Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    murf_au's Avatar
    murf_au Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Jun 8, 2012, 04:47 AM
    Weight of water in a vertical column
    Can any one help me please? For ease I have being creative with some numbers but it is the theory I am interested in.

    What is the weight of a vertical pipe of water, given:
    Pipe supported at top only.
    Pipe is 100m, vertical.
    Open at bottom, no restriction
    Inflow is enough to fill pipe
    Volume of water in pipe = 100kg
    Friction in pipe = 2 m of head per 100m
    Weight of pipe = 50 Kg

    I figure on 2 answers though neither is probably correct.

    A. 150Kg - A full column water plus the pipe

    B 52 Kg - The friction head plus the pipe

    I tend towards answer B as there is no restriction to the flow and forces are equal and opposite.
    ebaines's Avatar
    ebaines Posts: 12,131, Reputation: 1307
    Expert
     
    #2

    Jun 8, 2012, 06:26 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by murf_au View Post
    What is the weight of a vertical pipe of water, given:
    Weight of pipe = 50 Kg
    You answered your own question - 50Kg! But I'm guessing you don't want the weight of the pipe but rather the force that must be carried by the support of the pipe. In this case you would add together the weight of the pipe and the downward friction caused by the water flow. But be careful of units - weight is measured in N, not Kg, and the friction force needs to also be expressed in newtons. You say the friction is 2m of head per 100 m of pipe length - that's a measure of pressure per unit length, so to convert to a force you multiply by the internal cicumference of the pipe. So in total you get:

    F = mg + 2m/100m x 9804 (N/m^2)/m x L x C

    where L = length of pipe and C = internal circumference.

    It's possible to calculate the cross-sectional area of the pipe (and hence the circumference) given that it contains 100 Kg of water:

    Mass = density x volume = 1000 Kg/m^3 x 100m x A;
    A = 100 Kg/(1000 Kg/m^3 x 100m) = 0.001 m^2

    and hence its circumference C is:

    C = 2 x sqrt(A x pi) = 0.112m

    So the friction force of water is:
    2m/100m x 9804 (N/m^2)/m x L x C = 2/100 x 9804 x 100 x 0.112 = 2198N

    Note that this friction force is greater than the weight of the water in the pipe!

    Add that to the pipe's weight to get the total force of the support:

    F = mg + 784N = 50Kg x 9.8m/s^2 + 2198N = 2688N
    murf_au's Avatar
    murf_au Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #3

    Jun 8, 2012, 02:49 PM
    Thanks for that. I shall now use that formula to do the calculations and yes I shall use newtons etc.
    This will be a great help
    Regards.
    Murf_au

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

What is a water column [ 10 Answers ]

My question is actually two questions in one. I believe that in my studies in school I learned that a water column is a stand of water in a pipe to a certain height. If the pipe ended at the bottom of a tank then the water column would extend up through the water in the tank to the water level but...

If the column of water in the... [ 4 Answers ]

If the column of water in the water barometer rose to a height of 36 feet, what would the atmospheric pressure be in mm Hg

Water column [ 1 Answers ]

In theopen ocean is the water column the distance from the bottom to the top of the ocean, with varying widths?

Do the water lines to a water heater have to be vertical? [ 6 Answers ]

Do the water lines to a water heater have to be vertical? I'm thinking of installing an electric water heater so that the flexible connector lines curve toward the side of the closet, where the CPVC water lines would be. That would let me put a small storage shelf above the water heater. Is...


View more questions Search