Flex versus rigid pipe

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I found this article last night when searching for info comparing flex and rigid pipe, specifically air flow restriction. This looks like a good experiment showing how the 2 compare. Net-net is that for fully stretched flex, it is about the same as rigid. At increasing levels of compression or deformity though it gets MUCH worse.


http://www.mmmfg.com/pdfs/060601_CC-KW_DuctTechPaper.pdf

[Dan Hintz]

Thumbs up :)

[Brian Ashton]

This experiment was obviously set up to study forced air heating and cooling systems. Considering one works on positive air pressure and the other on negative air pressure, I wonder how much pushing the air through the pipe would make a difference as opposed to pulling it through with respect to turbulence that is generated by the uneven surfaces and bends in the pipe; which is what dust extraction is more concerned with.