Just an interesting figure, by my calculations at 3000 psi, #10 nozzle, 8.7 gpm - the water is leaving the nozzle at 28,600 ft/sec!! or 5.4 MILES per sec! Isn't that like 28 times the speed of sound? Did I mess up a number in there, its pretty straight forward. Speed = volume water / area of nozzle. My #10 looks to be ~ 2/32" x 3/32" or 3/512 sq in , 1 cubic ft = 7.5 gallons so 8.7 gal = 2010 cubic in so 2010 divide by 3/512 and convert to feet....
I think something is incorrect.
Velocity at the nozzle orifice , simplified is:
= (volume flow rate of water)/(cross-sectional area of the orifice)
This only holds true for velocity at the orifice and for a very small distance past the orifice, but greater distances for a zero degree orifice nozzles
Just working off of your basis Tom and assuming that your average of the size of the #10 nozzle is correct.
Your math multiplication of the area is correct......> 3/512 sq.in
To change (sq.in) to square feet .....> 1 square inches = 0.00694444444 square feet
Then 3/512 sq.in = 3/512 sq.in x .00694' =
.000040664 (square feet)
Your math of volume flow rate is right on; but you dimensions (units) are off.
(1 cubic ft)= ~7.5 gallons
Your Pump output is 8.7 gallons/min
Change (gallons per minute) to (cubic feet per minute)
1 US gallon = 0.133680556 cubic feet
Thus 8.7 gallons/min = 0.133680556 x 8.7 =
1.163 (cubic feet per minute)
Velocity (feet per minute) =
Volume flow rate (cubic feet per minute) /
Area (feet squared)
Thus velocity is =
1.163 /
.000040664 = ~ 28,600 ft/min
speed of sound at sea level = 66 986.2205 feet per minute
Therefore ---> 28600/66986 = ~ 2/5 the speed of sound.
MY BRAIN IS HURTING, ITS BEEN A LONG TIME TOM,