Pressure Loss in Pipes connected in Series or Parallel
Pipes in Series
For pipes connected in series the pressure loss is the sum of the individual losses:
dp = dp1 + dp2 + .. + dpn (1)
where
dp = total pressure loss (Pa, psi)
dp1..n = individual pressure loss in each pipe (Pa, psi)
The mass flow rate is the same in all pipes:
m = m1 = m2 = .... = mn (1b)
where
m = mass flow (kg/s, lb/s)
Pipes in Parallel
For pipes connected in parallel the pressure loss is the same in all pipes:
dp = dp1 = dp2 = .... = dpn (2)
The total mass flow is the sum of the flow in each pipe:
m = m1 + m2 + .. + mn (2b)
The pressure loss in the equations above can be substituted with a generic expression for pressure loss like the D'Arcy-Weisbach equation.
Related Topics
• Fluid Mechanics
The study of fluids - liquids and gases. Involving velocity, pressure, density and temperature as functions of space and time.
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