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Comparing Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes

Water flow and friction head loss (ft/100 ft) - 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.

1 ftH2O/100 ft = 0.44 psi/100ft = 9.8 kPa/100 m = 1000 mmH2O/100 m

3 in.
Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate
(gal/min) Steel Pipe Copper Pipe PVC Pipe
Schedule 40 Type L Schedule 40
50 0.7 0.8 0.6
60 1.0 1.1 0.9
70 1.3 1.5 1.2
80 1.7 1.8 1.5
90 2.1 2.3 1.8
100 2.5 2.7 2.2
150 5.3 5.7 4.8
200 9.1 9.5 8.1
250 13.6 14.2 12.8
300 19.8 19.8 17.1
400 34.2 33.4 29.0

4 in.
Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate
(gal/min) Steel Pipe Copper Pipe PVC Pipe
Schedule 40 Type L Schedule 40
100 0.7 0.7 0.6
150 1.4 1.5 1.3
200 2.4 2.5 2.2
250 3.6 3.7 3.3
300 5.0 5.1 4.6
400 8.7 8.6 7.8

5 in.
Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate
(gal/min) Steel Pipe Copper Pipe PVC Pipe
Schedule 40 Type L 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 2.6
500 4.3 4.4 3.9

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6 in.
Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate
(gal/min) Steel Pipe Copper Pipe PVC Pipe
Schedule 40 Type L 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 1.1
500 1.7 1.8 1.6
750 3.7 3.8 3.4
1000 6.3 6.5 5.8

8 in.
Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate
(gal/min) Steel Pipe PVC Pipe
Schedule 40 Schedule 40
150 0.05 0.05
200 0.08 0.08
250 0.12 0.12
300 0.17 0.16
400 0.3 0.28
500 0.4 0.4
750 0.9 0.9
1000 1.6 1.5
1250 2.4 2.3
1500 3.5 3.2
2000 6.0 5.5

10 in.
Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate
(gal/min) Steel Pipe PVC Pipe
Schedule 40 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 0.14
750 0.3 0.3
1000 0.5 0.5
1250 0.8 0.8
1500 1.1 1.1
2000 1.9 1.8

12 in.
Friction Loss (ft/100 ft)
Flow Rate
(gal/min) Steel Pipe PVC Pipe
Schedule 40 Schedule 40
400 0.04 0.04
500 0.06 0.06
750 0.13 0.13
1000 0.2 0.21
1250 0.3 0.32
1500 0.5 0.45
2000 0.8 0.8
3000 1.7 1.6

The steel and copper calculations are made with the Online Fluid Flow Calculator.
The PVC pipe calculation are made with the Online Hazens-Williams Calculator with a roughness coefficient c = 145.

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Related Topics
Fluid Flow and Pressure Drop - Pipe lines - fluid flow and pressure loss - water, sewer, steel pipes, pvc pipes, copper tubes and more

Related Documents
PVC and CPVC Pipes - Schedule 40 & 80 - Standard dimensions and weight of PVC - Polyvinyl Chloride - and CPVC - Chlorinated Polyvinyl
Chloride - pipes according ASTM D1785
PVC Pipe Schedule 40 - Friction loss and Velocity Diagram - Friction loss (psi/100 ft) and velocity for water flow in plastic PVC pipe schedule
40
Resistance and Equivalent Length of Fittings - Equivalent length of fittings like bends, returns, tees and valves in hot water heating systems -
equivalent length in feet and meter
Carbon, Alloy and Stainless Steel Pipes - ASME/ANSI B36.10/19 - Pipe sizes, inside and outside diameters, wall thickness, schedules,
moment of inertia, transverse area, weight of pipe filled with water - U.S. Customary Units
Online Fluid Flow Calculator - For laminar and turbulent flow
Hazen-Williams Equation - calculating Friction Head Loss in Water Pipes - Friction head loss (ftH2O per 100 ft pipe) in water pipes can be
estimated by using the empirical Hazen-Williams equation
Copper Tubes - ASTM B88 - Copper Water and Gas Tube according ASTM B 88 - imperial units
Steel Pipe Schedule 40 - Friction loss and Velocity Diagram - Friction loss and velocity diagrams - in imperial (psi/100 ft, ft/s) and SI
(Pa/100m, m/s) units

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