How to calculate water pressure loss due to elevation change?
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Hello, I am trying to calculate pressure loss or head loss due to elevation change. Sorry for any mistakes as I am not very good with water pressure or physics. I understand that a column of water 1 foot high exerts 0.433 psi at the bottom. Let's say I have a pump that has a pump curve of 0 gpm at 10psi and 20 gpm at 0 psi, and 14 gpm at 4.33 psi. Let's assume I am using 1" pvc schedule 40 pipe. The pump is sitting at the top of the water level of a storage tank. Now lets say the pump draws water from the tank and immediately has an elevation change of 10 feet going up, once it reaches the top it immediately returns 10 feet back into the storage tank. Now, not taking into consideration 90 degree elbows and friction loss in the pipe and simply assuming the pipe is one continuous stretch of pipe what will be the pressure at the end of the discharge of the pipe? 10' * .433 psi = 4.33 psi //This is the 10' elevation change Will I gain the 4.33 psi as the waters comes back down the 10' of pipe? -10' * .433 psi = -4.33 psi? //This is 10' returning back into the storage tank. Is this possible? I am assuming that when the water reaches the top of the 10' the pump will be pumping 14gpm. I don't know if this correct or not but as the water starts coming back down and gains the 4.33 psi it lost going up will this increase the flow back to 20 gpm? Also the return line is inside the water level of the storage tank. It is not pumping up 10' and just letting the water fall into the storage tank from 10' above. It is 10' of pipe going up and 10' of pipe coming down below the water line. Also, the pump is a centrifugal pump with a side discharge. Thanks for your help.
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Answer:
If there were no frictional losses then the pressure as the water returns to the tank will be the same as the pressure where it left the pump. The only energy needed is the energy to accelerate the water to the speed necessary to move along the pipe. You cannot look at the pressure at the top of the pipe unless you are interested in cavitation which will not occur until a vacuum is created at heads of greater than 32 feet. The pump will not be pumping 14 gpm unless the pressure AT THE PUMP is zero. And this is not the case. The flow MUST be the same at all points along the pipe ( series circuit rules) You may not calculate different flow rates at different points along the pipe unless you include a storage tank at the top of the pipe. As your units are so awkward ( gallons per minute, psi, inch pipe) the conversions are too awkward for me to do for you. Incidentally if you use an exponential horn at the end of the pipe in the tank then the kinetic energy is used to lower the pressure which in turn makes less pressure required at the pump.
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Other answers
If there were no frictional losses then the pressure as the water returns to the tank will be the same as the pressure where it left the pump. The only energy needed is the energy to accelerate the water to the speed necessary to move along the pipe. You cannot look at the pressure at the top of the pipe unless you are interested in cavitation which will not occur until a vacuum is created at heads of greater than 32 feet. The pump will not be pumping 14 gpm unless the pressure AT THE PUMP is zero. And this is not the case. The flow MUST be the same at all points along the pipe ( series circuit rules) You may not calculate different flow rates at different points along the pipe unless you include a storage tank at the top of the pipe. As your units are so awkward ( gallons per minute, psi, inch pipe) the conversions are too awkward for me to do for you. Incidentally if you use an exponential horn at the end of the pipe in the tank then the kinetic energy is used to lower the pressure which in turn makes less pressure required at the pump.
Andrew Smith
In the situation you describe, the only pump pressure that develops would be to overcome friction. You would not need to even consider the pressure difference due to height, as the pressure will be equal on both sides of the pipe and offset each other (talking only of pressure due to height). Liken it to a siphon pipe if you like, where the only flow is due to DIFFERENCE in height due to difference in reservoir head and outlet height, which needs to be lower than reservoir height for siphoning to occur. Height has no bearing on the function (other than increased friction), therefore flow rate). The only requirement would be the downcoming column of water would need to be solid (no air). That COULD be difficult to maintain. Smaller pipe could be advantageous to purge any air out, if the sched. 40 you suggest does not have the velocity to do so. But, pressure would rise, and flow rate diminish. I'd suggest the only practical way to determine what is required would be by experimentation, unless you could find someone who has practical experience at similar systems, such as a swimming pool technician.
Technobuff
In the situation you describe, the only pump pressure that develops would be to overcome friction. You would not need to even consider the pressure difference due to height, as the pressure will be equal on both sides of the pipe and offset each other (talking only of pressure due to height). Liken it to a siphon pipe if you like, where the only flow is due to DIFFERENCE in height due to difference in reservoir head and outlet height, which needs to be lower than reservoir height for siphoning to occur. Height has no bearing on the function (other than increased friction), therefore flow rate). The only requirement would be the downcoming column of water would need to be solid (no air). That COULD be difficult to maintain. Smaller pipe could be advantageous to purge any air out, if the sched. 40 you suggest does not have the velocity to do so. But, pressure would rise, and flow rate diminish. I'd suggest the only practical way to determine what is required would be by experimentation, unless you could find someone who has practical experience at similar systems, such as a swimming pool technician.
Technobuff
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