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Design Flow Solutions® offers complete hydraulic analysis of complex piping systems including up to 9000 branches and 1000 tees. Network branches can consist of any combination of pipe, fittings, and valves, with virtually no limit on the number or type of components.

Both DF DesigNet® and DF Branch solve networks using the Darcy-Weisbach formula together with Bernoulli's theorem for liquids and the differential form of Bernoulli's theorem together with numerical integration techniques for gases.

Both DF DesigNet® and DF Branch consider sonic flow and heat transfer limitations for gases.

Watch the introduction flash video to learn more about Design Flow Solutions®

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Automation and Ease of Use
  • Allows rapid lineup changes (valves open and shut, pumps turned on or off) and automatic recalculation of system values. Allows analysis of normal and abnormal system lineups. Rapidly solves "what if" problems.
  • Allows entry of absolute or relative elevations.
  • Automatically sizes pipe diameter to satisfy specific flow and pressure drop criteria.
  • Automatically determines flow direction for each flow path in the network. Adjusts flow resistance values to account for flow direction.
  • Flow rates can be specified using mass flow rate, volumetric flow rate (actual or standard), or velocity, in any of the unit types provided in the program or added by the user. The user can control the display precision for each value.
  • Supports both imperial and metric units. Includes hundreds of unit types (more can be added by the user), any of which can be used for data entry and display.
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Graphical User Interface
  • Graphical interface allows the user to build a complete network showing all flow paths.
  • Displays pressures, flow rates, fluid conditions, and others at all points within the piping system. Symbolic picture of branch hardware is displayed showing parameter values throughout each branch.
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Workspace
  • Titles, labels, and user specified text can be displayed at any location on the drawing. Multiple text sizes are permitted.
  • Provides a virtually unlimited drawing area. Complete user control over drawing scale and text sizes. An optional grid assists in drawing complex networks.
  • Block operations allow a portion of a drawing to be copied, moved, or deleted in a single step.
  • Graphical display is color coded to indicate whether data has been specified by the user, determined by the program, or still unknown. Areas limited by choke flow are also indicated.
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Fluids
  • Includes data on over 50 common liquids and gases. Properties, such as density and viscosity, are provided for water, hydrocarbons, freons, brines, alcohols, liquid chemicals, and gases and vapors. Additional fluids can be specified during each use or added to the database using the utilities. Fluid properties can be specified using data points or equations. Real gas behavior is modeled.

Hardware
  • Includes piping dimensional specifications for standard carbon and stainless steel piping. Data provided includes dimensions, surface roughness, weight and volume per foot, and more. Pipes can be specified using NPS or OD and schedule, or by specifying the internal diameter. Program calculates Reynolds number and friction factor as needed for problem solution. Additional specifications can be created and used.
  • Standard hardware includes numerous types and geometries of common valves (globe, ball gate, butterfly, plug, check), common fittings (elbows, bends, others), several types of orifices and nozzles, and more. Pictures of standard hardware are provided which illustrate important dimensions. Flexible entry of required parameters (for example, orifice throat diameter can be specified as actual size, flow area, or ratio of throat size to inlet size). Similar entry is permitted for other values.
  • Determines pipe service pressure rating for a specified pipe material, design temperature, pipe wall allowance, and manufacturing tolerance in accordance with ANSI B31.1 and B31.3 and plastic pipe design criteria. Program contains material data for common carbon and stainless steels. Additional material data is available or can be added using the utility package.
  • Allows entry of user-specified components. Components can be specified using fixed resistances (Cv, L/D, or K factor), or resistances that are a function of flow rate, size, or any arbitrary parameter specified by the user. Graphical display of size, flow, and parameter dependent data are provided.
  • Allows use of positive displacement or centrifugal pumps. Utilities create pump data files using head versus flow data specified by the user. Graphical display of the calculated head/flow curve and input data is provided.
  • Supports sharp-edge, thick, rounded-edge, and beveled orifices with the same or different inlet and outlet pipe sizes. Automatic sizing of orifice throat diameters to produce desired flow/pressure drop characteristics.
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Reports
  • Provides detailed warnings to ensure accurate system modeling. Monitors for items including cavitation (water systems), disc lift in check valves, sonic flow, and others.
  • Includes a variety of printed reports ranging from summary to detailed. Detailed reports contain all calculated values and equations used in the solution. Report choices include graphical display of problem and branch hardware. Reports allow rapid verification of calculated results. Text results can be output to printer or to file.
  • Stores descriptive information for branches and networks. Reports can include a cover page with descriptive information.