PRINCIPLES OF EQUIVALENT LENGTH AND EQUIVALENT DIAMETER METHODS

A El. 30 m ENERGY LINE ( From A to B

Qt 2 El. 18 m B

Consider the three pipes in series shown above. Such can be replaced with a single pipe of
calculated required length Le called the equivalent length or another pipe of calculated required
diameter De known as the equivalent diameter.

Below is the representation of the equivalent pipe replacing the three pipes

Qe De

Le

In the above figure, the one to be determined is either Le , that is, when applying
equivalent method and De, when it is the other method. In both methods, the
principles are :

 The total discharge in the pipe system to be replaced is equal to the discharge in
the replacing pipe. That is,

But what is Qt in the original pipe system?

 The total head losses in the replacing pipe must be equal to the total head losses
in the original pipe system. That is,
But if minor losses are neglected or disregarded, the above equation becomes :

where : hfAB is the total frictional losses from the start of pipe 1 to the end of

Pipe 3

If Darcy - Weisbach equation will be used in calculating frictional losses, we have :

0.0826 fe Le Q2e /D5e =

hfAB

NOTES

 With the same principles stated above, the equivalent length method as well as
equivalent diameter method can also be applied for pipes in parallel connection
and even to pipe network ( with series and parallel connections )

GOOGLE ACTIVITY
Using the problem you turned in last April 18, 2020, with some changes in the
previously given datas as follows :

 Friction factors ( f ) for all pipes constant at 0.022

PROBLEMS
I. What is the total frictional loss from A to B ? Show the sketch of the total
frictional loss in the FBD of the energy line.
II. What is the total discharge Qt in the given pipe system ?
III. If the original pipe system will be replaced with a single pipe of diameter
250 mm and of friction factor of 0.024, what is the required length Le ?

( Hint : This is equivalent length method where De must be given or known.

De can be a different value from the given diameters or one of them. )

IV. By assigning your own De , what is your equivalent length assuming the same
friction factor as in No. III for your replacing pipe ?
V. If the original pipe system will be replaced with a single pipe of total length
equal to 1,900 m and a friction factor of 0.025, what is the required
diameter De ?

( Hint : This is equivalent diameter method where Le must be given or

known. If Le is not given in this method, consider the total length of all the
pipes as what I use in problem V.