Forced and Natural Circulation

In the previous chapters on fluid flow, it was explained that any time that fluid flows there is some friction associated with the movement, which will cause head loss. It was pointed out that this head loss is commonly compensated for in piping systems by pumps that do work on the fluid, compensating for the head loss due to friction. Circulation of fluid in systems by pumps is referred to as forced circulation.

It is possible to design some fluid systems in a manner that does not require the presence of pumps to provide circulation. The head required to compensate for the head losses is created by density gradients and elevation changes. Flow that occurs under these circumstances is called natural circulation.