Steel Pipes - Maximum Water Flow Capacities vs. Size
No single recommendation will be correct for all possible circumstances, but the table below can be used as a general guidance for water flow capacity in Steel pipes schedule 40.
| Pipe Size (inch) | Maximum Flow (gal/min) | Velocity (ft/s) | Head Loss (ftH2O/100ft, m/100m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 45 | 4.3 | 3.9 |
| 2 1/2 | 75 | 5.0 | 4.1 |
| 3 | 130 | 5.6 | 3.9 |
| 4 | 260 | 6.6 | 4.0 |
| 6 | 800 | 8.9 | 4.0 |
| 8 | 1600 | 10.3 | 3.8 |
| 10 | 3000 | 12.2 | 4.0 |
| 12 | 4700 | 13.4 | 4.0 |
| 14 | 6000 | 14.2 | 4.0 |
| 16 | 8000 | 14.5 | 3.5 |
| 18 | 10000 | 14.3 | 3.0 |
| 20 | 12000 | 13.8 | 2.4 |
| 24 | 18000 | 14.4 | 2.1 |
It is common to use maximum friction (head) loss to determine maximum flow and velocities in pipes. But be aware of that with
- increased friction loss - the installation cost is decreased and the operating cost is increased
- decreased friction loss - the installation cost is increased and the operating cost decreased
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