Flow Rate Unit Conversion Calculator
The total volume of fluid moving through an area in a given time is the basis for work accomplished–in hydro generation, pneumatic actuators, wind turbines, and all other fluid controlled systems.
Enter an original flow rate value and original unit system:
Select up to two output units and click 'Calculate' to view equivalent flow rates:
Flow Rate vs Velocity
Fluid flows through pipes and tubes with a certain speed. But the speed of fluid flow is not characterized by the velocity alone. Paired with a large pipe, even a small velocity can yield a large amount of fluid flow. This flow rate is, therefore, not a distance traversed over a certain time, but rather a volume of fluid capacity over a certain time.
Liquid and gas flow rates are often characterized by different unit systems, however, both fluids can flow through a pipe of a certain size at a certain velocity, so the flow rate units physically apply to all of the unit options available.
Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP)
In fluid flow, especially gasses, the characteristics of flow change when the temperature and pressure are altered. Some unit systems will provide a standardized flow rate for ‘STP’, which means ‘standard temperature and pressure’, or the approximate sea-level value on a nice day. For these measurements, cubic feet per hour, minute, and second will prefix the word ‘standard’ in front of the value. The units will then be listed as standard cubic feet per hour, minute, and second; SCFH, SCFM, and SCFS.
Related Content:
Textbook
- Continuous Fluid Flow Measurement (entire chapter)
- Flow Switches
- Flow Measurement from Differential Pressure
- Flow and Reynolds Number
Articles
