Hydraulic design calculations for

Chemical & Environmental

Engineering

Dr. Cheng Heng PANG

ChengHeng.PANG@nottingham.edu.cn
 Hydraulics
The word “hydraulics” generally refers to power produced by moving liquids.

Modern hydraulics is defined as the use of confined liquid to transmit power,

multiply force, or produce motion.
 Hydraulics for Chemical & Environmental
Engineering

• In Chem&Environ Engineering, hydraulics design is

used to size pumps, pipework, channels and so on.

• Another name is Fluid Mechanics - Hydraulics makes

sensible and convenient approximations to simplify
complex situations.

• The use of appropriate tabulated values and

nomograms (graphs) for this purpose should be
entirely acceptable.
 Terms and definitions
• Liquid is incompressible

• Uniform flow: the flow velocity is

the same magnitude and direction
at every point in the fluid

• Laminar flow: fluid flows in parallel layers, with no

disruption between the layers. All particles of fluid
move in straight lines parallel to the pipe walls– low
Reynolds number
 Learning Outcomes

• How to size pipes

– i.e. determine the diameter

• How to calculate the pump power needed to

operate your systems
 Professional Practice
• Try pipe sizes by superficial velocity
• Lay out on scale plan/elevation
• Measure pipe length
• Calculate system head by rough method
• Using real pump physical sizes optimise layout
• Once fixed, and using commercially available
pipework and fittings, calculate system head
by most rigorous practical method
 Conservation of mass – the
continuity equation
Rate of volume transport across surface Q = UA,
where U is the mean velocity, A is the area

Example Fluid flows down a circular pipe of diameter D1 at speed U1. It passes through a
contraction to a smaller diameter D2, as shown below. What is the mean velocity in the second
pipe?

Q1 = Q 2 𝒎𝟑
𝒔
𝒎 𝟐
U1A1 = U2A2 .𝒎
𝒔
𝐷 𝐷
U1𝜋( 21)2 = U2𝜋( 22)2
U=Q/A
U2 = U1 D12/D22

Superficial Velocity: fluid velocity if the fluid is the only one present in
the cross section
 Conservation of mass – the
continuity equation
Rate of volume transport across surface Q = UA,
where U is the mean velocity, A is the area

Example Fluid flows down a circular pipe of diameter D1 at speed U1. It passes through a
contraction to a smaller diameter D2, as shown below. What is the mean velocity in the second
pipe?

Q1 = Q 2 𝒎𝟑
𝒔
𝒎 𝟐
U1A1 = U2A2 .𝒎
𝒔
𝐷 𝐷
U1𝜋( 21)2 = U2𝜋( 22)2
U=Q/A
A U2 = U1 D12/D22
 Rough Method

• Pipe sizing by superficial velocity

• For water-like materials assume 1.5m/s max
• For airlike gases assume 15-20m/s
• For materials with solids in suspension

Q = UA
 Rough Method
• e.g. Design a chemical plant to produce 8000 tonnes
of benzene every year.
• e.g. Design a treatment plant to treat 500 kg of
wastewater every hour.
• With density, mass flowrate can be converted to
volumetric flowrate Q.

Q = UA
 Rough Method

• Pipe sizing by superficial velocity

• For water-like materials assume 1.5m/s max
• For airlike gases assume 15-20m/s
• For materials with solids in suspension

Q = UA
 Q = volumetric flowrate

Pipe
A = cross section area
Superficial velocity = distance / time Tank
Surface loading = distance / time
Surface loading = Q / A
 Terms and definitions
Surface loading: is a hydraulic loading factor expressed in
terms of flow per surface area. It is computed as volumetric
Flow/Surface area.
Hydraulic retention time: the theoretical time fluid is held
in a clarifier (tank, filter, etc) based on the flow and volume
of the tank, calculated as Volume/volumetric Flow.
 Learning Outcomes

• How to size pipes

– i.e. determine the diameter

• How to calculate the pump power needed to

operate your systems
 Pumps
1. Dynamic pumps, such as centrifugal pumps;
2. Positive displacement pumps, such as reciprocating and diaphragm
pumps.
Centrifugal Pump
Centrifugal Pump
 Centrifugal Pump

General Arrangement: Plan and Elevation view

Centrifugal Pump
 Pumps
1. Dynamic pumps, such as centrifugal pumps;
2. Positive displacement pumps, such as reciprocating and diaphragm
pumps.
Pump power P = Q.ρ.g.h You need-
• Flow
• Head
For which you need-
• Static head
P: Pump power, Watt • Pipe length
Q: flow, m3/s; • Number and type of fittings
h: Total Dynamic Head, m;
g: gravitational acceleration m/s2 For which you need-
ρ : density of fluid, kg/m3 • Layout
ƞ: pump efficiency, use 0.7 if not given
Head (distance)
 Terms and definitions
Static head: Pressure of a fluid due to the head of fluid above
some reference point.
Head loss: In any real moving fluid, energy is dissipated due to
friction and turbulence. Head loss include the energy loss per
length of pipe (straight run headloss) and energy loss associated
with bends, fittings, valves, etc (fittings headloss)
Total Dynamic Head (TDH) is the total equivalent height that a
fluid is to be pumped, taking into account friction losses in the
pipe.
TDH = Static Height + Static Lift + Head Loss
Static Height is the maximum height reached by the pipe after the pump
Static Lift is the height the water will rise before arriving at the pump
Static head: Pressure of a fluid due to the head of fluid above
some reference point.

