Pipe and Tube Sizing

Butch G. Bataller
Lecture on ChE 192
 Diameter Calculations
Typical Diameter based on Typical
Velocity (Kent, 1980)

For Liquids,
 Diameter Calculations
Typical Diameter based on Typical
Velocity (Kent, 1980)

For Gases,
 Diameter Calculations
Minimum Diameter based on Maximum
Velocity

For Clean
Liquids,
 Diameter Calculations
Minimum Diameter based on Maximum
Velocity

For Clean
Gases,
 Diameter Calculations
Minimum Diameter based on Maximum
Velocity

For Erosive/Corrosive
Liquids,
 Diameter Calculations
Minimum Diameter based on Maximum
Velocity

For Erosive/Corrosive
Gases,
 Diameter Calculations
Optimum Economic Diameter (considering
piping, pumping and maintenance costs)

For Turbulent Flow and Di

0.0254 m,
 Diameter Calculations
Optimum Economic Diameter (considering
piping, pumping and maintenance costs)

For Turbulent Flow and Di <

0.0254 m,
 Diameter Calculations
Optimum Economic Diameter (considering
piping, pumping and maintenance costs)

For Viscous Flow and Di

0.0254 m,
 Diameter Calculations
Optimum Economic Diameter (considering
piping, pumping and maintenance costs)

For Viscous Flow and Di <

0.0254 m,
 Diameter Calculations
Optimum Economic Diameter
(Peters and Timmerhaus, 2004)

For Turbulent Flow and Di

0.0254 m,
0.363mv c
0.45 0.025

0.45
Di ,opt 0.363q f 0.13 0.025

0.32

D = opt pipe diameter (m), qf = vol. flowrate (m3/s), =

density (kg/m3), = viscsity (Pa-s)
 Diameter Calculations
Optimum Economic Diameter
(Peters and Timmerhaus, 2004)

For Turbulent Flow and Di <

0.0254 m,

0.49
Di ,opt 0.49q f 0.14 0.027

D = opt pipe diameter (m), qf = vol. flowrate (m3/s), =

density (kg/m3), = viscsity (Pa-s)
 Diameter Calculations
Optimum Economic Diameter
(Peters and Timmerhaus, 2004)

For Viscous Flow and Di

0.0254 m,

0.36
D i ,opt 0.133q
f
0.18

D = opt pipe diameter (m), qf = vol. flowrate (m3/s), =

density (kg/m3), = viscsity (Pa-s)
 Diameter Calculations
Optimum Economic Diameter
(Peters and Timmerhaus, 2004)

For Viscous Flow and Di <

0.0254 m,

0.40
D i ,opt 0.133q
f
0.20

D = opt pipe diameter (m), qf = vol. flowrate (m3/s), =

density (kg/m3), = viscsity (Pa-s)
 Diameter Calculations
Based on Suggested Velocity
3-5 ft/s (liquids) and 50-100 ft/s
(gases)
Backhurst and Harker, 1973

5.9-7.9 ft/s (liquids) and 30-131

(gases)
economic optimum velocity , Perry

5-10 ft/s (liquids)

 Diameter Calculations
Typical Velocities in Steel Pipelines
 Diameter Calculations
Typical Velocities in Gas and Vapor
lines
 Diameter Calculations
Typical Velocities in Equipment lines
 Diameter Calculations

Economic Velocities for Steel Pipe

Sizing
 Diameter Calculations

Economic Velocities for Steel Pipe

Sizing
 Sample Problems
1. Pipe is to be specified for a water
volumetric flowrate of 200 L/min and
working temperature of 30C. Compute
for the typical pipe diameter.

2. Pipe is to be specified for a water

flowrate of 1500 L/min at 30C. Estimate
for the minimum diameter required based
on maximum fluid velocity
 Sample Problems
3. Sulfuric acid with a volume flowrate of 50
L/min and temperature 30C is supplied
through a pipeline. Calculate the pipe
minimum diameter required.

4. Compute for the minimum pipe diameter

requirement for the liquid flowing at of
550 L/min based on the reasonable
velocity presented by Backhurst and
Harker (1973).
 Sample Problems
5. Methanol with a flowrate of 75 L/min is
pumped from a storage tank. Estimate the
minimum pipeline diameter (Sch 40) at the
pump suction connecting the storage tank.

6. Carbon dioxide is flowing at a rate of 150

L/min inside a pipe. The temperature of the
gas is 32 deg. C and the pipeline pressure
is 150 psi. Calculate the minimum diameter
of the pipe if the CO2 compressibility factor
is 0.82 and the piping cost is 25 $/in/ft.