Comparing Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes

Comparing friction head loss in steel, copper and PVC plastic pipes

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Due to difference in inside cross sectional area, wet surface and roughness of the surface, there is significant difference in friction head loss in steel, copper and plastic PVC pipes. The difference will vary with the size of pipe and the flow rate.

The difference will increase with decreased dimensions and increased flow rates

The friction loss in feet of head per 100 feet of Steel pipes Schedule 40, Copper pipes Type L and thermoplastic PVC pipes Schedule 40 are compared below:

3 in.
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Steel Pipe Schedule 40	Copper Pipe Type L	PVC Pipe Schedule 40
50	0.7	0.8	0.2
60	1.0	1.1	0.2
70	1.3	1.5	0.3
80	1.7	1.8	0.4
90	2.1	2.3	0.5
100	2.5	2.7	0.6
150	5.3	5.7	1.2
200	9.1	9.5	2.1
250	13.6	14.2	3.2
300	19.8	19.8	4.4
400	34.2	33.4	5.9

4 in.
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Steel Pipe Schedule 40	Copper Pipe Type L	PVC Pipe Schedule 40
100	0.7	0.7	0.6
150	1.4	1.5	1.2
200	2.4	2.5	2.1
250	3.6	3.7	3.2
300	5.0	5.1	4.4
400	8.7	8.6	7.5

5 in.
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Steel Pipe Schedule 40	Copper Pipe Type L	PVC Pipe Schedule 40
150	0.5	0.8	0.4
200	0.8	0.8	0.7
250	1.2	1.3	1.1
300	1.6	1.8	1.5
400	2.8	2.9	2.5
500	4.3	4.4	3.7

6 in.
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Steel Pipe Schedule 40	Copper Pipe Type L	PVC Pipe Schedule 40
150	0.2	0.2	0.2
200	0.3	0.4	0.3
250	0.5	0.5	0.4
300	0.7	0.7	0.6
400	1.1	1.2	1.0
500	1.7	1.8	1.5
750	3.7	3.8	3.3
1000	6.3	6.5	5.5

8 in.
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Steel Pipe Schedule 40	PVC Pipe Schedule 40
150	0.05	0.04
200	0.08	0.06
250	0.12	0.07
300	0.17	0.1
400	0.3	0.2
500	0.4	0.3
750	0.9	0.4
1000	1.6	0.9
1250	2.4	1.5
1500	3.5	2.2
2000	6.0	3.1

10 in.
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Steel Pipe Schedule 40	PVC Pipe Schedule 40
200	0.03	0.03
250	0.04	0.04
300	0.06	0.05
400	0.1	0.09
500	0.15	0.1
750	0.3	0.3
1000	0.5	0.5
1250	0.8	0.7
1500	1.1	1.0
2000	1.9	1.7

12 in.
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate (gal/min)	Steel Pipe Schedule 40	PVC Pipe Schedule 40
400	0.04	0.04
500	0.06	0.06
750	0.13	0.1
1000	0.2	0.2
1250	0.3	0.3
1500	0.5	0.4
2000	0.8	0.7
3000	1.7	1.6

The steel and copper calculations are made with the Online Fluid Flow Calculator.

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