1. What is Hydraulic Head?

Hydraulic head is a measurement of liquid pressure above a vertical datum, representing the potential energy of water per unit weight. It combines pressure head (P/ρg) and elevation head (z) to determine total fluid potential.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the hydraulic head equation:

Where:

• \( h \) — Hydraulic head (m)
• \( P \) — Fluid pressure (Pa)
• \( \rho \) — Fluid density (kg/m³)
• \( g \) — Gravitational acceleration (9.81 m/s²)
• \( z \) — Elevation above datum (m)

Explanation: The equation combines pressure energy (converted to head) with elevation energy to determine total hydraulic potential.

3. Importance of Hydraulic Head

Details: Hydraulic head is fundamental in hydrogeology and fluid mechanics for determining flow direction and rate in porous media, pipes, and open channels.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter pressure in Pascals, density in kg/m³, and elevation in meters. Density must be greater than zero for valid calculation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are typical hydraulic head values?
A: Values vary by application - groundwater systems typically range 0-100 m, while pressurized systems can exceed 1000 m.

Q2: How does temperature affect the calculation?
A: Temperature affects fluid density (ρ). For precise calculations, use density values at the actual fluid temperature.

Q3: What reference point should be used for elevation?
A: Any consistent datum can be used (e.g., sea level, bottom of well), but all measurements must use the same reference.

Q4: Can this be used for gases?
A: The equation works for any fluid, but gas density varies significantly with pressure and temperature.

Q5: What are common applications?
A: Groundwater flow analysis, well hydraulics, pipe network design, and dam engineering.