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Calcimator

Pipeline Flow Calculator

Calculate gas flow rate from pipe diameter and pressure differential.

Inputs

in
miles
psi
psi
°F
%

Results

Flow Rate

955 Mcf/day

Gas Velocity

0.3 ft/s

Pressure Drop500 psi
Pressure Drop/Mile10 psi/mile
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter pipe diameter (inches), length (miles or km), inlet and outlet pressure (psia), and gas specific gravity.
  2. Enter flowing temperature (°F) and pipeline efficiency factor.
  3. Read maximum gas flow rate (MMscfd) using the Weymouth or Panhandle equation.
  4. Review pressure drop per mile to identify hydraulic bottlenecks.
  5. Use results to size compressor stations and optimize looping configurations.

How the result changes with Pipe Diameter

Pipe DiameterFlow RateGas Velocity
6.6200 Mcf/day0.2 ft/s
182,761 Mcf/day0.3 ft/s
3212,453 Mcf/day0.5 ft/s
4326,993 Mcf/day0.6 ft/s

What each input means

Pipe Diameter
Internal diameter of the pipeline.
Pipeline Length
Total pipeline length.
Inlet Pressure
Gas pressure at pipeline inlet.
Outlet Pressure
Gas pressure at pipeline outlet.
Gas Specific Gravity
Gas specific gravity relative to air.
Gas Temperature
Average gas temperature in the pipeline.
Pipeline Efficiency
Pipeline flow efficiency factor.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Pipe Diameter = 12, Pipeline Length = 50, Inlet Pressure = 1000, Outlet Pressure = 500 = 7 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Flow Rate
    Flow Rate
    955 = 955
  3. Calculate Gas Velocity
    Gas Velocity
    0.3 = 0.3
  4. Calculate Pressure Drop
    Pressure Drop
    500 = 500
  5. Calculate Pressure Drop/Mile
    Pressure Drop/Mile
    10 = 10

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