Piping systems are designed to satisfy a specific flow rate and fluid pressure at critical junctions within an industrial application. If the pressure is too great or insufficient, operational issues can emerge leading to avoidable expenses.
As part of this, industrial engineers must account for pressure loss (or pressure drop). Pressure loss is the result of frictional forces exerted on a fluid within a piping system, resisting its flow. As pressure loss increases, the energy required by system pumps to compensate also increases, leading to greater operating costs.
Complicating things further, some of the factors affecting pressure loss can vary over the life of a piping system. In some cases, design considerations must be made up front to account for influences that won’t surface for five to ten years.
So how can an industrial process truly optimize its piping system for pressure loss both now and over the life the system? The answer starts with understanding what influences pressure loss.
Depending on the system, there are a number of competing forces working to either decrease or increase the fluid pressure from one end to the other. To optimize a system, the following factors should be taken into account.
Constant Factors: These factors will remain constant throughout the life of the system.
Variable Factors: These factors may fluctuate during the life a piping system.
The Hazen-Williams Equation is often used to calculate pressure loss within a piping system. However, the Darcy-Weisbach Equation is often preferred for industrial piping systems.
While the Hazen-Williams equation can work for many systems, it makes assumptions that may not apply to all industrial applications, namely the fluid being water and the fluid temperature being 73°F (22.8°C).
The Darcy-Weisbach Equation allows for flexibility when it comes to the fluid and temperature.
The most effective way to optimize an industrial system for fluid pressure is by adjusting pipe diameter. It is also one of the easiest to control.
However, to effectively specify pipe size it helps to control those factors that can change over time. For example, in a metal piping system, the piping diameter may need to be wider than is initially necessary as material friction and some corrosion and/or scaling needs to be accounted for.
Conversely, an industrial piping system that specifies Corzan® CPVC material can eliminate these influences allowing for a narrower pipe to be specified:
Interested in the capabilities of a Corzan industrial piping system to reduce the friction posed on your fluid? Our team of product and engineering specialists are available for a free consultation if you have any questions or upcoming projects you’d like to discuss.