Flow Rate Converter

Cubic Meter per Second (m³/s)

The SI unit of volumetric flow rate, representing the volume of fluid passing through a cross-section per unit time. 1 m³/s = 1,000 liters/second. Used for large-scale water systems and industrial applications.

Common uses: River flow measurements, large pump specifications, water treatment plants, and irrigation systems.

Liter per Second (L/s)

One thousandth of a cubic meter per second. 1 L/s = 0.001 m³/s. Common metric unit for moderate flow rates in plumbing and HVAC systems.

Application: Building water supply, fountain systems, swimming pool circulation, and laboratory equipment.

Gallon per Minute (GPM)

Flow rate measured in US gallons per minute. 1 GPM ≈ 0.0631 L/s or 1 L/s ≈ 15.85 GPM. Standard unit in North American plumbing and HVAC specifications.

Typical examples: Shower heads: 2.5 GPM; Garden hoses: 5-10 GPM; House water main: 15-40 GPM; Fire hydrants: 500-1,000 GPM

Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM)

Flow rate measured in cubic feet per minute. 1 CFM ≈ 0.0283 m³/min. Standard unit for air flow in HVAC and ventilation systems.

Application: Air conditioning systems, industrial ventilation, dust collection systems, and pneumatic tool specifications.

Liter per Minute (L/min)

Flow rate measured in liters per minute. 1 L/min ≈ 0.2642 GPM. Metric unit commonly used in medical equipment, laboratory systems, and hydraulic applications.

Application: IV drip rates, dental suction, aquarium filters, and precision liquid transfer systems.

Barrel per Day (bbl/d)

Flow rate measured in barrels per day. 1 bbl = 42 US gallons, so 1 bbl/d ≈ 1.84 L/s. Standard in petroleum and oil industry.

Application: Oil production rates, pipeline specifications, and industrial hydrocarbon processing.

Cubic Foot per Second (ft³/s)

Flow rate measured in cubic feet per second. 1 ft³/s ≈ 0.0283 m³/s ≈ 28.3 L/s. Used for large water flow measurements like river flows.

Application: Hydrology, water resource management, dam discharge rates, and flood control systems.

Acre-Foot per Day (ac·ft/d)

Large volumetric flow rate unit. 1 ac·ft = 325,851.4 gallons ≈ 1,233,481.8 liters. Used in water resource and agricultural engineering.

Application: Large irrigation systems, reservoir management, and water distribution infrastructure.

Flow Rate Applications & Context

• Garden hose: 5-10 GPM (0.3-0.6 L/s)
• Household shower: 2.5 GPM maximum (0.16 L/s) - US standard
• Typical toilet flush: 1.6 GPM (0.1 L/s)
• Kitchen faucet: 2.2 GPM (0.14 L/s)
• Small submersible pump: 100-500 GPM (6-32 L/s)
• Large water pump: 1,000-10,000 GPM (63-632 L/s)
• Fire truck pump: 500-2,000 GPM (32-126 L/s)
• River flow (small): 1-10 cubic feet/second (0.03-0.28 m³/s)
• River flow (large): 100-100,000 cubic feet/second (3-2,800 m³/s)
• Home AC system: 350-600 CFM (0.17-0.28 m³/s)
• Industrial ventilation: 1,000-50,000 CFM (0.47-23.6 m³/s)

Key Flow Rate Relationships

• Volume to Flow: Flow rate = Volume ÷ Time
• Pipe sizing: Larger diameter pipes require less pressure to achieve the same flow rate
• Pressure-flow relationship: Higher pressure generally increases flow (in open systems)
• 1 m³/s = 1,000 L/s = 15,850 GPM = 2,119 CFM
• 1 GPM ≈ 3.785 L/min ≈ 0.0631 L/s ≈ 0.00006309 m³/s
• 1 CFM ≈ 0.0283 m³/min ≈ 0.472 L/s ≈ 28.3 L/min