K factor for pressure drop calculator

Forum about flow calculators available on pipeflowcalculations.com and how to find solution for your fluid flow problem.
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alflud
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:10 am

K factor for pressure drop calculator

Post by alflud »

Hello everyone. I'm new to all of this, both the forum AND fluid dynamics in general, so forgive me please if I am asking a silly question about something that probably ought to be obvious to me. I've been trying to use the pressure drop calculator to calculate flow rate through a pipe and I'm in possession of 7 of the 8 factors I need to perform the calculation. The only one I am missing is the Resistance Coefficient or K factor. If somebody could help me out I'd really appreciate it. I've been trying in vain for the past two days to figure this out for myself but I'm stumped. The fluid is fresh water if that helps.

Also, I have a question regarding the kinematic velocity of water. As far as I'm aware the v factor of water is 1.66e-5 (ft2/s) at 40°F but I have absolutely no idea what the 'e-5' part represents. If someone could explain this to me I'd appreciate that very much too.
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 375
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 7:47 pm

Re: K factor for pressure drop calculator

Post by admin »

K factor is resistance coefficient that helps to calculate pressure drop due to minor losses in elbows, reducers, valves etc.

On the left side of calculator you can find "K factor" button, when pushed new window with different shapes of pipe fittings can be found. There you can calculate K value for each single case, and the sum of all will give you the value that you should enter in calculator.

e-5 is for number of decimal places before the value that is in front of e.

For example 1.66e-5 = 0.0000166 ft2/s

Good luck
Pipe flow calculations - since 2000
alflud
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:10 am

Re: K factor for pressure drop calculator

Post by alflud »

Thank you very much. I didn't see that little button :D That's a very handy calculator you've got there. Thanks for making it available to us. It's a huge help to those of us who don't have that much study under our belts :)
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