ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Hydraulic diameter

When water or other liquids flow through pipes or channels, they encounter resistance from the walls of the pipe which can slow them down. How easily a liquid flows through a pipe depends on the size of the pipe, and how rough or smooth the walls are, among other things.

The "hydraulic diameter" is a way to figure out how easily liquid will move through a particular pipe or channel by measuring the size of the pipe's cross-section (like how wide it is) and the shape of the pipe. It is a special calculation that takes into account the pipe's shape and size so we can figure out how much water or liquid can flow through it efficiently.

Think of it like this: imagine that you decide to slide down a playground slide. If the slide is wide and smooth, it's easy to slide down quickly. But if it's narrow and bumpy, it's much harder to slide down fast because the bumps slow you down. In the same way, the hydraulic diameter helps engineers understand how easy or hard it is for fluids to flow through pipes of different shapes and sizes.
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