Mass Flow Rate Fluids Flow Equation

Fluid Flow Table of Contents
Hydraulic and Pneumatic Knowledge

Mass Flow Rate Fluids Flow Equation

The mass flow rate of a system is a measure of the mass of fluid passing a point in the ( ˙ m) system per unit time. The mass flow rate is related to the volumetric flow rate as shown in Equation 3-2 where r is the density of the fluid.

If the volumetric flow rate is in cubic feet per second and the density is in pounds-mass per cubic foot, Equation 3-2 results in mass flow rate measured in pounds-mass per second. Other common units for measurement of mass flow rate include kilograms per second and pounds-mass per hour.

Replacing V in Equation 3-2 with the appropriate terms from Equation 3-1 allows the direct calculation of the mass flow rate.

Example:

The water in the pipe of the previous example had a density of 62.44 lbm/ft³. Calculate the mass flow rate.