Turbulent Pipe-flow Computation Using the Rough Model Method (RMM)

Abstract

A new approach is presented to solve common straight pipe-flow problems, namely, computation of the discharge Q, computation of the internal diameter D and computation of the energy slope J. The theoretical approach is based on a referential rough pipe model characterized by an arbitrarily assigned relative roughness value, taken in the fully turbulence flow regime. Thus, the friction factor of Colebrook-White remains constant whatever the Reynolds number value. Hence, applying the Darcy-Weisbach formula, all parameters of the flow in the chosen model, such as the flowing discharge Q , the internal diameter D and the energy slope J , are then well defined. These allow a direct determination of the required value of Q, D and J by the use of a non-dimensional correction factors. The efficiency of the proposed approach is put forward through a practical application.