EXAMPLE OF DIFFUSER CALCULATION

REPORT
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................. 3
2 SCOPE .................................................................................................................................. 3
3 GLOSSARY........................................................................................................................... 3
4 DIFFUSER SIZE CALCULATION......................................................................................... 3
4.1 Purpose ................................................................................................................................ 3
4.2 Design basis......................................................................................................................... 3
4.3 Diffuser calculation ............................................................................................................. 3
4.3.1 Calculation hypothesis ................................................................................................... 3
4.3.2 Input Data....................................................................................................................... 4
4.3.3 Calculation development - Inside pipeline ..................................................................... 4
4.3.4 Calculation development - Outside pipeline .................................................................. 5
4.3.5 Diffuser total pressure drop............................................................................................ 6
5 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................ 6
1 PURPOSE

The purpose of the present document is to perform a diffuser calculation.

2 SCOPE

1. The scope of the present document comprises a diffuser calculation.

3 GLOSSARY

1. A: Area
2. D: Diameter
3. L: Length
4. N: Number of orifices
5. P: Pressure
6. ∆P: Pressure drop
7. v: velocity
8. δ: density

4 DIFFUSER SIZE CALCULATION

4.1 PURPOSE
1. The purpose of this calculation is to determinate diffuser dimensions in order to get
uniform flow distribution: orifice number and size, pipelines diameter and length.
2. Diffuser pressure drop will be evaluated at nominal flow-rate.

4.2 DESIGN BASIS

1. A two concentric tubes diffuser was considered.
2. The diffuser water outlet velocity must be less than 0.3 m/s in order not to provoke
thermal or optical turbulences on the pool surface.
3. The inside tube will comply with the satisfactory flow distribution requirement, while the
outside tube will comply with the outlet velocity requirement.

4.3 DIFFUSER CALCULATION

4.3.1 Calculation hypothesis

1. Water physical properties are considered constant along the diffuser length.
4.3.2 Input Data
1. Diffuser design flow-rate: 11,5 m3/h
2. Inside pipeline nominal diameter: DN 40 sch 10s
3. Outside pipeline nominal diameter: DN 65 sch 10s

4.3.3 Calculation development - Inside pipeline

1. The maximum diameter for a uniform flow distribution will be

0.7 D p L
D o,max = For = 150 (1)
N Dp

Where:

Do,max= maximum orifice diameter, [m]

Dp= inside piping diameter, [m]
N= number of orifices
L= Piping length, [m]

2. In order to calculate the pressure drop a relationship for turbulence flow through a
sharp-edge orifice will be use

2 .6 δ v o ⎡ ⎛ A o ⎤
2
2
⎞
∆Po = ⎢1 − ⎜ ⎟ ⎥ (2)
2 ⎢ ⎜⎝ A p ⎟
⎠ ⎥
⎣ ⎦
Where:

∆Po= orifice pressure drop, [Pa]

δ= water density, [kg/m3]
vo= velocity in orifice, [m/s]
Ao= orifice area, [m2]
Ap= internal piping area, [m2]

3. To assure a properly distribution flow, a DN 40 sch. 10 S inside pipeline and a 14

orifices diffuser with 3 m length will be verified

Dp= 0,0427 m
N= 14 orifices
L= 3 m
 L
= 70.26 < 150
Dp

4. Accordingly with eq. (1) the maximum diameter for the orifices will be
Do,max= 0.008 m

5. In correspondence with the orifice diameter and the design flow-rate, the water velocity
in the orifice will be
Ao= 0.00005 m2
N A 0 = 0.0007
Q
Vo= = 4.56 m/s
N A0

6. Considering water density evaluated at 50 °C the pressure drop in the inside piping will
be:
δ= 988 kg/m3
Ap= 0.00143 m2
∆Po= 26675 Pa= 26.7 kPa

4.3.4 Calculation development - Outside pipeline

1. Considering maximum diffuser water outlet velocity equal to 0.3 m/s in order not to
provoke thermal or optical turbulence on the pool surface, and 62 orifices to have a
good water distribution, orifice size will be calculated
Q= 11.5 m3/h = 0.0032 m3/s
vmax.= 0.3 m/s
N= 62

4Q
Do,min [m] =
π N v max .

Do,min= 0.0148 m
rounding
Do= 0.015 m

2. The orifice pressure drop will be:

 2
δ ⎛ Qo ⎞
∆P = ⎜⎜
'
o
⎟
⎟ (3)
2 ⎝ C A 'o ⎠
Where:

∆Po' = pressure drop at the orifice, [Pa]

δ= 988 kg/m3
Q
Qo= = flow-rate per orifice
N
Qo= 0.000052 m3/s
C= discharge coefficient
A 'o = orifice area, [m2]

A 'o = 0.000177 m2

3. Assuming C = 0.6 and solving (3)

∆Po' =116 Pa = 0.12 kPa

4.3.5 Diffuser total pressure drop

1. The total diffuser pressure drop will be
∆PoT = ∆Po + ∆Po' = 26.8 kPa < 30 kPa

5 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

1. The diffuser will consist of one DN 40 sch. 10 S inside piping with 14 orifices of 8 mm,
and, one DN 65 sch. 10 S outside piping with 62 orifices of 15 mm at the opposite side
of the inside piping orifices.
2. The diffuser total length will be 3 m
3. The total pressure drop for the entire diffuser will be less than 30 kPa.
4. To obtain the best flow distribution the diffuser will have two branches, each of 1.5 m.