Question

According to the fire regulation in a town, the pressure drop in a commercial steel horizontal pipe μst not exceed 1.0 psi per 150 ft of pipe for flow rates up to 1 ft³/s. If the water temperature is above 50°F (which its specific weight is affected by), what additional consideration might be necessary to calculate the pressure drop accurately?

a) Viscosity
b) Density
c) Compressibility
d) Surface tension

Answer 1

Additional considerations for calculating pressure drop in a pipe with water temperature above 50°F include viscosity and density of the fluid, as these properties affect the fluid's flow resistance and weight-related pressure drop.

Step-by-step explanation:

When calculating the pressure drop in a commercial steel horizontal pipe due to flow, and given that the water temperature is above 50°F which affects its specific weight, additional consideration might be necessary. Since the pressure drop can be influenced by the characteristics of the fluid in motion, one should consider the fluid's viscosity and density. Viscosity affects the flow resistance within the pipe, while density is related to the gravitational pressure drop that occurs along the pipe's length due to the weight of the fluid. In contrast, compressibility is more relevant for gases than for liquids like water, and surface tension has a negligible effect on pressure drop in pipes with diameters typical for commercial applications.