Pressure Drop Calculation

I got an call from a client last week asking about some of the calculations that Revit MEP does.
I am trying to get results for Duct Pressure drop in Revit MEP.

Can you please share your ideas, as how can I achieve this?
This post has some additional information but is based on the Revit MEP calculation white
paper from Autodesk. Revit MEP Duct Sizing calculations
Revit MEP computes pressure losses in ductwork based on the geometry and roughness of the
ductwork, air
density, and air viscosity. Values for Air Density and Air Viscosity are specified in the Mechanical
Settings.

Roughness is specified in the type properties for duct/duct fitting component families.

The following example shows how Revit MEP calculates the pressure drop for a 100 foot
segment of 36"x24" duct carrying air flow of 12,000 CFM. Pressure drop is defined as:

This values checks with the Hydraulic Diameter parameter shown in the Properties of the Duct
in Revit:

The velocity is based on the cross sectional area:

After determining the friction factor, the pressure drop can be calculated:

The value for the calculated pressure drop matches the value found in the ducts properties in
Revit MEP.

Posted by Scott Brisk at 6/01/2010 04:06:00 PM

Specify a Pressure Loss Method for Fittings and

Accessories for Duct and Pipe
Jan 22, 2015 | In-Product View

You can specify a pressure loss method for fittings and accessories for duct
and pipe in the Properties palette.
Third party developers can create calculation methods installed as add-ins to
take the place of default calculation methods within Revit.
To specify a loss method
1.
2.

Select a duct or pipe fitting or accessory.

In the Properties palette, for Loss Method, select a pressure loss method from
the list.
For duct, the default loss methods are:

Coefficient from ASHRAE Table

Specific Coefficient
Specific Loss
Not Defined
For pipe, the default loss methods are:
o
o
o
o

o
o
o
o
o

K Coefficient from Table

Specific Coefficient
Specific Loss
Use Definition on Type
Not Defined

Note:
Specific Loss and Specific Coefficient are not available when a fitting or
accessory with more than two connectors is selected, because there is
more than one pressure loss on the fitting or accessory.
o
Third party developers can develop additional loss methods for fittings
and accessories which may appear in this list.
3.
When Specific Coefficient or Specific Loss is selected, you can specify a value
for the selected loss method. For Loss Method Settings, click Edit.
4.
In the Settings dialog, specify a value for the selected Loss Method.
Note: If a duct system is well-connected, the Pressure Drop parameter will report
the pressure drop value of this fitting or accessory. If the fitting or accessory has
more than one path (more than two connectors), Pressure Drop will display as
empty. Note that the Pressure Drop value will include the pressure drop for
connectors. For example, an accessory connector has a built-in pressure drop
parameter, unlike a fitting. The final pressure drop on an accessory is the sum of the
two pressure drop values.
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