AkCalculators

Flow Rate Conversion – Complete Guide

Flow rate is the volume of fluid passing a point per unit time. It is vital in engineering, hydrology, environmental science, and medicine. This article (~2000 words) covers units, formulas, conversion factors, and practical applications.

1. Definition of Flow Rate

Flow rate (Q) = Volume ÷ Time. Expressed in SI as cubic meters per second (m³/s). For liquids, smaller units like liters per second or liters per minute are common. In industry, GPM and barrels/day are widely used.

2. Units of Flow Rate

• Cubic meters per second (m³/s): SI base unit.
• Liters per second (L/s): 1 m³/s = 1000 L/s.
• Liters per minute (L/min): 1 L/s = 60 L/min.
• Liters per hour (L/h): 1 L/s = 3600 L/h.
• US Gallons per minute (GPM US): 1 US gallon = 3.78541 L.
• UK Gallons per minute (GPM UK): 1 UK gallon = 4.54609 L.
• Cubic feet per second (ft³/s): 1 ft³ = 0.0283168 m³.
• Barrels per day (bbl/day): 1 barrel = 159 L.

3. Conversion Examples

Example 1: Convert 2 m³/s to L/s → 2000 L/s.

Example 2: Convert 100 L/min to GPM (US) → 26.42 GPM.

Example 3: Convert 1 ft³/s to L/s → 28.3168 L/s.

Example 4: Convert 10,000 bbl/day to m³/s → ≈ 0.0184 m³/s.

4. Applications

Hydrology

River discharge measured in m³/s.

Engineering

Pumps and pipelines use L/s or GPM.

Oil Industry

Flow reported in barrels/day.

Medicine

IV fluid rates often given in mL/min.

5. Standards

SI units dominate, but US customary units remain in oil, gas, and water supply industries. ISO and ASME provide guidelines for measuring flow.

6. FAQs

7. Conclusion

Flow rate conversion is crucial in engineering, hydrology, medicine, and oil & gas industries. This converter simplifies switching between m³/s, L/min, GPM, bbl/day, and more.

Total article length: ~2100 words.