Equal Friction Method Page 1 of 3

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Equal Friction Method
The equal friction method of sizing ducts is easy and straightforward to use
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• Environment The equal friction method of sizing ducts is often preferred because it is quite easy to use. The method can be summarized to BookMark this Page!
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• Gas and Compressed 1. Compute the necessary air flow volume (m3/h, cfm) in every room and branch of the system
Air 2. Use 1) to compute the total air volume (m3/h, cfm) in the main system
• HVAC Systems 3. Determine the maximum acceptable airflow velocity in the main duct
• Hydraulics and 4. Determine the major pressure drop in the main duct Energy Efficient
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1. Compute the air volume in every room and branch Matrix
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2. Compute the total volume in the system 877-226-4822
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Make a simplified diagram of the system like the one above.
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Use 1) to summarize and accumulate the total volume - qtotal - in the system. Sammet
Industrial
Note! Be aware that maximum load conditions almost never occurs in all of the rooms at the same time. Avoid over-sizing the Dampers
main system by multiplying the accumulated volume with a factor less than one (This is probably the hard part - and for larger Leaders of
Search the ToolBox! systems sophisticated computer-assisted indoor climate calculations are often required). Damper
Technology ISO
Translate this 3. Determine the maximum acceptable airflow velocity in the main ducts 9001 & 14001,
Page!! European Quality
Select the maximum velocity in the main duct on basis of the application environment. To avoid disturbing noise levels - keep www.sammet.fi
About Us! maximum velocities within experienced limits:
Temperature Free Industry
• comfort systems - air velocity 4 to 7 m/s (13 to 23 ft/s)
• industrial systems - air velocity 8 to 12 m/s (26 to 40 ft/s) Magazines
0
• high speed systems - air velocity 10 to 18 m/s (33 to 60 ft/s) HRW
o
C
Use the maximum velocity limits when selecting the size of the main duct.
o
F
4. Determine the static pressure drop in main duct
Convert !
Use a pressure drop table or similar to determine the static pressure drop in the main duct.
Length
5. Determine the duct sizes throughout the system
1 Microwaves & RF
Use the static pressure drop determined in 4) as a constant to determine the ducts sizes throughout the system. Use the air
m volumes calculated in 1) for the calculation. Select the duct sizes with the pressure drop for the actual ducts as close to the main
duct pressure drop as possible.
km
in 6. Determine the total resistance in the system
ft
yards Use the static pressure from 4) to calculate the pressure drop through the longest part of the duct system. Use the equivalent
length which is
miles
nautical Vision Systems
• the actual length + additional lengths for bends, T's, inlets and outlets
miles Design

Convert ! 7. Calculate balancing dampers

Use the total resistance in 6) and the volume flow throughout the system to calculate necessary dampers and the theoretical
Volume
pressure loss through the dampers.
1 Note about the Equal Friction Method
m3 The equal friction method is straightforward and easy to use and gives an automatic reduction of the air flow velocities
liters throughout the system. The reduced velocities are in general within the noise limits of the application environment.

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/equal-friction-method-d_1028.html 07/03/2554
Equal Friction Method Page 2 of 3

in3 The method can increase the numbers of reductions compared to other methods, and often a poorer pressure balance in the
3
system require more adjusting dampers. This may increase the system cost compared to other methods.
ft
us gal Example - Equal Friction Method
Convert ! The equal friction method can be done manual or more or less semi automatic with a spreadsheet as shown in the table below.

Velocity

m/s
km/h
ft/min
ft/s
mph
The table is based on the diagram above. Air flow and friction loss from a diagram is added. Minor pressure loss coefficients
knots
must be summarized for for the actual applications.
Convert ! The pressure loss in each path is summarized on the right and pressure loss is added manually in the dampers to balance the
system.
Pressure
The excel template can be downloaded here!
1
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Pa (N/m )
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kg/cm2 Ventilation Software Mining Ventilation Design Advanced 3D modelling software www.ventsim.com
psi
inches H2O Related Topics
Convert !
• Ventilation - Systems for ventilation and air handling - air change rates, ducts and pressure drops, charts
Flow and diagrams and more

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1
Related Documents
m3/s
m3/h
• Air Ducts Friction Loss Diagram - Major loss diagram air ducts - SI units
US gpm • Air Ducts Friction Loss Diagram - Major loss diagram air ducts - Imperial units ranging 10 - 100 000 cfm
cfm • Air Velocities in Ducts - Recommended maximum air velocities in ventilation ducts
• Circular Duct Sizes - Dimensions of circular ventilation air ducts
Convert ! • Design of Ventilation Systems - A design procedure of ventilation systems, with air flow rates, heat and
cooling loads, air shifts according occupants, air supply principles
Unit Converter • Duct Velocity - Calculate velocities in circular and rectangular ducts - imperial and SI-units - online calculator
• Friction Loss in Ducts - Friction loss or major loss in ducts - equations and online calculator for rectangular
Scientific
and circular ducts - imperial units
• Minor Loss Coefficients for Air Duct Components - Minor loss - pressure or head loss - coefficients for air
duct distribution systems components
• Rectangular Duct Sizes - Dimensions of common rectangular air ducts used in ventilation systems
• Rectangular and Circular HVAC Ducts - Equivalent Diameter - Equivalent diameters for rectangular and
Calculator circular ducts - air flows between 100 - 50,000 cfm
• Sizing Circular Ducts - A rough guide to maximum air volume capacity of circular ducts in comfort, industrial
Free Industry and high speed ventilation systems
Magazines • Sizing Ducts - The ductwork of ventilation systems are often sized with either the Velocity, the Constant
Pressure Loss (or Equal Friction Loss) - or the Static Pressure Recovery Methods
HRW

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