Flow Rate Converter
Convert between different flow rate units including cubic meters per second, liters per minute, and gallons per minute.
Result
1 m³/s = 60000 L/min
Understanding Flow Rate Units: Cubic Meters per Second to Liters per Minute and Volumetric Flow
Flow rate converters are essential tools for calculating volumetric flow rates, water flow, fluid flow, and gas flow measurements in engineering, industrial processes, and environmental monitoring. Whether you're working with cubic meters per second (m³/s), liters per minute (L/min), liters per second (L/s), gallons per minute (GPM), gallons per hour (gal/h), cubic feet per second (ft³/s), barrels per day (bbl/d), acre-feet per year (ac·ft/y), or any of fifty flow rate units, understanding flow rate conversions is crucial for engineers, scientists, and analysts in water treatment, oil and gas, chemical processing, HVAC, irrigation, and fluid mechanics industries.
Flow rate measurements quantify the volume of fluid passing through a cross-sectional area per unit time, representing volumetric throughput rates. From water supply systems at 0.1-10 L/s to industrial pipelines at 1-100 m³/s, and from residential water usage at 5-20 L/min to oil production at 1000-10000 barrels per day, this comprehensive converter supports fifty flow rate units with instant, accurate results for all your volumetric flow, water flow, and fluid flow calculations across different measurement systems.
How to Convert Flow Rate Units: Formulas and Methods
Cubic Meter per Second to Liter Conversions
Converting from cubic meters per second (m³/s) to liters per second (L/s) multiplies by 1000, since 1 cubic meter equals 1000 liters. For example, a flow rate of 0.1 m³/s equals 100 L/s. Converting to liters per minute (L/min) multiplies by 60000, since 1 minute equals 60 seconds, so 0.1 m³/s equals 6000 L/min. Converting to liters per hour (L/h) multiplies by 3,600,000, making 0.1 m³/s equal to 360,000 L/h. Converting to liters per day (L/d) multiplies by 86,400,000, giving 0.1 m³/s equals 8,640,000 L/d.
Gallon per Minute (GPM) Conversions
Converting from m³/s to US gallons per minute (gal (US)/min) multiplies by 15850.3, since 1 US gallon equals 0.00378541 cubic meters and 1 minute equals 60 seconds. For example, 0.1 m³/s equals 1585.03 GPM. Converting to US gallons per hour (gal (US)/h) multiplies by 951,019, giving 0.1 m³/s equals 95,101.9 gal/h. UK gallons use a different conversion: 1 UK gallon equals 0.00454609 cubic meters, so gal (UK)/min equals 13,198.2 per m³/s, making 0.1 m³/s equal to 1319.82 gal (UK)/min.
Cubic Foot per Second and Imperial Units
Converting from m³/s to cubic feet per second (ft³/s) multiplies by 35.3147, since 1 cubic foot equals 0.0283168 cubic meters. For example, 1 m³/s equals 35.3147 ft³/s. Converting to cubic feet per minute (ft³/min) multiplies by 2118.88, making 1 m³/s equal to 2118.88 ft³/min. Converting to cubic feet per hour (ft³/h) multiplies by 127,133, giving 1 m³/s equals 127,133 ft³/h. Cubic yards use 1 yd³ = 0.764555 m³, so yd³/s equals 1.30795 per m³/s.
Barrel and Acre-Foot Conversions
Converting from m³/s to US barrels per day (bbl (US)/d) multiplies by 543,439, since 1 US barrel equals 0.158987 cubic meters and 1 day equals 86,400 seconds. For example, 1 m³/s equals 543,439 barrels per day. Converting to kilobarrels per day (kbbl/d) divides by 1000, giving 1 m³/s equals 543.439 kbbl/d. Acre-feet conversions use 1 acre-foot equals 1233.48 cubic meters, so acre-feet per year (ac·ft/y) equals 0.0390867 per m³/s, making 1 m³/s equal to 25.584 ac·ft/y for water resource planning.
