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Pe Pressure Grades

Reference data and engineering information about pe pressure grades for fluid mechanics applications.

pressuregrades

Overview

Engineering reference data for Pe Pressure Grades in fluid mechanics.

Key Formulas

Reynolds Number

Re=ρvDμRe = \frac{\rho v D}{\mu}

Ratio of inertial to viscous forces — determines flow regime.

Bernoulli's Equation

P+12ρv2+ρgh=constP + \frac{1}{2}\rho v^2 + \rho g h = \text{const}

Conservation of energy for steady, inviscid, incompressible flow.

Continuity Equation

A1v1=A2v2A_1 v_1 = A_2 v_2

Conservation of mass for incompressible flow.

Darcy-Weisbach

ΔP=fLDρv22\Delta P = f \frac{L}{D} \frac{\rho v^2}{2}

Pressure drop due to friction in a pipe.

Variables

SymbolDescriptionUnit
ReReReynolds number
ρ\rhoFluid densitykg/m³
vvFlow velocitym/s
DDCharacteristic dimensionm
μ\muDynamic viscosityPa·s
PPPressurePa
ffDarcy friction factor

Advantages of HDPE Pipes

HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) pipes offer several key benefits for water conveyance systems:

  • Chemical resistance
  • Lightweight and easy handling
  • Long service life
  • Low internal friction loss
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • High flexibility and toughness
  • UV resistance
  • Excellent water hammer dampening capability

Pressure Nominal (PN) Grades

HDPE pipes are specified by their Pressure Nominal (PN) rating, indicating the maximum pressure in bars they can handle with water at 20°C.

4 rows
Standard color codes for PE pipe pressure grades
Color Code
PE Pressure Grade
YellowPN 4
RedPN 6
BluePN 10
GreenPN 16

Source: engineeringtoolbox.com

Common available PN grades are *PN 2.5, *PN 4, *PN 6, *PN 10, and *PN 16.

Material Classifications and Strength

Polyethylene pipes are also classified by material grade, which defines their long-term strength. The Minimum Required Strength (MRS) at 20°C for a 50-year lifespan is defined by ISO 4427.

5 rows
Minimum Required Strength (MRS) for PE pipe materials
Material Designation
MRS at 50 years & 20°C(MPa (bar))
PE 10010 (100)
PE 808 (80)
PE 636.3 (63)
PE 404 (40)
PE 323.2 (32)

Source: engineeringtoolbox.com

Application Overview:

  • *PE 100: High-demand applications
  • *PE 80: Gas distribution (≤4 bar), drinking water (≤16 bar), industrial
  • *PE 63: Medium pressure irrigation and drinking water connections
  • *PE 40 & PE 32: Low-pressure systems

Pressure Unit Conversions

For reference, 1 bar is equivalent to:

  • 10510^5 Pa (N/m²)
  • 0.10.1 N/mm²
  • 10.2010.20 m H₂O
  • 0.98690.9869 atm
  • 14.5014.50 psi

References