Plumbing Total Head Loss Calculator

Reconcile independently measured multi-route distributed/local losses, preserving all tied controlling paths rather than summing parallel-route losses; not scalar total head or network solver.

Description

Route head loss adds distributed and local segment losses within each route.

Route head loss adds distributed and local segment losses within each route. Parallel route totals must be compared rather than summed together.^[1]

The returned values include Total losses by route m, Maximum observed route loss m, Maximum loss route ids. The How section below explains the calculation, input rules and interpretation.

When to use Plumbing Total Head Loss Calculator

Use Plumbing Total Head Loss Calculator when you need to evaluate the supplied records under the calculation and evidence rules below. No network flow balancing or pressure-dependent iterative solution is performed.

Prepare measured flows, pressures, temperatures or inventories with consistent units. For catalog tools, use independently verified capacities at the stated operating conditions and supply the explicit design demand.

How to use Plumbing Total Head Loss Calculator and understand its results

Prepare measured flows, pressures, temperatures or inventories with consistent units. For catalog tools, use independently verified capacities at the stated operating conditions and supply the explicit design demand.
Enter routeIds, observedRouteDistributedLossesM, observedRouteLocalLossesM using the field table and calculation rules, then run the tool.
Read totalLossesByRouteM, maximumObservedRouteLossM, maximumLossRouteIds. The explanation below defines the units, signs, ordering and any flags or placeholder values.
If the tool reports an input issue, correct the values and run it again. Apply the stated assumptions when interpreting a successfully returned result.

Input field	Meaning	Value type; see rules below	Requirement
routeIds	Route ids	list of string	Required
observedRouteDistributedLossesM	Observed route distributed losses m	list of list of number	Required
observedRouteLocalLossesM	Observed route local losses m	list of list of number	Required

Enter unique nonblank route IDs and aligned nonempty rectangular nonnegative loss matrices with equal segment width. Return route totals, greatest total and every tied critical-route ID.

routeLoss=sum(distributedSegments)+sum(localSegments); critical=max(routeLoss)

Units, indexing, boundary conditions and exceptional cases are defined in the calculation rules above.

Output field	Meaning	Value type
totalLossesByRouteM	Total losses by route m	list of number
maximumObservedRouteLossM	Maximum observed route loss m	number
maximumLossRouteIds	Maximum loss route ids	list of string

json

{
  "input": {
    "routeIds": [
      "a",
      "b"
    ],
    "observedRouteDistributedLossesM": [
      [
        1,
        2
      ],
      [
        3,
        4
      ]
    ],
    "observedRouteLocalLossesM": [
      [
        0.5,
        1
      ],
      [
        0,
        1
      ]
    ]
  },
  "output": {
    "totalLossesByRouteM": [
      4.5,
      8
    ],
    "maximumObservedRouteLossM": 8,
    "maximumLossRouteIds": [
      "b"
    ]
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

No network flow balancing or pressure-dependent iterative solution is performed.

Numeric inputs, where present, must be finite. Follow the calculation-specific rules for overflow, underflow and exceptional cases. Matrices are limited to 128 rows and 128 entries per row. Numeric lists are limited to 10,000 entries; string lists to 128 strings of at most 128 characters each. The rules above may impose smaller limits. Missing required fields, extra fields, wrong value types and violations of the calculation rules are input errors.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Use Plumbing Hydronic Circulator Head Calculator: A parallel hydronic circuit requires its largest branch loss plus shared primary loss. Adding parallel heads would overstate the requirement. For a complementary task, use Plumbing Pump Head Required Calculator: Required pump head combines route elevation, losses and boundary pressure and velocity-head changes. Favorable elevation or pressure retains its negative sign.

References

Plumbing Total Head Loss Calculator — tool.io

Similar or alternative tools

Plumbing Hydronic Circulator Head Calculator
A parallel hydronic circuit requires its largest branch loss plus shared primary loss. Adding parallel heads would overstate the requirement.
Plumbing Pump Head Required Calculator
Required pump head combines route elevation, losses and boundary pressure and velocity-head changes. Favorable elevation or pressure retains its negative sign.