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RelationshipBetweenFlowCoefficientandDischargeCoefficientEngineeredSoftwareKnowledgeBaseEngineeredSoftwareKnowledgeBase

EngineeredSoftwareKnowledgeBase / / TheoryEquationsandCalculatedResultsQuestions

RelationshipBetweenFlowCoefficientandDischarge
Coefficient
CreatedbyProductEngineer,lastmodifiedbyProductEngineer2onJan09,2015

WhatistherelationshipbetweentheFlowCoefficient(Cv)and
theDischargeCoefficient(Cd)?
Goodcommunicationbetweenvariousgroupsinvolvedwithfluidpipingsystemsiscriticalfortheproperdesign,operation,and
determinationofcostformanysystemsinresidential,commercial,andindustrialapplications.Itiscrucialthattheengineerunderstand
andapplyequationscorrectlytopreventcostlymistakesinthesizingandselectionofequipment,operatingwithinsafetylimits,and
avoidingunnecessarymodificationslaterinplantlife.Onepotentialareaforcostlymiscommunicationistheuseofcoefficientsfor
devicesthathaveafluidflowingthroughthem.Manufacturersofvariousequipmentusedifferentcoefficientstocharacterizethehydraulic
performanceoftheirdevices,andthesedifferencemustbeunderstoodwhenapplyingthemtocalculationsinvolvingpipingsystems.
Inapreviousarticle,thedifferencebetweentheResistanceCoefficient(K)andFlowCoefficient(Cv)wasevaluatedandarelationship
betweenthetwowasderived.TheFlowCoefficient(CvinUSunits,KvinSIunits)istypicallyassociatedwiththehydraulicperformance
ofacontrolvalve,butotherdevicessuchassafetyreliefvalvesarecharacterizedbytheDischargeCoefficient(Cd,sometimes
designatedbyKd),whichisalsoassociatedwithorificesandnozzles.Theyarenotnumericallyequivalent,sowhatistherelationship
betweenthetwo?
TherearevariousstandardsintheU.S.andinternationallythatareusedtosizeandselectcontrolvalvesandreliefvalves,mostnotably
theANSI/ISA75.01.01FlowEquationsforSizingControlValves(IEC6053421equivalent)andtheAPIStandard520Part1,Sizing,
Selection,andInstallationofPressurerelievingDevicesinRefineries.Thesetwostandardscanbeusedtoderivetherelationship
betweentheFlowCoefficient(Cv)andtheDischargeCoefficient(Cd)forreliefvalves.Thereareminordifferencesinthenomenclature
usedineachstandard,soforthepurposeofthisarticle,thenomenclaturewillbedefinedfortheequationsbelowalongwiththe
engineeringunitsbeingused.
ControlValveSizingEquations:
Whensizingacontrolvalve,theminimumrequiredflowcoefficientiscalculatedbasedonthedesignflowrateandexpectedpressure
dropacrossthevalve,andavalveisselectedthathasaflowcoefficientgreaterthanthecalculatedvalue.Here'sthegeneralsizing
equationforcontrolvalvesforincompressiblefluidsaccordingtoANSI/ISA75.01.01Equation1,nonchokedturbulentflow:

(1)

Cv =

N1

dP

Where:
Q=volumetricflowrate(gpm,m3/hr,orlpm)
dP=pressuredropacrossthevalve(psi,kPa,orbar)
1=densityofthefluidflowingthroughthevalve(lb/ft3orkg/m3)
0=densityofthefluidflowingthroughthevalve(lb/ft3orkg/m3)
1/0=specificgravityofthefluid(dimensionless)
N1=constantthatdependsontheunitsusedforQanddP(N1=1.0forunitsofgpmandpsi)

Thereareotherfactorsthatmaybeincludedinthesizingequationtoaccountforpipinggeometry,highviscosity,orchokedflow
conditions.UsingU.S.unitsofgpmandpsi,theflowcoefficientequationinitssimplestformis:
(2)

SG

Cv

= Q

dP

ReliefValveSizingEquations
Whensizingareliefvalve,theminimumrequiredeffectiveareaiscalculatedandareliefvalveisselectedthathasaneffectivearea
greaterthanthecalculatedvalue.ThesizingequationforreliefvalvesforliquidsusingU.S.unitsaccordingtoEquation28intheAPI520
standardis:

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(3)

SG

A =

38K d K w K c K v

P1 P2

Where:
A=requiredeffectiveorificearea(in2)
Q=volumetricflowrate(gpm)
SG=specificgravityofthefluid(dimensionless)
P1=upstreamrelievingpressure(psig)
P2=backpressure(psig)
Kd=rateddischargecoefficient(dimensionless)=Cd=(actualflowrate)/(idealflowrate)
Kw=correctionfactorforbackpressure(=1ifdischargingtoatmosphereorifbackpressureislessthan50%ofinletpressure)
Kc=rupturedisccorrectionfactor,ifinstalled(=1ifnoneinstalled)
Kv=viscositycorrectionfactor(=1ifRe>105)
38=allunitconversionscompiledintooneconstant

