Looped ring main pipe sizing and pressure drop calculation software; easy pipe friction (ePF) Loop program making life easier 

Practical implementation of Hardy Cross Method for solutions of  looped piping networks

easy Pipe Friction - Loop pipe pressure drop (head loss) calculation (Windows)

multi-purpose solutions for total pump head, pipe network pressure drop calculation in series (branch) pipes + loop ring main pipe network

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ePF Loop:  a multi-purpose easy Pipe Friction (Head Loss) calculations with Loop Ring Main 

Managing pipe pressure drop (total pump head) design calculations every other day...... there is no magic to the solutions. But, we  (designers and solution providers) are always looking for a better way to do things, and to deliver the solutions in a quicker and easier way .... easy.Pipe.Friction (ePF)

Goal: A practical yet simple, efficient way of pressure drop (head loss) calculations for different field services. No pipe network modelling is required, saving time. No initial guess in flow to satisfy the continuity equation is required for the Hardy Cross method employed in loop pipe network.

Target: Provide solutions to meet your deliverables at anytime, anywhere; just pipe friction losses or total pump head.

Applications: Pipe distribution network in series (single or multiple) and/or pipe in single loop or two loops ring main; General water piping, Sewerage and drainage pumping system, Chilled water and Condenser water piping, Irrigation piping, Fire hydrant, Fire hose reel, Wet rising main, Standpipe, etc.

Note: This program can calculate pipe network with  one loop or two loops conjoined by a common link pipe using fixed demand model. This program is not designed for fire sprinkler 'Tree or Grid' system and the like.  For Fire hydraulic calculations, see tFIRE Hydraulics which is based on pressure dependent demand model.


Results: Just-in-time results to meet your deliverables. Results are saved in pdf file,  text file. You can reformat, cut and paste, edit, and so on to suit your desired format.

 

1-Loop or 2-Loop Pipe Flow and Pressure Drop (Head Loss) Analysis: Hardy Cross Method. . .  

Hardy Cross method and Hazen-Williams equation or Darcy-Weisbach equation are used to solve the loop ring main pipe network. The flow (Q) and pressure drop (Pdrop) in each pipe segment are solved iteratively by relationship equations between head loss and flow.

Any series (branch) pipe that joins the loop (upstream and/or downstream) is calculated separately using series pipe calculation.

The total pressure drop (head loss) in the system is the summation of all components causing resistance to flow. 

Built-in tools: making calculation experience more simulating . . .  

Important to note: This program is designed with one set of engineering units for all calculations. For input simplicity, built-in units conversion tools are available. see pictures explanation.

Various selection and calculation tools are provided. They are:

Loop Model: Classic illustration with the simplest loop pipe network  

Important to note:

The Loop Models adopted in ePF Loop program is a single-input source (Qin), a single loop or two-loop with one or more discharge outlets (Qo). Each pipe segment can have an outflow discharge. There is no limitation to the number of pipes that can be created in the system. Options available for major and minor losses calculations are Hazen-Williams equation (with equivalent length Le method), or Darcy-Weisbach equation (with resistance coefficient K method).

The simplest loop pipe network is formed by 3 pipes as shown in the diagram below. The loop has a single-input source. For a given looped pipe network, the outflow discharges (Qout) are known. However, the flow (Q) in each pipe of the looped pipe network and its head loss (Pdrop) are unknown. This involves solving non-linear equations iteratively by the Hardy Cross Method, i.e., 

Notice that the calculated flow and pressure drop in pipes 102 & 103 are negative (-ve). The -ve flow (Q) means the flow in that pipe segment is in an anti-clockwise direction. Likewise, the -ve pressure drop (Pdrop) in that pipe segment simply indicates that the flow is in the anti-clockwise direction. 



The results obtained using Hazen-Williams equation is shown below: 

The results obtained using Darcy-Weisbach equation is shown below: 

Series Model: Single pipe or Multiple pipes pressure drop 

In series model, ePF Loop program is capable of computing pressure drop in a single pipe or multiple pipes without limitation to the number of pipes that can be created in the system. The methods employed in the calculations are: 

(1) Hazen-Williams equation and equivalent length (Le) method for valves and fittings.

(2)  Darcy-Weisbach equation and resistance coefficient (K) method for valves and fittings.

 

The total friction loss is the sum of all the friction losses in each section of the pipe plus local losses.

Note: for series pipe pressure drop calculation on Android, see mPPD - multiple Pipe Pressure Drop (Android).

Series + Loop Pipe Network: Loop ring main network   

For a pipe network that contains series pipes and a single loop ring main, the pressure drop in the series pipes and looped pipes are calculated separately. The total pressure drop (head loss) in the system is the summation of series + loop components.

See below Hydrant ring main system example.

If you need to plot  1 or 2 pumps in parallel curves, and system curve, see CurveFit Tracer.  Also see PumpCurve Scaled Plot.


>> Application example (2-Loop ):  Two-loop pipe network flow and pressure drop analysis


>> Practical implementation example (2-Loop): Two-loop Hydrant ring main pipe pressure drop analysis


>> Example problem (2-Loop): Two-loop conjoined at junction without a common link pipe. Demonstrates creation of a dummy common link pipe.


>> worked example (Series + Loop): Hydrant ring main system


>> Project example (Series): Wet Riser system

 

>> see results comparison example: ePF Loop vs a 3rd party program

 

>> worked example (Series): Water pumping main system

 

>> Analysis example: see Loop pipe ring main.


>> Steam pipe pressure drop example: see Pressure loss in steam pipe. For Pressure loss in steam pipe calculation software, see Steam Pressure Drop software.


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ePF Loop

Price: US $9.90

OS requirements: Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10, 11...

(Note: this software does not work on Windows XP).