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Bernoulli's theorem is a method of expressing the law of
conservation of energy to the flow of fluids.
Bernoulli's principle stats that, in the flow of fluid (a liquid
or gas), an increase in velocity occurs simultaneously with decrease in pressure. That statement is a simplification of
Bernoulli's equation (below) which plots the situation at any point on a streamline
of the fluid flow and applies the law of conservation of energy to flow. Put another way, the total energy of the flow
at any point along a horizontal pipe is equal to the sum of the pressure head,
the velocity head and the elevation in the absence of friction. This is a principle of considerable importance
to those concerned with flow in sprinkler pipework.
When
z = Potential head or elevation
p = Pressure
v = Velocity
g = Acceleration of gravity
d = Density of fluid
h = Total head
If friction losses are ignored and no energy is added or
removed from the pipe the total head h, in the above equation will be constant
for any point in the fluid. However in
practice energy will increase and decrease with the effect of pumps and
friction loss and this must be included in the Bernoulli's equation. All practical formulas for the flow of fluids
are derived from the Bernoulli's theorem with modifications to account for
losses due to friction.
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