What is Flow rate: Definition and 494 Discussions

In physics and engineering, in particular fluid dynamics, the volumetric flow rate (also known as volume flow rate, rate of fluid flow, or volume velocity) is the volume of fluid which passes per unit time; usually it is represented by the symbol Q (sometimes V̇). The SI unit is cubic metres per second (m3/s). Another unit used is standard cubic centimetres per minute (SCCM).
In hydrometry, it is known as discharge.
In US customary units and imperial units, volumetric flow rate is often expressed as cubic feet per second (ft3/s) or gallons per minute (either US or imperial definitions).
Volumetric flow rate should not be confused with volumetric flux, as defined by Darcy's law and represented by the symbol q, with units of m3/(m2·s), that is, m·s−1. The integration of a flux over an area gives the volumetric flow rate.

View More On Wikipedia.org
  1. R

    Filling a tank flow rate problem

    Goodday I wonder if anyone can help , I have a problem with an equation where a ships tank floods from sea water ingress . I use the equation q= d^2 * v * pi /4 where d = diametre of hole in m v = velocity of water m/s as ( 2*9.8*height)^.5 My problem is how do i plot the on an x and...
  2. R

    Volumetric Flow Rate Calculation - Tank Drain & Pump Input | DE Forum Help

    I posted this in the DE forum as well since it is related. --------------------- Hi all, I've got a fairly straight forward problem to solve here regarding flow rate out of a tank with uniform cross-sectional area. I am treating this is a volumetric flow problem since there is assumed...
  3. R

    Solving for Time in a Volume Flow Rate DE - Help Needed

    Hi all, So I've got a fairly straight forward problem to solve here regarding flow rate out of a tank with uniform cross-sectional area. I am treating this is a volumetric flow problem since there is assumed to be volume flow out of the tank, and volume flow into the tank. I have two Qout...
  4. V

    Flow rate through an obstruction

    I need help solving a problem involving a water washing system. I have a pipe with (48) 1/16" holes drilled around it. This pipe is inserted into a slightly larger T-Connector and sealed. the top of the connector is attach to a water hose. The water from the hose flows at approx. 10 gpm and...
  5. X

    Calculating Mass Flow Rate of Nitrogen in a Circular Pipe at 100 psia and 300 F

    Homework Statement Nitrogen at a pressure of 100 psia and a temperature of 300 F flows through a circular pipe with a diameter of 6 inches. The velocity profile is parabolic with V= [1-(r/3)^2] where r is the local radius in inches and V is the velocity in ft/s. Determine the mass flow rate...
  6. F

    Calculating Mass Flow Rate of a Fluid in a Pipe

    Hi, how do i work this one out? The mass flow rate of a fluid flowing through a section of pipe with a diameter of 38mm at a flow velocity of 5ms-1 with a specific volume of 0.00109 m3/kg is? Thanks,
  7. R

    At what volumetric flow rate will air fill a space vacuum at Earth's STP?

    At atmospheric pressure of 14.2 psi, if I had a 1 ft square hole through a 5 foot thick wall into an endless space vacuum, I am trying to find out the the final maximum volumetric flow rate that our atmospheric pressure would push air through the hole. I tried using Poiseuille's Equation...
  8. D

    Mass flow rate through De Laval Nozzle

    Hey guys, Ive got a little stuck calculating the mass flow rate of a choked flow through a de laval nozzle. I have been given a formula to use for theoretical max and experimental but they seem to be SO far apart, I am sure I am missing something. Given data: Density of water 1000...
  9. M

    Coolant & Air Flow Rate: Finding the Car's Rates

    Does anyone have an idea about how to find the coolant flow rate in the car?? Any theoretical method.. And the volume flow rate of air through the radiator?
  10. W

    Hydraulics, Flow rate from Bernoulli Equation

    Homework Statement Flow rate in Venturi meter of Petrol (SG 0.85). Diam1 - 0.2m Diam2 - 0.15m Height Diff in manometer of Mercury (SG 13.6) 0.012m, so Δp= 13600 x 9.81 x 0.012 = 1601? Cd = 0.98 Homework Equations Bernoulli, p/ρg + U2/2g + Z U=Q/A The Attempt at a...
  11. L

