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Fanning Friction Factor

There are two common friction factors in use, the Darcy and the Fanning friction factors.

The Fanning friction factor, named after John Thomas Fanning, is a dimensionless number that is one-fourth of the Darcy friction factor, so attention must be paid to note which one is used as the friction factor. This is the only difference between these two factors. In all other aspects, they are identical, and by applying the conversion factor of 4, the friction factors may be used interchangeably.
fD = 4.fF

Darcy Friction Factor
The Darcy friction factor is a dimensionless quantity used in the Darcy–Weisbach equation, for the description of frictional losses in pipe or duct as well as for open-channel flow. This is also called the Darcy–Weisbach friction factor, resistance coefficient, or simply friction factor.

The friction factor has been determined to depend on the Reynolds number for the flow and the degree of roughness of the pipe’s inner surface (especially for turbulent flow). The friction factor of laminar flow is independent of the roughness of the pipe’s inner surface.
darcy friction factor
The pipe cross-section is also important, as deviations from circular cross-section will cause secondary flows that increase the head loss. Non-circular pipes and ducts are generally treated by using the hydraulic diameter.

Summary:

The Darcy friction factor is a dimensionless quantity used in the Darcy–Weisbach equation, for the description of frictional losses in pipe or duct as well as for open-channel flow. This is also called the Darcy–Weisbach friction factor, resistance coefficient, or simply friction factor.

The friction factor has been determined to depend on the Reynolds number for the flow and the degree of roughness of the pipe’s inner surface (especially for turbulent flow). The friction factor of laminar flow is independent of the roughness of the pipe’s inner surface.
darcy friction factor
The pipe cross-section is also important, as deviations from circular cross-section will cause secondary flows that increase the head loss. Non-circular pipes and ducts are generally treated by using the hydraulic diameter.

Relative Roughness

The quantity used to measure the roughness of the pipe’s inner surface is called the relative roughness, and it is equal to the average height of surface irregularities (ε) divided by the pipe diameter (D).

relative roughness - equation

where both the average height surface irregularities and the pipe diameter are in millimeters.

If we know the relative roughness of the pipe’s inner surface, then we can obtain the value of the friction factor from the Moody Chart.

The Moody chart (also known as the Moody diagram) is a graph in the non-dimensional form that relates the Darcy friction factor, Reynolds number, and the relative roughness for fully developed flow in a circular pipe.

relative roughness - absolute roughness

 
Example: Moody Chart
Determine the friction factor (fD) for fluid flow in a pipe of 700mm in diameter that has the Reynolds number of 50 000 000 and an absolute roughness of 0.035 mm.

Solution:

The relative roughness is equal to ε = 0.035 / 700 = 5 x 10-5. Using the Moody Chart, a Reynolds number of 50 000 000 intersects the curve corresponding to a relative roughness of 5 x 10-5 at a friction factor of 0.011.

Moody chart, moody diagram
Example: Moody chart.
Source: Donebythesecondlaw at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4681366

Darcy Friction Factor for various flow regime

The most common classification of flow regimes is according to the Reynolds number. The Reynolds number is a dimensionless number comprised of the physical characteristics of the flow, and it determines whether the flow is laminar or turbulent. An increasing Reynolds number indicates increasing turbulence of flow. As can be seen from the Moody chart, the Darcy friction factor also depends on the flow regime (i.e., on the Reynolds number).

 
Darcy Friction Factor for Laminar Flow
For practical purposes, if the Reynolds number is less than 2000, the flow is laminar. The accepted transition Reynolds number for flow in a circular pipe is Red,crit = 2300. For laminar flow, the head loss is proportional to velocity rather than velocity squared. Thus the friction factor is inversely proportional to velocity.

The Darcy friction factor for laminar (slow) flows is a consequence of Poiseuille’s law that and it is given by the following equations:

darcy friction factor for laminar flow

Darcy Friction Factor for Transitional Flow
At Reynolds numbers between about 2000 and 4000, the flow is unstable as a result of the onset of turbulence. These flows are sometimes referred to as transitional flows. The Darcy friction factor contains large uncertainties in this flow regime and is not well understood.
Darcy Friction Factor for Turbulent Flow
If the Reynolds number is greater than 3500, the flow is turbulent. Most fluid systems in nuclear facilities operate with turbulent flow. In this flow regime, the resistance to flow follows the Darcy–Weisbach equation: it is proportional to the square of the mean flow velocity. The Darcy friction factor depends strongly on the relative roughness of the pipe’s inner surface.

