Pressure Drop & Flow Velocity in Piping Calculator
Estimate pressure drop and flow velocity in a straight run of compressed air pipe.
Inputs
Results
Estimates only. For production sizing decisions, contact our engineering team.
About this calculator
Undersized piping is one of the most common — and most expensive — sources of inefficiency in a compressed air system. Every PSI of pressure drop costs roughly 0.5% in energy. Velocity above ~30 ft/sec also increases turbulence and noise.
Use this for sizing new distribution runs, or to verify why a tool at the end of a line isn't getting enough pressure. Add equivalent length for fittings and valves to the actual pipe length.
Formula
Harris formula: ΔP = (0.1025 × L × Q²) / (d⁵ × P). Velocity (ft/s) = (Q_ACFM × 144) / (60 × A_sq_in), where A = π × (d/2)².
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