Flow - Mass Converter

Kilogram per Second (kg/s)

The SI unit of mass flow rate, representing the mass of fluid passing through a cross-section per unit time. 1 kg/s = 1,000 grams/second. Standard unit for industrial and scientific applications.

Common uses: Pump specifications, compressor ratings, industrial process control, and power plant operations.

Gram per Second (g/s)

One thousandth of a kilogram per second. 1 g/s = 0.001 kg/s. Used for smaller mass flow rates in laboratory and medical equipment.

Application: Medical infusion pumps, laboratory instruments, small-scale chemical processes, and precision dosing systems.

Kilogram per Hour (kg/h)

Mass flow rate in kilograms per hour. 1 kg/h = 1/3,600 kg/s. Commonly used for continuous process specifications.

Application: Chemical plants, food processing, furnace feed rates, and industrial heating systems.

Ton per Hour (t/h)

Large-scale mass flow rate. 1 t/h = 1,000 kg/h ≈ 0.278 kg/s. Standard for heavy industrial processes and bulk material handling.

Application: Mining operations, power plants, steel mills, cement plants, and agricultural processing.

Pound per Second (lb/s)

Mass flow rate in pounds per second. 1 lb/s ≈ 0.4536 kg/s. Common in North American engineering specifications.

Application: US industrial systems, aerospace applications, and North American equipment specifications.

Pound per Hour (lb/h)

Mass flow rate in pounds per hour. 1 lb/h ≈ 0.000126 kg/s. Used for fuel consumption and smaller flow rates in US systems.

Application: Fuel consumption rates, small pump specifications, and HVAC system ratings.

Milligram per Second (mg/s)

Very small mass flow rate. 1 mg/s = 0.001 g/s = 0.000001 kg/s. Used in pharmaceutical and precision laboratory work.

Application: Pharmaceutical dosing, IV infusions, precision analytical instruments, and trace chemical delivery.

Metric Ton per Second (t/s)

Extremely large mass flow rate. 1 t/s = 1,000 kg/s. Used for the largest industrial flows like dam spillways or major industrial processes.

Application: Large hydroelectric installations, massive industrial processes, and extreme-scale engineering.

Mass Flow vs Volumetric Flow: Key Difference

Mass flow rate measures the actual mass of material passing through per unit time (kg/s, lb/s) and is independent of fluid density or pressure.

Volumetric flow rate measures the volume passing through per unit time (m³/s, GPM) and depends on fluid density.

Relationship: Mass Flow = Density × Volumetric Flow

A 1 GPM flow of water (1 kg/L) carries much more mass per unit time than 1 GPM of air (0.0012 kg/L). Mass flow is critical for combustion, chemical reactions, and energy calculations.

Mass Flow Rate Applications & Context

• IV drip (medical): 1-10 mL/min ≈ 0.02-0.2 g/s (water equivalent)
• Small fuel injection: 1-10 g/s
• Residential gas furnace: 0.05-0.1 kg/s
• Jet engine: 50-150 kg/s air intake
• Power plant boiler: 100-500 kg/s steam
• Water treatment plant: 10-100 kg/s
• Steel mill: 1,000-10,000 kg/s molten material
• Hydroelectric dam spillway: 100-1,000 t/s
• Petroleum refinery: 10-100 t/h crude oil processing
• Cement kiln: 50-200 t/h material throughput

Key Conversion Factors

• 1 kg/s = 3,600 kg/h = 86,400 kg/d
• 1 kg/s ≈ 2.205 lb/s ≈ 7,936 lb/h
• 1 t/h = 0.2778 kg/s ≈ 0.6126 lb/s
• 1 lb/s ≈ 0.4536 kg/s ≈ 1,633.7 lb/h
• 1 g/s = 0.001 kg/s = 3.6 kg/h = 86.4 kg/d
• 1 mg/s = 0.001 g/s = 0.000001 kg/s
• Mass flow × fluid density = volumetric flow