Friction loss is the loss of energy or “head” that occurs in pipe flow due to viscous effects generated by the surface of the pipe. Friction Loss is considered as a “major loss” and it is not to be confused with “minor loss” which includes energy lost due to obstructions. . In mechanical systems such as internal combustion engines, it refers to the power lost overcoming the friction between two moving surfaces.
This energy drop is dependent on the wall shear stress (τ) between the fluid and pipe surface. The shear stress of a flow is also dependent on whether the flow is turbulent or laminar. For turbulent flow, the pressure drop is dependent on the roughness of the surface, while in laminar flow, the roughness effects of the wall are negligible. This is due to the fact that in turbulent flow, a thin viscous layer is formed near the pipe surface which causes a loss in energy, while in laminar flow, this viscous layer is non-existent.
Read more about Friction Loss: Causes, Calculating Friction Loss,
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