimating flowrate in any existing piping system for an allowable pressure drop overcome by the pump, or estimating the pipe diameter for an allowable pressure drop and the desired flowrate are frequently required. The starting point for piping design is calculating Reynolds number, Re, to determine if flow is laminar or turbulent. Then the appropriate equations can be used to calculate either diameter, flowrate or pressure drop. If pipe diameter and flowrate or fluid velocity are known in addition to the fluid properties -- density and viscosity -- calculating Reynolds number and estimating pressure drop become straightforward. When pipe diameter or flowrate is unknown, Reynolds number cannot be calculated. Under these circumstances, a trial-and-error procedure is needed. The regime of flow is first assumed and then the unknown quantity (diameter or flowrate) is calculated using the appropriate equations for the assumed regime. Then the assumed regime is verified by calculating the Reynolds number. If it is not correct, another flow regime is assumed and the calculations are repeated. A method that eliminates the time consuming trial-and-error solution has been developed.
- OSTI ID:
- 231167
- Journal Information:
- Hydrocarbon Processing, Journal Name: Hydrocarbon Processing Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 75; ISSN HYPRAX; ISSN 0018-8190
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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