TUTORIAL 3: SERIES, PARALLEL AND BRANCHED PIPE SYSTEM

1. An internal plumbing of a two-storey house is as shown in the figure. The pipes properties are as
shown in the table. The surface water in the tank remains constant. Assume full turbulent flow in
all pipe and ignore the velocity head in all pipes, determine the residual pressure head at point B,
C and D. [Use the Darcy W. and the loss coefficient method.]

Pipe Type D (mm) L (m) Q (l/s)

1 uPVC 50 12
2 uPVC 25 10 1.0
3 uPVC 25 18 1.0

As an engineer, you must not accept any negative residual pressure heads. What should you do if
the residual pressure head is negative?
Ans.: B: 3.188 m, C: -2.084 m, D: -0.514 m

2. Water is flowing in a pipe system as shown in the figure. The pipes properties are as shown in the
table. By assuming the flow in both pipes is fully turbulent, determine the flow velocity in pipe 1
and 2.

Pipe Type D (mm) L (m)

1 Ductile Iron 100mm 95
2 uPVC 50mm 72
 Use the following methods:
(a) Darcy Weisbach formula with loss coefficient method,
(b) Darcy Weisbach formula with effective pipe length method,
(c) Hazen William's formula with loss coefficient methos, and
(d) Hazen William's formula with effective pipe length method.
(Ans.: 0.834 m/s, 3.336 m/s, 0.883 m/s, 3.530 m/s, 0.810 m/s, 3.240 m/s, 0.810 m/s, 3.240 m/s)

3. Water is flowing in pipe system installed in horizontal plane as shown in the figure. The difference
in the two pressure gauges reading is 255 kPa. The pipes properties are as shown in the table. By
assuming the flow in the pipes is fully turbulent, determine the flow velocity in each pipe.

Pipe Type D (mm) L (m)

1 Concrete lined centrifugally spun 200 162
2 New cast iron 100 128
3 HDPE 50 110

Use the following methods:

(a) Darcy Weisbach formula with loss coefficient method,
(b) Darcy Weisbach formula with effective pipe length method,
(c) Hazen William's formula with loss coefficient methos, and
(d) Hazen William's formula with effective pipe length method.
(Ans.: 0.204 m/s, 0.817 m/s, 3.266 m/s, 0.213 m/s, 0.850 m/s, 3.400 m/s, 0.138 m/s, 0.551 m/s,
2.202 m/s, 0.205 m/s, 00819 m/s, 3.275 m/s)

4. Water is flowing in pipe system as shown in the figure. The flow in each pipe is assumed to be
fully turbulent. The pipes properties are as shown in the table. Determine the flow velocity and
the flow rate in each pipe.

Pipe Type D (mm) Length

a Ductile Iron 300 1.88 km
b HDPE 150 1.12 km
 Use the following methods:
(a) Darcy Weisbach formula with loss coefficient method,
(b) Darcy Weisbach formula with effective pipe length method,
(c) Hazen William's formula with effective pipe length method.
(Ans. (a) 1.302 m/s, 92.03 liter/s 1.582 m/s, 27.97 liter/s (b) 1.302 m/s, 92.03 liter/s 1.581 m/s,
27.94 liter/s (c) 1.342 m/s, 94.86 liter/s 1.423 m/s, 25.15 liter/s)

5. water is flowing in pipe system as shown in the figure. The flow in each pipe is assumed to be fully
turbulent. The pipes properties are as shown in the tahle Determine the flow velocity and the
flow rate in each pipe.

Pipe Type D (mm) Length (m)

A Cast iron 150 1230
B uPVC 110 880
C CLCS 120 1010

Use the following methods:

(a) Darcy Weisbach formula with loss coefficient method,
(b) Darcy Weisbach formula with effective pipe length method,
(c) Hazen William's formula with effective pipe length method.
Ans.: (a) 55.44 Us, 39.27 Us, 37.301/s, (b) 54.85 Ws, 40.03 1/s, 37.131/s, (c) 57.48 Ws, 36.42 1/s,
38.121/s)
6. Water
Water is flowing in pipe system as shown in the figure. The water level of the reservoir remains
constant. The flow in each pipe is assumed to be fully turbulent. The pipes properties are as shown
in the table. Determine the flow velocity and the flow rate in each pipe.

Pipe Type D (mm) L (km)

1 Concrete lined centrifugally spun 300 2.85
2 Mild Steel 150 1.22
3 Uncoated welded steel 100 0.95
4 HDPE 200 0.46

Use the following methods:

(a) Darcy Weisbach formula with loss coefficient method,
(b) Darcy Weisbach formula with effective pipe length method,
(c) Hazen William's formula with effective pipe length method.
(Ans.: 0.909 m/s, 2.680 m/s, 2.155 m/s, 2.046 m/s)

7. Water is flowing in pipe system as shown in the figure. The reservoir water level remains constant.
The flow in each pipe is assumed to be fully turbulent. The pipes properties are as shown in the
table. Determine the flow velocity and the flow rate t each pipe.

Pipe Type D (mm) L (km)

1 Concrete lined centrifugally spun 300 2.85
2 uPVC 200 1.00
3 Mild Steel 150 1.22
4 Uncoated welded steel 100 0.95
5 HDPE 250 0.46
 Use the following methods:
(a) Darcy Weisbach formula with loss coefficient method,
(d) Darcy Weisbach formula with effective pipe length method,
(e) Hazen William's formula with effective pipe length method.
(Ans.: 0.870 m/s, 1.958 m/s, 2.564 m/s, 2.062 m/s, 1.253 m/s)

8. Water is flowing in pipe system as shown in the figure. The flow in each pipe is assumed to be
fully turbulent. The pipes properties are as shown in the table. Determine the flow velocity and
the flow rate in each pipe.

Pipe Type D (mm) L (m)

2 Mild Steel 300 1560
3 uPVC 150 860
4 Concrete lined centrifugally spun 300 1240
5 HDPE 100 1160

Use the following methods:

(a) Darcy Weisbach formula with loss coefficient method,
(b) Darcy Weisbach formula with effective pipe length method,
(c) Hazen William's formula with effective pipe length method.
(Ans.: 1.441 m/s, 5.762 m/s, 0.484 m/s, 4.354 m/s)