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Friction Factor & Moody Diagram Calculator

Calculate Darcy and Fanning friction factors using Colebrook-White, Swamee-Jain, and Churchill correlations. Visualize results on an interactive Moody diagram.

Friction Factor & Moody Diagram
Calculate Darcy and Fanning friction factors for pipe flow using Colebrook-White iteration, Swamee-Jain explicit approximation, and Churchill correlation. Includes Reynolds number calculation and flow regime identification.

Fluid & Flow Properties

ft/s
lb/ft³

Pipe Properties

in
in

Commercial steel = 0.0018 in

cP

For ΔP calculation

πŸ“‹ Pipe Roughness Reference

  • Commercial Steel/Wrought Iron: 0.0018 in (0.046 mm)
  • Galvanized Iron: 0.006 in (0.15 mm)
  • Cast Iron: 0.010 in (0.26 mm)
  • Concrete: 0.012–0.120 in (0.3–3.0 mm)
  • PVC / Plastic: 0.00006 in (0.0015 mm)
  • Stainless Steel: 0.00007 in (0.002 mm)
  • Riveted Steel: 0.036–0.36 in (0.9–9.0 mm)

πŸ”¬ Flow Regime Guide

  • Laminar: Re < 2,100 β€” f = 64/Re
  • Transition: 2,100 < Re < 4,000 β€” unstable
  • Turbulent (smooth): Re > 4,000, low Ξ΅/D
  • Turbulent (rough): Re > 4,000, high Ξ΅/D β€” fully rough zone

Results

Enter parameters and click Calculate to see friction factor results and Moody diagram.

Key Equations

Colebrook-White (1939):

1/√f = -2Β·log₁₀(Ξ΅/(3.7D) + 2.51/(Re·√f))

Swamee-Jain (1976):

f = 0.25/[log₁₀(Ξ΅/(3.7D) + 5.74/Re⁰·⁹)]Β²

Reynolds Number:

Re = ρVD/μ

Darcy-Weisbach:

Ξ”P = f(L/D)(ρVΒ²/2gβ‚’)


Standards: Colebrook (1939), Swamee-Jain (1976), Churchill (1977), Moody (1944), Crane TP-410

Frequently Asked Questions

What friction factor correlations does this calculator use?

This calculator computes Darcy and Fanning friction factors using three methods: Colebrook-White iteration (industry standard), Swamee-Jain explicit approximation, and Churchill correlation. It also generates an interactive Moody diagram.

What is the difference between Darcy and Fanning friction factors?

The Darcy friction factor is four times the Fanning friction factor (f_Darcy = 4 Γ— f_Fanning). Darcy is more common in pipeline engineering while Fanning is used in chemical engineering. This calculator reports both values.

What is the typical pipe roughness for commercial steel pipe?

Commercial steel and wrought iron pipe has an absolute roughness of 0.0018 inches (0.046 mm). Other common values include galvanized iron at 0.006 in, cast iron at 0.010 in, and PVC/plastic at 0.00006 in.

How do I determine the flow regime from Reynolds number?

Laminar flow occurs at Re < 2,100 where f = 64/Re. The transition zone is 2,100 < Re < 4,000 and is unstable. Turbulent flow occurs at Re > 4,000, where the Colebrook-White equation applies.