Flow Rate Versus Velocity and Cross-Sectional Area
Flow rate (Q, m³/s) equals velocity (v, m/s) times cross-sectional area (A, m²): Q = v × A. Higher velocities or larger pipe diameters increase flow rate. For example, a pipe with 0.1 m diameter (A = 0.00785 m²) and 1 m/s velocity gives Q = 0.00785 m³/s = 7.85 L/s. Converting flow rate units helps engineers size pipes, pumps, and valves when working with different measurement systems and international design standards.
Flow Rate Conversion Reference Table
| m³/s | L/min | L/s | gal (US)/min | ft³/s | bbl (US)/d |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.001 | 60 | 1 | 15.85 | 0.0353 | 543 |
| 0.01 | 600 | 10 | 158.5 | 0.353 | 5434 |
| 0.1 | 6000 | 100 | 1585 | 3.53 | 54344 |
| 1 | 60000 | 1000 | 15850 | 35.31 | 543439 |
| 10 | 600000 | 10000 | 158503 | 353.1 | 5434390 |
| 100 | 6000000 | 100000 | 1585032 | 3531 | 54343900 |
Typical Flow Rate Values by Application
| Application | L/min | m³/s | gal (US)/min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential water tap | 5-15 | 0.000083-0.00025 | 1.3-4.0 |
| Kitchen faucet | 8-12 | 0.00013-0.0002 | 2.1-3.2 |
| Shower head | 6-9 | 0.0001-0.00015 | 1.6-2.4 |
| Garden hose | 15-30 | 0.00025-0.0005 | 4.0-7.9 |
| Water supply pipe (small) | 50-200 | 0.00083-0.0033 | 13-53 |
| Water supply pipe (large) | 500-2000 | 0.0083-0.033 | 132-528 |
| Oil pipeline | - | 1-10 | - |
| River flow (average) | - | 100-1000 | - |
Industry Applications and Use Cases
Water Treatment and Municipal Water Supply
Water engineers use flow rate measurements in L/min, m³/s, or GPM to design water treatment plants, size pumps and pipes, and monitor water distribution systems. Typical municipal water supply flows range from 0.1-10 m³/s (1,585-158,503 GPM) for distribution mains. Converting between L/min, m³/s, GPM, and ft³/s helps engineers compare international water system specifications and design standards when planning water infrastructure projects.
Oil and Gas Industry
Petroleum engineers use flow rates in barrels per day (bbl/d) or m³/s to monitor oil production, design pipelines, and evaluate well performance. Typical oil production flows range from 100-10,000 bbl/d (0.00018-0.018 m³/s) per well, while pipeline flows can reach 100,000-1,000,000 bbl/d (0.18-1.8 m³/s). Converting between bbl/d, m³/s, GPM, and L/min enables comparing international oil field specifications and production data across different measurement systems.
HVAC and Building Systems
HVAC engineers calculate flow rates in L/min, GPM, or m³/h to design heating and cooling systems, size pumps, and evaluate system performance. Typical chilled water flows range from 100-500 L/min (26-132 GPM) for commercial buildings, while condenser water flows may reach 500-2000 L/min (132-528 GPM). Converting between L/min, GPM, m³/h, and ft³/min helps engineers work with international HVAC equipment specifications and design standards.
Irrigation and Agricultural Water Management
Agricultural engineers use flow rates in acre-feet per year (ac·ft/y), m³/s, or GPM to plan irrigation systems, manage water resources, and evaluate water usage. Typical irrigation flows range from 100-1000 ac·ft/y (0.0032-0.032 m³/s) per farm, while canal flows can reach 10,000-100,000 ac·ft/y (0.32-3.2 m³/s). Converting between ac·ft/y, m³/s, GPM, and L/min helps engineers compare water allocation data and irrigation system specifications across different regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is flow rate and how is it measured?
