ous solution for turbulent flow in a pipe, where
in Eq. (6.4.37) is cus-
tomarily extended in the turbulent flow regime, as shown in Fig. 6.11. It
should be mentioned that Fig. 6.11 is based on experimental data obtained
from various degrees of roughness of a pipe wall (after Nikuradse experi-
ments with pipes of sand roughness), where
is the roughness (R.M.S)
and d is the diameter of pipe. As effects of the roughness are exemplified
in the diagram, when
d
increases,
raises, indicating a higher pressure
drop (higher wall shear) in the turbulent regime, whereas in the laminar re-
gime, as
is expressed by Re64 , there would not be the effect of the
roughness on the pressure drop.
Re
in straight pipe (replotted after Nikuradse, 1933)
With hydrodynamically smooth pipes that are independent of the sur-
face roughness, a curve fitted correlation to a turbulent flow date is given
as
53
4
1
10103for 31640 ᨺu
ReRe.
O
(6.4.40)
The empirical equation (6.4.40) is called the Blasius formula (1913) that
only depends on the Reynolds number, and is often used for practical pur-
poses in engineering. There are several empirical relations for
in hydro-
dynamically smooth pipes. Among those, Prandtl’s universal law of fric-
tion for smooth pipes is valid for a wide range of Reynolds numbers in
turbulent flows, which is given as
6.4 Flow Through Pipe 327