Chapter 6 - Fluid Flow in Piping

In a purely technical sense, the word fluid can mean either a liquid, such as water, or a gas, such as air.

Flow velocity is a measurement of the volume of fluid that passes a given location in a pipe in a given time.

The static pressure at a given depth below the surface of a liquid remains exactly the same regardless of the diameter of the pipe.

Using pressure gauges to detect changes in the head of a liquid is like using thermometers to detect changes in the thermal energy content of that liquid.

Each component in a piping assembly or circuit has an associated hydraulic resistance that defines its ability to dissipate thermal energy from the fluid at any given flow rate.

Use of pressure drop charts based on 60ºF water will consistently overestimate the pressure drop in hydronic piping circuits because the water will usually be at higher temperatures.

The equivalent length of a component is the amount of tubing, of the same pipe size, that would produce the same head loss (or pressure drop), as the actual component, at the same flow rate.

The equivalent hydraulic resistance of an entire assembly is always greater than the smallest individual hydraulic resistance.

Determining the flow rates in systems with several parallel branches does not require "number crunching."

Every piping system should be thought of as having an operating cost as well as an installation cost.

The term "flow velocity" is commonly understood to mean the __________ flow velocity of the fluid as it moves through a pipe.

A pipe size should be selected that keeps the average flow velocity between _________ ft./sec.

Fluids in a hydronic system contain both thermal and mechanical energy. The mechanical energy, or ________, present in a fluid depends on several factors including its pressure, density, elevation, and velocity at some point in the system.

Whenever a fluid flows, an energy dissipating effect called _________ develops both within the fluid stream and along any surfaces the fluid contacts.

After the hydraulic resistances of all devices in a piping assembly are determined, they can be combined into a(n) ___________ resistance similar to how electrical resistances are combined in circuit analysis.

__________ represents the relationship between flow rate and head loss for a given piping circuit using a specific fluid at a given temperature.

Copper tubing is also subject to a condition called _________, which can literally scrub metal off the inside wall of a tube or fittings.

The simplest piping assemblies are formed by connecting piping components end to end. In some cases, the collection of tubing, fittings, valves, and other components closes on itself to form a __________.

A more efficient method can be used in the common situation where the piping circuit contains a(n) __________ of pipe, fittings, and valves.

The piping paths that share common points of connection are said to be piped _________.