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Engineering ToolBox > Hydraulic Diameter
The hydraulic diameter - dh - is used to calculate the dimensionless Reynolds Number to determine if a flow is turbulent or laminar. A flow is
The hydraulic diameter is also used to calculate the pressure loss in a ducts or pipe.
The hydraulic diameter is not the same as the geometrical diameter in a non-circular duct or pipe and can be calculated with the generic equation
dh = 4 A / p (1)
where
dh = hydraulic diameter (m, ft)
A = area section of the duct (m2, ft2)
p = wetted perimeter of the duct (m, ft)
Note! Inches are commonly used in the Imperial unit system.
Based on equation (1) the hydraulic diameter of a circular duct can be expressed as:
dh = 4 π r2 / 2 π r
= 2 r (2)
where
r = pipe or duct radius (m, ft)
As we could expect the hydraulic diameter of a standard circular tube or duct is two times the radius.
Based on equation (1) the hydraulic diameter of a circular duct or tube with an inside duct or tube can be expressed as
dh = 4 (π ro2 - π ri2) / (2 π ro + 2 π ri)
= 2 (ro - ri) (3)
where
ro = inside radius of the outside tube (m, ft)
ri = outside radius of the inside tube (m, ft)
Based on equation (1) the hydraulic diameter of a rectangular duct or pipe can be calculated as
dh = 2 a b / (a + b) (4)
where
a = width/height of the duct (m, ft)
b = height/width of the duct (m, ft)
The calculator below is based on formula (4) an can be used to calculate the hydraulic diameter of rectangular duct or tube. The formula is generic and any unit can be used.
Note! The hydraulic diameter is not the same as the equivalent diameter. The equivalent diameter is the diameter of a circular duct or pipe that gives the same pressure loss as a rectangular duct or pipe.