Flow Mechanics of Pipelines

This chapter presents methodologies to calculate basic flow parameters in pipelines such as pressure, temperature, and flow rate of liquids and gases from fundamental concepts of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat transfer for applications of viscous flow in long hydrocarbon oil and gas pipelines. Formulas and recommended practices are presented. It starts by considering the fundamental concepts of applied fluid mechanics and thermodynamics such as physical properties and the conservation principles of classical mechanics for mass, momentum, and energy. A brief introduction to differential and integral formulations of the mathematical flow modeling for the general steady-state fluid flow in pipelines refers to the energy equation in its classical forms of the first law of thermodynamics highlighting its importance in establishing applied mathematical models for the flow of fluids. Finally, special applications for some heat transmission problems involving above ground and buried pipelines and the Joule-Thomson effect for flow in gas pipelines are treated.