Natural Gas Pipe Capacity Calculator

The Formula

The formula for calculating natural gas pipe capacity is:

\[Q = 181.3 \times \sqrt{\frac{d^5 \times \Delta P}{L \times 0.6}}\]

Where:

• Q: Gas flow rate (cubic feet per hour, CFH)
• d: Inside diameter of the pipe (inches)
• ΔP: Pressure drop (inches of water column, w.c.)
• L: Length of pipe (feet)
• 0.6: Specific gravity of natural gas (assumed average)

Calculation Steps

1. Gather the required information: pipe size, length, and pressure drop
2. Apply the values to the formula
3. Calculate the result to find the pipe capacity in CFH

Example Calculation

Let's calculate the capacity for a 1-inch pipe, 100 feet long, with a pressure drop of 0.5 inches w.c.:

1. Q = 181.3 × √((1^5 × 0.5) ÷ (100 × 0.6))
2. Q = 181.3 × √(0.5 ÷ 60)
3. Q ≈ 166 CFH

Visual Representation

This visual shows the gas flow capacity in a pipe based on our example calculation.