Natural Gas - Pipe Sizing

Sizing pipes with natural gas

Steel Pipe - Schedule 40

Capacity of Pipe (MBH, CFH, ft³/h)
Pipe Size (in)	Pipe Length (ft)
Pipe Size (in)	10	20	40	80	150	300
1/2	138	95	65	45	30	20
3/4	290	200	140	95	70	45
1	545	375	260	170	125	85
1 1/4	1120	770	530	360	260	180
1 1/2	1680	1150	790	540	390	265
2	3220	2220	1520	1050	740	510
2 1/2	5140	3530	2430	1670	1190	815
3	9090	6250	4290	2950	2100	1440
4	18540	12740	8760	6020	4280	2940
5	33530	23050	15840	10890	7750	5320
6	54300	37320	25650	17630	12550	8620
8	111560	76700	52700	36200	25780	17720

pressure less than 1 1/2 psig
fittings factor 1.5 - equivalent pipe length = pipe length + 50%
pressure drop 0.5 inches water column
energy content in natural gas 1000 Btu/lb
1 CFH = 1 MBH
steel pipes schedule 40

Copper Tubing - type K

Capacity of Pipe (MBH, CFH, ft³/h)
Nominal Pipe Size (O.D) (in)	Pipe Length (ft)
Nominal Pipe Size (O.D) (in)	10	20	40	80
1/4 (3/8)	20	15	10	7
3/8 (1/2)	45	30	20	15
1/2 (5/8)	90	60	40	30
5/8 (3/4)	155	105	75	50
3/4 (7/8)	220	150	105	70
1 (1 1/8)	475	325	225	155
1 1/4 (1 3/8)	855	585	405	275

pressure less than 1 1/2 psig
fittings factor 1.5 - equivalent pipe length = pipe length + 50%
pressure drop 0.5 inches water column
energy content in natural gas 1000 Btu/lb
1 CFH = 1 MBH
copper tubing type K

Copper Tubing - type L

Capacity of Pipe (MBH, CFH, ft³/h)
Nominal Pipe Size (O.D) (in)	Pipe Length (ft)
Nominal Pipe Size (O.D) (in)	10	20	40	80
1/4 (3/8)	25	16	11	8
3/8 (1/2)	50	35	25	15
1/2 (5/8)	100	65	45	30
5/8 (3/4)	165	115	80	55
3/4 (7/8)	255	175	120	80
1 (1 1/8)	510	350	240	165
1 1/4 (1 3/8)	890	610	420	290

pressure less than 1 1/2 psig
fittings factor 1.5 - equivalent pipe length = pipe length + 50%
pressure drop 0.5 inches water column
energy content in natural gas 1000 Btu/lb
1 CFH = 1 MBH
copper tubing type L

1 Btu/h = 0.293 W
1 lb = 0.4536 kg
1 ft (foot) = 0.3048 m
1 in water = 248.8 N/m² (Pa) = 0.0361 lb/in² (psi) = 25.4 kg/m² = 0.0739 in mercury
1 psi (lb/in²) = 6,894.8 Pa (N/m²)

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