Plastic Pipes - Friction Head Loss vs. Water Flow
Friction head loss (ft/100 ft) vs. water flow in plastic pipes like PVC, PP, PE or PEH.
The friction head loss (feet H2O per 100 feet pipe) in straight plastic pipes made of PVC, PP, PE, PEH or similar - can be estimated from the table below.
Head losses are calculated for PVC pipe Schedule 40 by using the Hazen-Williams equation and the Hazen-Williams roughness constant c = 145. Note that minor loss in fittings must be added when calculating total head loss in a pipe line.
For full table with larger dimensions - rotate the screen!
| Friction Head Loss (ft H2O/100 ft pipe) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume Flow | Nominal Pipe Diameter (inches) | |||||||||||
| (GPM)1) | (GPH)2) | |||||||||||
| 3/8 | 1/2 | 3/4 | 1 | 1 1/4 | 1 1/2 | 2 | 2 1/2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||
| Nominal Inside Diameter (inches) | ||||||||||||
| 0.493 | 0.622 | 0.824 | 1.049 | 1.380 | 1.610 | 2.067 | 2.469 | 3.068 | 4.026 | 6.065 | ||
| 1 | 60 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 120 | 11.8 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | ||||||
| 4 | 240 | 42.5 | 13.7 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | |||||
| 5 | 300 | 64.2 | 20.7 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | |||||
| 6 | 360 | 29.0 | 7.4 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | ||||||
| 8 | 480 | 49.5 | 12.6 | 3.9 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | |||||
| 10 | 600 | 74.7 | 19.0 | 5.9 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | ||||
| 20 | 1200 | 68.6 | 21.2 | 5.6 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | ||||
| 30 | 1800 | 11.8 | 5.6 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | ||||||
| 40 | 2400 | 20.1 | 9.5 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | |||||
| 50 | 3000 | 14.4 | 4.3 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | ||||||
| 60 | 3600 | 20.1 | 6.0 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | ||||||
| 70 | 4200 | 7.9 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 0.3 | |||||||
| 80 | 4800 | 10.2 | 4.3 | 1.5 | 0.4 | |||||||
| 90 | 5400 | 12.6 | 5.3 | 1.9 | 0.5 | |||||||
| 100 | 6000 | 6.5 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | |||||||
| 125 | 7500 | 9.8 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | |||||||
| 150 | 9000 | 4.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | ||||||||
1) GPM = US gallons per minute
2) GPH = US gallons per hour
- 1 US gallon/min = 6.30888x10-5 m3/s = 0.227 m3/h = 0.0631 dm3(liter)/s = 2.228x10-3 ft3/s = 0.1337 ft3/min = 0.8327 Imperial gal (UK)/min
- 1 ft H2O = 0.3048 m H2O = 0.4335 psi = 62.43 lbs/ft2
Example - Friction Head Loss in a Plastic Pipe
A flow of 10 GPM in a 2" pipe gives a head loss of 0.2 feet water column per 100 feet of pipe.
Related Topics
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Fluid Flow and Pressure Loss in Pipes and Tubes
Fluid flow and pressure loss in pipe lines. Water and sewer systems. Steel pipes, pvc pipes, copper tubes and more.
Related Documents
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ASTM D1785 and ASTM F441 - PVC and CPVC Pipes Schedule 40 & 80
Standard dimensions and weight of PVC - Polyvinyl Chloride - and CPVC - Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride. -
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Hazen-Williams friction loss coefficients for commonly used piping materials. -
Hazen-Williams Friction Loss Equation - calculating Head Loss in Water Pipes
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