Assumingnorupturediscisinstalled,noviscositycorrection,andbackpressure<50%inletpressure,theAPI520equation(usingCd
insteadofKd)boilsdownto:
Q

(4)

A =

SG

38C d

dP

RearrangingEquation4yields:

SG

(5)

38AC d = Q

dP

RelationshipBetweenCvandCd
TherighthandsideofEquation5iscommonwiththeflowcoefficientequation,Equation2above.Therefore,forliquids:
(6)

C v = 38AC d

Asimilarevaluationcanbedoneforcompressiblegasesandvapors(usingEquation11aintheANSI/ISA75.01.01standardand
Equation3intheAPIstandard520Part1,forexample),buttherelationshipbecomes:
(7)

C v = 27.66AC d

Thenextquestionis:"Whyaretheconstantsdifferent?"Theansweristhatthedischargecoefficientforagivenvalveissmallerfora
liquidthanitisforagasduetotheexpansionofthegasasitpassesthroughthevalve.Forexample,onemanufacturershowsthe
dischargecoefficientforoneoftheirvalvesinliquidserviceis0.579,butforgasserviceis0.801.Theratioofthedischargecoefficients
is0.801/0.579=1.38.Theratiooftheconstantsintheaboveequationsis38/27.66=1.37,roughlyequal.
DerivingtheNumericalConstantinCvtoCdRelationship
Thenextquestionagoodengineerwillaskis:"Wheredoestheconstant38comefrom?"Theanswertothatrequiressomeunitanalysis
oftheonedimensionalisentropicnozzleflowenergybalanceequation,whichisgiveninAppendixBoftheAPI520standard.
UsingU.S.unitsforliquid,themassflowrateperunitareathroughanozzle(massflux,G)usingEquationB.1andB.6intheAPI
standard,is:
w

(8)

G =

= (2)(g)(144)dP

Where:
G=massfluxinlb/secft2
w=theoreticalmassflowrateinlb/sec
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a=flowareainft2
g=32.174ft/sec2
=fluiddensityinlb/ft3
dP=pressuredropacrosstherelief,inlb/in2
144=conversionbetweenin2andft2

Disregardingtheunitconversionneededforthemoment,themassflowrateisrelatedtothevolumetricflowrateby:
(9)

w = Q

Therefore,themassfluxis:
w

(10)

G =

Q
=

= (2)(g)(144)dP
a

Solvingforarea(a)andtakingthefluiddensityintothesquareroot:

2
Q

(11)

a =

(2)(g)(144)dP

(2)(g)(144)dP

= Q

(2)(g)(144)dP

Thedensity()inEquation11isthefluiddensity,butthevalvesizingequationsusethespecificgravity.Specificgravityis:

(12)

SG =

Where=densityofwaterat60F=62.37lb/ft3.
lb

(13)

= (SG)(

) = (62.37
ft

)(SG)

Takingthisrelationshipintotheareaequationyields:

lb

(62.37
)(SG)
3

ft

a = Q

(14)

(2)(g)(144

in
ft

)dP

Beforewethrowinalltheunits,weneedtheareainsquareinches,notsquarefeet,so:

in

(15)

A = a(144
ft

in
) = (144
ft

lb

(62.37
)(SG)

)Q

ft

(2)(g)(144

in
ft

2
2

)dP

Nowlet'sputinalltheunits:
144in
A =
2

ft

(16)

ft
Qgal min

min 60sec 7.48055gal

62.37lb 1
sec
ft

3
2
2 32.174f t
144in
ft

(SG)
in

dP lb

SG
Q
SG

A = 0.02632Q
=
dP
38
dP

Thedischargecoefficientcomesintotheequationabovebecausetheflowrate,Q,isthetheoreticalflowrateassumingincompressible
isentropicflow.Thedischargecoefficientistheratiooftheactualflowtothetheoreticalflow:
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Q

(17)

Cd =

actual

theoretical

Rearranged:
Q

(18)

theoretical

actual

Cd

Substitutingintotheareaequationabove(Equation16)yieldsthereliefvalvesizingequation:
Q

(19)

A =

actual

38C d

SG

dP

InConclusion
Overthecourseofhistory,thescientificandengineeringstudyinvolvingfluidflowinpipingsystemshasresultedindevelopingdifferent
coefficientstocharacterizethehydraulicperformanceofvariousdevicesthatobstructfluidflow.Becauseengineersviewthehydraulic
performanceofdevicesdifferently,mistakescanbemadeiftheproperconceptsandequationsarenotappliedcorrectly.Thesecan
becostlymistakesinsizingandselectingthewrongequipmentwhichcanmeanthedifferencebetweenthesystemhavingsufficient
pressurerelievingcapacityorthesystemrupturingduringahighpressurereliefincident.

1Comment
ProductEngineer2
Reviewed

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