1 in copper Airline Loss

Pressure drop and velocity for 1 in copper airline over a 50 to 500 ft run.

1 in copper airline loss

1 in copper airline loss is computed deterministically from the parameters encoded in this page's address, so the same inputs always produce the same result and the same OAS-XXXX verification hash.

Velocity and pressure drop

Velocity and pressure drop is computed deterministically from the parameters encoded in this page's address, so the same inputs always produce the same result and the same OAS-XXXX verification hash.

Fitting equivalent length

Fitting equivalent length is computed deterministically from the parameters encoded in this page's address, so the same inputs always produce the same result and the same OAS-XXXX verification hash.

Engineering summary

Governing parameters and computed results for 1 in copper Airline Loss.

Governing parameters and computed results for this calculation
Parameter Value
Material copper
Nominal 1

Frequently asked questions

What velocity limit applies to compressed-air piping?
Keep compressed-air velocity at or below 30 ft/s and hydraulic velocity at or below 20 ft/s. Higher velocities raise pressure drop sharply and invite erosion, noise and water carry-over.
How do fittings affect pipe pressure drop?
Fittings add an equivalent length of straight pipe: L_eq = Σ (L/D)·D. A 90° elbow is about 30 diameters, a globe valve about 340 diameters, so a short run with many fittings can drop more pressure than the straight pipe.
Which friction factor model does the calculator use?
The calculator uses the Darcy-Weisbach equation with the Swamee-Jain explicit approximation of the Colebrook friction factor, valid across laminar and turbulent flow without iteration.