The most common method to determine a friction factor for turbulent flow is to use the Moody chart. The Moody chart (also known as the Moody diagram) is a log-log plot of the Colebrook correlation that relates the Darcy friction factor, Reynolds number, and the relative roughness for fully developed flow in a circular pipe. The Colebrook–White equation:

darcy friction factor for turbulent flow

which is also known as the Colebrook equation, expresses the Darcy friction factor f as a function of pipe relative roughness ε / Dh and Reynolds number.

In 1939, Colebrook found an implicit correlation for the friction factor in round pipes by fitting the data of experimental studies of turbulent flow in smooth and rough pipes.

For hydraulically smooth pipe and the turbulent flow (Re < 105), the friction factor can be approximated by the Blasius formula:

 f = (100.Re)

darcy friction factor - relative roughnessIt must be noted that the friction factor is independent of the Reynolds number at very large Reynolds numbers. This is because the thickness of the laminar sublayer (viscous sublayer) decreases with increasing Reynolds number. For very large Reynolds numbers, the thickness of the laminar sublayer is comparable to the surface roughness, and it directly influences the flow. The laminar sublayer becomes so thin that the surface roughness protrudes into the flow. The frictional losses, in this case, are produced in the main flow primarily by the protruding roughness elements, and the contribution of the laminar sublayer is negligible.

Examples

 
Example: The head loss for one loop of primary piping
The primary circuit of typical PWRs is divided into 4 independent loops (piping diameter of about 700mm), each loop comprises a steam generator and one main coolant pump.

Assume that (this data do not represent any certain reactor design):

  • Inside the primary piping flows water at a constant temperature of 290°C (⍴ ~ 720 kg/m3).
  • The kinematic viscosity of the water at 290°C is equal to 0.12 x 10-6 m2/s.
  • The primary piping flow velocity may be about 17 m/s.
  • The primary piping of one loop is about 20m long.
  • The Reynolds number inside the primary piping is equal to: ReD = 17 [m/s] x 0.7 [m] / 0.12×10-6 [m2/s] = 99 000 000
  • The Darcy friction factor is equal to fD = 0.01

Calculate the head loss for one loop of primary piping (without fitting, elbows, pumps, etc.).

Solution:

Since we know all inputs of the Darcy-Weisbach equation, we can calculate the head loss directly:

Head loss form:

Δh = 0.01 x ½ x 1/9.81 x 20 x 172 / 0.7 = 4.2 m

Pressure loss form:

Δp = 0.01 x ½ x 720 x 20 x 172 / 0.7 = 29 725 Pa ≈ 0.03 MPa

Example: Change in head loss due to a decrease in viscosity.
In fully developed laminar flow in a circular pipe, the head loss is given by:
Major Head Loss - head formwhere:

darcy friction factor - laminar flow

Since the Reynolds number is inverse proportional to viscosity, then the resulting head loss becomes proportional to viscosity. Therefore, the head loss is reduced by half when the viscosity of the fluid is reduced by half, when the flow rate and thus the average velocity are held constant.

 
References:
Reactor Physics and Thermal Hydraulics:
  1. J. R. Lamarsh, Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Theory, 2nd ed., Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA (1983).
  2. J. R. Lamarsh, A. J. Baratta, Introduction to Nuclear Engineering, 3d ed., Prentice-Hall, 2001, ISBN: 0-201-82498-1.
  3. W. M. Stacey, Nuclear Reactor Physics, John Wiley & Sons, 2001, ISBN: 0- 471-39127-1.
  4. Glasstone, Sesonske. Nuclear Reactor Engineering: Reactor Systems Engineering, Springer; 4th edition, 1994, ISBN: 978-0412985317
  5. Todreas Neil E., Kazimi Mujid S. Nuclear Systems Volume I: Thermal Hydraulic Fundamentals, Second Edition. CRC Press; 2 edition, 2012, ISBN: 978-0415802871
  6. Zohuri B., McDaniel P. Thermodynamics in Nuclear Power Plant Systems. Springer; 2015, ISBN: 978-3-319-13419-2
  7. Moran Michal J., Shapiro Howard N. Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, Fifth Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2006, ISBN: 978-0-470-03037-0
  8. Kleinstreuer C. Modern Fluid Dynamics. Springer, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4020-8670-0.
  9. U.S. Department of Energy, THERMODYNAMICS, HEAT TRANSFER, AND FLUID FLOW. DOE Fundamentals Handbook, Volume 1, 2 and 3. June 1992.
  10. White Frank M., Fluid Mechanics, McGraw-Hill Education, 7th edition, February, 2010, ISBN: 978-0077422417

See above:

Major Loss