Water Pipes Head Loss Calculator

The Formula

The Darcy-Weisbach equation is used to calculate head loss in pipes:

\[h_f = f \frac{L}{D} \frac{v^2}{2g}\]

Where:

• h_f: Head loss due to friction (ft)
• f: Darcy friction factor (dimensionless)
• L: Length of pipe (ft)
• D: Diameter of pipe (ft)
• v: Flow velocity (ft/s)
• g: Acceleration due to gravity (32.2 ft/s²)

Calculation Steps

1. Calculate the flow velocity using the flow rate and pipe diameter
2. Determine the Reynolds number
3. Calculate the friction factor using the Colebrook-White equation or a simplified version
4. Apply the Darcy-Weisbach equation to find the head loss

Example Calculation

Let's calculate the head loss for a 2-inch diameter smooth pipe, 100 feet long, with a flow rate of 50 GPM:

1. Calculate flow velocity
2. Determine Reynolds number
3. Calculate friction factor
4. Apply Darcy-Weisbach equation

Visual Representation

This visual represents water flow in a pipe based on our example calculation.