    Simple Bernoulli's exercise to find air flow rate

    I'm having problems with what seems like a simple Bernoulli exercise where I can plug in all known variables but not get an answer (using Excel). If I reduce my system down, it would be exactly like a venturi/pipe flow problem except that flow is in the direction of small pipe to large pipe...
  12. E

    Question asking me to show that the water flow rate is approximately 26kg\s

    [b]1. A farmer builds a water storage tank 12m above ground. The water is fed via a 200m long, 125mm diameter pipe to a field for irrigation purposes. The pipe has a friction factor of 0.008. Using the K data below, show that the water flow rate (kg/s) in the pipe is approximately 26kg/s...
  13. A

    Determine Flow rate for pipeline

    Determine Flow rate for pipeline ! Hi all I want to design two piping system for IVF (In vitro fertilisation) Lab. That first pipeline carries CO2 and the other one carries Nitrogen/Oxygen Mixture. The problem that encounters me is to determine the flow rates form the equipment for the...
  14. I

    Can internal pressure be equated to gas flow rate?

    Hello, first post here. I had a bit of an odd question that I can't get my head around, but I think is possible. Given the environment described in the picture, can you measure the amount of gas that is flowing from the hole in the box given that the pressure in the box has stabilized at a...
  15. S

    Calculating the flow rate of water from a tap and on the surface of a water tank

    I am really not sure how to go about this problem, can anybody please give me an indication on how I can start solving the problem? Homework Statement An open rectangular water tank 1.2 m x 1.2 m x 2.6 m (height) is completely filled with water. As the tap at the bottom is opened, the flow...
  16. M

    Fluid flow rate and friction problem

    Hello, I'm new here - so apologies in advance if this is in the wrong place, also I haven't done physics for a few years prior to the course I just started - and I've never tried to write out formula in computer text, so apologies in advance again if everything I write is completely wrong! :-p...
  17. A

    Calculating Flow Rate & Pressure for Coriolis Mass Flow Meter

    Homework Statement I have a Coriolis mass flow meter and I'm supposed to run water through it at different flow rates. I have a motor / pump which is controlled by AC drive (which is controlled by potentiometer). Also, I have a pressure transducer mounted at the input side of Coriolis mass flow...
  18. K

    Help Understanding Volume Flow Rate / Bernoulli's

    Hey guys, just have a question because I'm having a little trouble understanding like how exactly to use the volume flow rate with bernoulli's equation. (wasnt sure which section to put this in but is more of a concept question using homework examples) Like the volume flow rate i understand...
  19. M

    Flow rate calculation question

    Hello all. I am new to this forum. I am an electrical engineer, and I am working on a system which requires me to calculate a flow rate. Once I know this, I can continue with the design. Since I am an electrical engineer, I have insufficient knowledge of fluid dynamics to know how to set up the...
  20. C

    Chromatography - How does flow rate affect peak width?

    Today in a lecture on chromatography the lecturer gave an explanation which seems pure ******** to me. The example she used was a handful of solutes, each taking a different path through the stationary phase, obviously some paths will be longer than others and thus each solute will have a...
  21. D

    Flow rate measurement: Venturi vs Sharp edged circular orifice. Help

    Flow rate measurement: Venturi vs Sharp edged circular orifice. Help! :) Homework Statement Hello guys, I am having trouble answering these questions. I know the the discharge coefficient for a venturi is always higher than that of the sharp edge orifice. Can you guys help me out with the...
  22. L

    Flow rate through a tee fitting

    i have a piping system and i know the initial flow rate into the system. the the piping system steps down several times through tee fittings on its way to a final nozzle in which i have required minimum flow rate. i know the flow rate going into the tee but i can't find any information about the...
  23. M

    Calculate Urine Height from Flow Rate with Excel Graph

    Urine flow meters are used to diagnose urinary flow obstructions such as might occur in the even of enlargement of the prostate gland in men. The Stream-test™ is a simple home uroflow meter consisting of plastic cup with a hole in the base. The maximum height of the urine in the cup is...
  24. K

    Calculating feed rates and recycle stream flow rate

    The demand for a particular hydrogenated compound, S, is 5.00k mol/h. This chemical is synthesized in the gas-phase reaction A + H2 = S. The reaction equilibrium constant at the reactor operating temperature is kp=ps/(pa x ph2)=0.1 atm^-1 the fresh feed to the process is a mixture of...
  25. Overflowing