Static Head Discharge

Tank

Static Height

Static Lift Suction

Tank

Static Head = Static Height + Static Lift

If the surface of suction tank is above pump, it is NEGATIVE value
If the surface of suction tank is below pump, it is POSITIVE value
Total Dynamic Head (TDH) is the total equivalent height that a fluid is to be pumped,
taking into account friction losses in the pipe.
TDH = Static Head + Head Loss
TDH = Static Height + Static Lift + Head Loss
Static Height is the maximum height reached by the pipe after the pump
Static Lift is the height the water will rise before arriving at the pump

Head because of pressure Head because of energy loss

Static Head

Static Head = Static Height + Static Lift

If the surface of suction tank is above pump, it is NEGATIVE value
If the surface of suction tank is below pump, it is POSITIVE value
Head loss: In any real moving fluid, energy is dissipated due to
friction and turbulence. Head loss include the energy loss per
length of pipe (straight run headloss) and energy loss associated
with bends, fittings, valves, etc (fittings headloss)

straight run headloss

fittings headloss
Fittings
 Fittings

Globe Valve

Gate Valve

Butterfly Valve Ball Valve

Total Dynamic Head (TDH) is the total equivalent height that a fluid is to be pumped,
taking into account friction losses in the pipe.
TDH = Static Head + Head Loss
TDH = Static Height + Static Lift + Head Loss
Static Height is the maximum height reached by the pipe after the pump
Static Lift is the height the water will rise before arriving at the pump

Head because of pressure Head because of energy loss

Static Head

TDH = Static Height + Static Lift + straightrun headloss + fittings headloss

Static Head = Static Height + Static Lift

If the surface of suction tank is above pump, it is NEGATIVE value
If the surface of suction tank is below pump, it is POSITIVE value
 Professional Practice
• Try pipe sizes by superficial velocity
• Lay out on scale plan/elevation
• Measure pipe length
• Calculate system head by rough method
• Using real pump physical sizes optimise layout
• Once fixed, and using commercially available
pipework and fittings, calculate system head
by most rigorous practical method
 Pipes
TDH = Static Height + Static Lift + straightrun headloss + fittings headloss

Three components:
• Static Head
static head = static height + static lift
based on plan and elevation
• Straight run headloss
based on Nomograms and length of pipes
• Fittings headloss
based on K-value method:
Head Loss in mWG = Kv² / 2g
where:
mWG: meter water gauge
K= K factor associated with a specific
type and size of fitting
v = fluid velocity (m/s)
 Nomogram

To use
Nomogram,
you will need
at least 2 data
 Nomogram
A pipe has an internal
diameter of 60 mm

With fluid flowing inside

at a rate of 1 L/sec
 Nomogram
A pipe has an internal
diameter of 60 mm

With fluid flowing inside

at a rate of 1 L/sec
Flow velocity is 0.35 m/s

Pressure drop or head

loss is 0.3 m/100m

Meaning if the pipe is 100

m long, it will have 0.3m
of head loss
 Pipes
TDH = Static Height + Static Lift + straightrun headloss + fittings headloss

Three components:
• Static Head
static head = static height + static lift
based on plan and elevation
• Straight run headloss
based on Nomograms and length of pipes
• Fittings headloss
based on K-value method:
Head Loss in mWG = Kv² / 2g
where:
mWG: meter water gauge
K= K factor associated with a specific
type and size of fitting
v = fluid velocity (m/s)
 Some Common K values

Short Radius Bends per 22.5 deg 0.2

Long Radius Bends per 22.5 deg 0.1

Open Isolation Valve 0.4
Open Control Valve 10.8
Side Entry Tee 1.2
Through Tee 0.1
Swing Check NRV 1
Sharp Entry 0.5
Some Common K values
 Pumps
1. Dynamic pumps, such as centrifugal pumps;
2. Positive displacement pumps, such as reciprocating and diaphragm
pumps.
Pump power P = Q.ρ.g.h You need-
• Flow
𝑸. 𝝆. 𝒈. 𝒉 • Head
Actual Pump power 𝑷 =
ƞ For which you need-
• Static head
P: Pump power, Watt • Pipe length
Q: flow, m3/s; • Number and type of fittings
h: Total Dynamic Head, m;
g: gravitational acceleration m/s2 For which you need-
ρ : density of fluid, kg/m3 • Layout
ƞ: pump efficiency, use 0.7 if not given
 Professional Practice
• Try pipe sizes by superficial velocity
• Lay out on scale plan/elevation
• Measure pipe length
• Calculate system head by rough method
• Using real pump physical sizes optimise layout
• Once fixed, and using commercially available
pipework and fittings, calculate system head
by most rigorous practical method
 Most Rigorous Practical
Darcy-Weisbach + Moody Chart

where r is the density of the fluid, V is the average velocity in the pipe, f is the friction factor
from the Moody chart, l is the length of the pipe and d is the pipe diameter. µ is dynamic viscosity
 Most Rigorous Practical
Darcy-Weisbach + Moody Chart

Inner pipe
diameter

where r is the density of the fluid, V is the average velocity in the pipe, f is the friction factor
from the Moody chart, l is the length of the pipe and d is the pipe diameter. µ is dynamic viscosity