Flow rate is the volume of fluid passing through a cross-sectional area per unit time, measured in units like m³/s, L/min, or GPM. It represents volumetric throughput and is calculated as Q = v × A, where v is velocity and A is cross-sectional area. Flow rate measurements are essential for designing pipes, pumps, and fluid systems.
How do I convert m³/s to L/min?
Multiply m³/s by 60,000 to get L/min, since 1 cubic meter equals 1000 liters and 1 minute equals 60 seconds. For example, 0.1 m³/s equals 6,000 L/min, and 1 m³/s equals 60,000 L/min for water treatment and industrial flow calculations.
How to convert L/min to GPM (gallons per minute)?
Divide L/min by 3.78541 to get US gallons per minute (GPM), since 1 US gallon equals 3.78541 liters. For example, 100 L/min equals 26.4 GPM, and 500 L/min equals 132.1 GPM. For UK gallons, divide by 4.54609 instead.
How to convert barrels per day to m³/s?
Divide barrels per day by 543,439 to get m³/s, since 1 US barrel equals 0.158987 cubic meters and 1 day equals 86,400 seconds. For example, 10,000 bbl/d equals 0.0184 m³/s, and 100,000 bbl/d equals 0.184 m³/s for oil and gas flow calculations.
What's the difference between US and UK gallons for flow rate?
US gallon equals 3.78541 liters while UK gallon equals 4.54609 liters - a 20% difference. For flow rate: 1 gal (US)/min equals 3.78541 L/min, while 1 gal (UK)/min equals 4.54609 L/min. Always specify which gallon system when converting flow rates to avoid errors.
How to convert cubic feet per second to liters per minute?
Multiply ft³/s by 1,699 to get L/min, since 1 cubic foot equals 28.3168 liters and 1 minute equals 60 seconds. For example, 1 ft³/s equals 1,699 L/min, and 10 ft³/s equals 16,990 L/min for water flow calculations.
How is flow rate used in pipe sizing?
Engineers use flow rate (Q) and desired velocity (v) to calculate required pipe cross-sectional area: A = Q/v. For example, Q = 100 L/min (0.00167 m³/s) with v = 2 m/s requires A = 0.000835 m² (diameter = 0.033 m). Converting flow rate units helps engineers work with international pipe sizing standards and design codes.
How to convert acre-feet per year to cubic meters per second?
Divide ac·ft/y by 25.584 to get m³/s, since 1 acre-foot equals 1233.48 cubic meters and 1 year equals 31,536,000 seconds. For example, 100 ac·ft/y equals 3.91 m³/s, and 1000 ac·ft/y equals 39.1 m³/s for water resource planning and irrigation system design.
How does flow rate relate to pressure and pipe diameter?
Flow rate (Q) relates to pressure drop (ΔP) and pipe diameter (D) through fluid mechanics equations like Darcy-Weisbach or Hazen-Williams. Larger diameters or higher pressures increase flow rate. Converting flow rate units helps engineers design pipelines, pumps, and valves when working with different measurement systems and international standards.
What are typical residential water flow rates?
Residential water flow rates: kitchen faucet 8-12 L/min (2.1-3.2 GPM), shower head 6-9 L/min (1.6-2.4 GPM), garden hose 15-30 L/min (4.0-7.9 GPM). Converting helps compare water usage data and appliance specifications across different regions and measurement systems.
How accurate are flow rate conversions?
Our converter uses exact mathematical relationships with 10-decimal precision. m³/s to L/min: multiply by 60,000 exactly. L/min to GPM: divide by 3.78541 exactly. Small differences between US and UK gallons (20%) ensure precision for scientific and engineering applications in fluid systems design.
How is flow rate measured in practice?
Flow rate is measured using flowmeters like orifice plates, venturi meters, electromagnetic flowmeters, or ultrasonic flowmeters. These devices measure velocity or pressure drop and calculate flow rate using Q = v × A. Converting flow rate units helps engineers interpret flowmeter readings and compare measurements across different instruments and systems.
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