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HYDROFLO Upgraded To Version 2.1
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Overview
HYDROFLO 2.1 is a powerful software tool that assists piping system designers in the modeling and analysis of single source/single discharge, re-circulating and gravity flow piping systems. These systems are commonly found in industrial process, water supply, wastewater treatment, fire protection, chemical process, mine de-watering, irrigation and HVAC applications among others. The models created with HYDROFLO can consist of up to 10 parallels and hundreds of elements (pipes, valves, fittings, pumps and tanks). Virtually any type of system element can be described from the wide variety of available elements available on HYDROFLO's menus. Element head losses can be described using flow vs. head loss curves, fixed head loss curves and custom friction coefficients.
HYDROFLO models systems conveying any type of incompressible fluid and solves for the full-pipe, steady-state pressures and flows. Hydraulic grade line plots are displayed in the workspace of solved systems so that suction and high-head conditions are easily observed. The Hazen-Williams equation is available for use with water systems and the Darcy-Weisbach equation is available for use with any type of incompressible fluid. Once a system's total dynamic head and flow are found, PumpBase™ can be used to find the best pump for your application.
Systems are built by dragging and dropping both individual or groups of elements onto the workspace. HYDROFLO's new clipboard is available for mass storage, moving and copying of elements. The clipboard can be saved separately from project data, so that a collection of pumps and/or other elements can be brought into any design.Fly-over element inspection (placing the mouse cursor over elements) lets you rapidly identify system components. Elements can be stretched and/or increased in image size for easier viewing. Eleven example problems with their data files are presented in the Help file that depict most of the possible situations that arise in system design.
Once a system is built, PDF reports of flows, pressures, line and pump graphics and other operational results can be previewed and printed. Individual or groups of elements can be edited using the new Group Editor. Elements can be "tagged" to assist with editing.
Many types of hydraulic problems can be solved...
- Validation/calibration of existing single source/discharge systems.
- Modeling a proposed system’s operation.
- Determination of line head losses at a specific flow rate (termed a forced-flow system).
- Analysis of cavitation (Net Positive Suction Head) problems.
- Comparison of equivalent SI unit to English unit designs.
- Modeling of re-circulating and gravity (non-pumped) flow systems.
Element types
Pumps - Pumps can be defined (described by entering points from their performance curves) or undefined (setting a design flow). When pumps are in series, a combined series curve is built and depicted graphically.Data Input...ID - all elements have this alphanumeric 15 character string (required, unique).
Allowable Flow Direction - set this flow direction (required).
Description - all elements have a description available (optional).
Elevation - elevation of pump (required).
Design Flow - desired flow level.
or Pump Curve - flow increment and 4 points of head.
NPSHR curve - 3 points at the flow increment (optional).
Speed - and 2 other speeds (optional).
Results...
Operating head - total dynamic head (TDH) of pump.
Operating flow - flow at operating head.
NPSHA - net positive suction head available.Pipes - circular cross-section tubes.Parameters...Length - length of pipe (required).
Specification - select from drop-down list (optional)
Nominal diameter - if specification used, nominal diameters will be available (optional)
Inside diameter - exact inside diameter used in head loss calculation (required).
Friction coefficient - Hazen-Williams C or specific roughness for Darcy-Weisbach (required).
Results...
Flow - amount with direction (arrow).
Velocity - speed of flow.
Head Loss - loss due to friction.Fittings and Valves - Various types of typically minor loss devices, control valves, some directional.Supplys - Pressurized (closed tanks) or open tanks (or lakes, ponds or reservoirs) at atmosphericParameters...
Type - dozens of standard types from menus, custom, check valves,
enlargements/reducers, Nozzles/orifices, Fixed Head Loss (FHL) devices,
Flow Control Valves (FCV), Pressure Reducing Valves (PRV),
Pressure Sustaining Valves (PSV), Flow vs. Head (FVH) devices.
Diameter - nominal diameter (required).
Friction coefficient - standard K (or Cv) coefficient.
Allowable flow direction - for directional types above (required).
Results...
Flow - amount with direction (arrow).
Velocity - speed of flow.
Head Loss - loss due to friction.
pressure, hydrants or force mains, discharges to free (open to atmosphere) pressure.
Parameters...
Type - open/closed tank, force main or free discharge.
Pressure - required for closed tank or force main.
Elevation - liquid surface elevation (only data for free discharge type).
Inlet/exit type - (i.e., flush, sharp-edged) - optional for tanks.
Inlet/exit elevation - required for tanks.
Inlet/exit pipe diameter - optional for tanks.
Results...
Inlet/Exit Headloss - if coefficient entered for inlet/exit.
Flow - flow into or out of system.
HGL - Hydraulic grade line elevation (elevation + pressure head).Gauges - Used to set elevations in system, start and end parallel lines.Parameters...
Demand (flow into or out of system) - set flows into or out of system at this point.
Elevation - elevation at gauge.
Parallel Number - if a parallel starts/ends at this gauge.
Results...
Pressure - required for closed tank or force main.
HGL - Hydraulic grade line elevation (elevation + pressure head).
Flow - flows into or out of system by parallels at this point.
Reports
Elements By Type - presents the project information and elements by type (pipes, pump, gauges, etc.)
Elements In Sequence - presents the project information and element data in the order they appear -- from the first element in the main line to the last element of the last parallel. It also gives a running HGL (hydraulic grade line) accounting.
Plot Current Line - presents graphics of the line in the current workspace. If solved, hydraulic grade lines are also depicted.
Complete Report - presents all information from the three reports above including all line and pump curve graphics.
Databases
Pipe schedules are available for use. Selection of a specific pipe schedule and a nominal diameter allows the actual inside diameter to be used for a more exact flow calculation. When using the Darcy-Weisbach equation, specific roughness will be initially set to an appropriate value when a schedule is selected, but can be altered by selecting from the specific roughness drop-down list or entering a custom value. Likewise, lists of Hazen-Williams coefficients and Manning's n values are available when using those equations.
Fittings and Valves are available off of two menus. There are dozens of standard types, custom, check valves, enlargements/reducers, Nozzles/orifices, Fixed Head Loss (FHL) devices, Flow Control Valves (FCV), Pressure Reducing Valves (PRV), Pressure Sustaining Valves (PSV).
The Liquid Property database provides viscosity and specific gravity data when using the Darcy-Weisbach equation and a specific liquid type is selected from the viscosity drop-down menu.