    Water flow rate through a slot at surface

    I've been searching all over in aquarium related forums for an answer to this questions and haven't been able to find a definitive answer. Background: Many saltwater reef aquariums utilize a filtration system located in a sub-tank (called a sump) beneath or remote of the display tank...
  26. I

    Flow Rate & Velocity of Air Through Orifice @ 130 psi

    I have been searching for formulas to determine the flow rate and velocity of air through an orifice at a given pressure differential. I need to know the flow rate to determine the CFM requirements of the compressor. And I need to determine the velocity to be able to accurately size the orifice...
  27. I

    I need two simple formulas to figure flow rate and velocity of air through an orifice

    I have been searching for formulas to determine the flow rate and velocity of air through an orifice at a given pressure differential. I need to know the flow rate to determine the CFM requirements of the compressor. And I need to determine the velocity to be able to accurately size the...
  28. Q

    Calculating Hole Size for Desired Flow Rate in Tank/Reservoir

    Specifically, I have a certain flow rate in (volume/sec) and I know the pressure of the resevoir at a certain point. If there is a hole in the tank/resevoir at that point, how big should it be to achieve the given certain flow rate?
  29. L

    Understanding Centrifugal Compressor Flow Rates

    I need some help in understanding a few things about air compressors & in particular Centifugal Compressors, could someone help me out with this please. This is not homework, just me trying to understand. If a Centrifugal compressor is rated at "just for example only" 10bar pressure @ 100...
  30. B

    Effect of suction flow rate over flow separation

    Dear all, Take my best wishes. I am facing a problem designing my experimental setup for my research. I want to produce flow separation over a flat plate. Here is my experimental setup: Diffuser angle is 16deg. I need some documentation/text book regarding the effect of suction flow rate...
  31. R

    Calculating Pressure Drop and Hole Size in a Pipe

    Hello everyone, I got a question that has been bugging me for quite a while and i can't seem to find the answer for it, and here it is... If we have a pipe let's say 20" in diameter, with a flow rate of 1 m^3/sec at a pressure of 10 psi, and we get a pressure drop of 9 psi, is it possible...
  32. M

    Volumetric flow rate (simple?)

    Volumetric flow rate (simple?) Assuming reservoir level stays constant, and friction losses are negligible compared to gravitational effects, which overflow config achieves a higher volumetric flow rate? http://boards.420chan.org/tesla/src/1311021903815.jpg --------------------- Now...
  33. A

    Calculating water flow rate to achieve lower skin temperature

    Hi! I need some help with the following - I have a square oven that has an outer shell of stainless steel (10mm thick) that has a skin temperature of 180degC. Outer shell size of each side is 800mm x 800mm. This has to be water cooled to bring down the skin temperature to 50degC. We need to...
  34. E

    Estimating Gas Flow Rate Through a Line Puncture or Blowdown Orifice

    The Pipeline Rules of Thumb Handbook uses the equation Q = D^2*P to estimate the flow rate of escaping gas from a pressured line (see link below for excerpt) under standard conditions. Where Q is flow rate in Mcf/hr, D is diameter of the nipple or orifice in inches, and P is the absolute...
  35. E

    Flow Rate and PSI of water exiting a pipe

    I am trying to figure out the flow rate (gallons per minute) and PSI of the water just as it exits the top of the pipe. Is it possible to figure out these out given the information in the diagram?
  36. B

    Flow rate relation with height

    The scenario: I have a bag containing 3L of water, attached to a tube with the end placed on the floor (or a fixed height from the floor e.g. a bucket placed on top of a chair at 60 cm). I plan to hang this bag at heights of 100 cm, 120 cm, 140 cm, etc... until say about 200 cm from the floor...
  37. C

    Fluid Velocity and flow rate questions

    I am going over a past paper and this is my last question I am stuck on. Once I can solve this I can finally progress. This is from a past paper and my exam will be on a variation of the question. Can someone please talk me through the questions, displaying the method, calculations and...
  38. M

    Calculate Velocities and Volume Flow Rate?

    A horizontal pipe tapers uniformly from a diameter of 150mm to a diamter of 70mm and carries water (1000kgm3). The pressure at the wider diameter is 100kPA and the pressure at the smaller diameter is 60kPA. Calculate both velcoties at either end and the volume rate of flow.
  39. C

    Calculating Mass Flow Rate of Water in a Natural Draught Cooling Tower

    A natural draught cooling tower is designed to have a 3% loss of the mass of the water entering the tower by evaporation into the atmosphere. Atmospheric air enters the tower at a volume flow rate of 4 m^3/s a temp of 10C and a relative humidity of 50%. Air leaves the tower in a saturated...
  40. F

    Building a high flow rate pulsatile pump

    Hi All, I was given the challenge of building a high flow rate pump, but I haven't been able to find any resources were useful. I'd like to control the pump and its pulsatile nature with a LabVIEW VI. I know I'd have to get a stepper motor and a DAQ board, but I'm not sure where to begin. I'd...
  41. S

    Liquid Flow Rate: A vs B - Understanding Fluid Dynamics

    Hi. I used google and found this place. I figure its as good as any to ask this question, which I'm sure forces you guys to dumb yourselves down about 3.14 notches. And this very well may not be the place to ask this question, so feel free to tell me to sod off if there's somewhere else I...
  42. K

    Volume Flow Rate, Velocity, Factors

    Homework Statement By what factor does the flow rate decrease when a water pipe of diameter 20 cm with a 10 cms^-1 flow rate, splits into two smaller pipes of diameters 11.54 cm and 16.33 cm? Homework Equations Q(volume flow rate)=(average velocity)(cross sectional area of flow) The...
  43. A

    Pressure and flow rate - a novice seeks help

    Hi all, This is probably nauseatingly simple but I'm struggling to get my head round it and would very much appreciate assistance! I'm building a filter system for a rather ambitious desert pool project and I'm having difficulty predicting the pressure in the pump/pipe network. I've been...
  44. K

    Optimum Oil Pipeline Flow Rate & Angle

    Homework Statement You wish to design an oil pipeline such that the flow rate under gravity alone will be as large as possible while remaining non-turbulent. the diameter is .45m, the viscosity is .385 n-sec/m^2, and the reynolds number is 2000. (a) what is the maximum flow rate you can...
  45. N

    Calculate Mass Flow Rate of Blood in Aorta

    Homework Statement Calculate the mass flow rate of blood (of den- sity 1 g/cm3) in an aorta with a cross-sectional area of 2 cm2 if the flow speed is 43 cm/s . Answer in units of g/s. Homework Equationsm=pAv The Attempt at a SolutionHey guys! I can tell that this is a very...
  46. A

    Calculating Flow Rate in a Varying Diameter Pipe: Oil & Water Density

    Flow Rate through a pipe! Oil flows along a horizontal pipe which varies uniformly in section from 100 mm diameter at A to 150 mm diameter at B. At A the gauge pressure is 126kN/m2 and at B 140 kN/m2. Find the flow rate in litres per second and kilograms per second. The density of water is...
  47. R

    Flight Mach number in terms of fuel flow rate and other parameters

    I've posted on here in relation to an aerospace analysis project I'm doing. I'm stuck on one part of the project where I need to develop the performance envelope of the turbojet engine. 3 of the 9 plots that are required are Thrust vs. Mach number. On each of those plots I'll about 7 different...
  48. I

    Air flow rate in a closed pipe

    I can't seem to find an equation that fits the situation I am facing. Either that, or I just don't believe the answer the current equations are providing. I am trying to develop the size for an air compressor to fill up a train braking sytem. I have equations for most of the system, but I...
  49. P

    Thermodynamics: Mass Flow Rate

    Homework Statement A cylindrical tank with a diameter, d, is being filled with a liquid having a density,p. There is an inlet at the top of the tank and an outlet at the bottom of the tank. The mass flowrate at the inlet is given by m(in) and the mass flowrate at the outlet is given by m(out)...
  50. J

    Thermodynamics (Mass flow rate & Volume flow rate)

    Homework Statement Steam at 400oC enters a nozzle with an average velocity of 20 m/s. If the specific volume and the flow area at the inlet are measured as 0.1 m^3/kg and 0.01 m^2 respectively, determine (a) the volume flow rate in m^3/s, and (b) the mass flow rate in kg/s Homework...
Back
Top