Permeability Converter
Convert between different permeability units including square meter, darcy, millidarcy, and permeability at different temperatures.
Result
1 m² = 1013250273830.8865966797 Darcy
Understanding Permeability Units: Square Meter to Darcy to Millidarcy
Permeability converters are essential tools for calculating material permeability, gas flow resistance, and porous media properties in materials science, petroleum engineering, and filtration technology. Whether you're working with square meters (m²), square centimeters (cm²), square millimeters (mm²), darcy, millidarcy (mD), permeability at 0°C, permeability at 23°C, permeability inches, kilogram per pascal second square meter (kg/(Pa·s·m²)), or any of ten permeability units, understanding permeability conversions is crucial for engineers, scientists, and analysts in petroleum engineering, materials science, membrane technology, groundwater hydrology, and process control industries.
Permeability measurements quantify a material's ability to allow fluids to pass through, representing intrinsic permeability essential for flow calculations, reservoir characterization, and filtration design. From low-permeability materials like tight rocks at 0.0001-0.01 millidarcy to high-permeability materials like sandstones at 100-1000 millidarcy, and from intrinsic permeability in square meters to gas permeability coefficients in kg/(Pa·s·m²), this comprehensive converter supports ten permeability units with instant, accurate results for all your material permeability, gas flow resistance, and porous media property calculations across different measurement systems.
How to Convert Permeability Units: Formulas and Methods
Square Meter to Square Centimeter and Square Millimeter Conversions
Converting from m² to square centimeter (cm²) multiplies by 10,000, since 1 square meter equals 10,000 square centimeters. For example, a permeability of 1e-12 m² equals 1e-8 cm². Converting to square millimeter (mm²) multiplies by 1,000,000, since 1 square meter equals 1,000,000 square millimeters, making 1e-12 m² equal to 1e-6 mm². These conversions are exact and commonly used in SI unit system permeability measurements.
Darcy and Millidarcy Conversions
Converting from m² to darcy multiplies by 1.01325e12, since 1 darcy equals approximately 9.86923e-13 m² (defined as 1 cm/s flow under 1 atm/cm pressure gradient for 1 cP viscosity). For example, 1e-12 m² equals approximately 1.013 darcy. Converting to millidarcy (mD) multiplies by 1.01325e15, since 1 millidarcy equals 0.001 darcy, making 1e-12 m² equal to approximately 1,013 millidarcy. Darcy units are commonly used in petroleum engineering and reservoir characterization.
Permeability at Different Temperatures
Permeability (0°C) and permeability (23°C) refer to darcy measurements at specific temperatures, accounting for temperature-dependent fluid viscosity effects. At 0°C, air viscosity is approximately 1.71e-5 Pa·s, while at 23°C, air viscosity is approximately 1.81e-5 Pa·s. Converting between temperature-specific permeability units requires accounting for viscosity changes. For most practical purposes, permeability (0°C) and permeability (23°C) use the same darcy-to-m² conversion factor, but the actual flow rates differ due to viscosity variations.
Permeability Inches and Imperial Unit Conversions
Converting from m² to permeability inches multiplies by approximately 3.937e10, since 1 permeability inch equals approximately 2.50695e-11 m² (1 darcy-inch). For example, 1e-12 m² equals approximately 0.039 permeability inches. Permeability inches are commonly used in US Imperial system measurements for gas permeability of materials like paper, fabrics, and membranes.
Darcy's Law and Permeability Calculations
Darcy's law relates flow rate (Q) to permeability (k), pressure gradient (ΔP/L), cross-sectional area (A), and fluid viscosity (μ): Q = -kA(ΔP/L)/μ. Permeability (k) has units of length squared (m², darcy), representing intrinsic material property independent of fluid properties. Converting permeability units helps engineers calculate flow rates, predict material behavior, and design filtration systems when working with different measurement systems and comparing international material property standards.
Permeability Conversion Reference Table
| m² | cm² | darcy | millidarcy | permeability inches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1e-15 | 1e-11 | 0.001 | 1 | 0.00004 |
| 1e-14 | 1e-10 | 0.01 | 10 | 0.0004 |
| 1e-13 | 1e-9 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.004 |
| 1e-12 | 1e-8 | 1.013 | 1013 | 0.04 |
| 1e-11 | 1e-7 | 10.13 | 10130 | 0.4 |
| 1e-10 | 1e-6 | 101.3 | 101300 | 4 |
Typical Permeability Values by Material
| Material | m² | millidarcy | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tight sandstone | 1e-16 to 1e-14 | 0.1 to 10 | Petroleum reservoirs |
| Sandstone | 1e-13 to 1e-11 | 100 to 10000 | Petroleum reservoirs |
| Limestone | 1e-15 to 1e-12 | 1 to 1000 | Petroleum reservoirs |
| Shale | 1e-20 to 1e-17 | 0.0001 to 0.1 | Tight gas reservoirs |
| Paper | 1e-14 to 1e-12 | 10 to 1000 | Packaging materials |
| Fabric | 1e-13 to 1e-11 | 100 to 10000 | Textile materials |
| Membrane | 1e-16 to 1e-14 | 0.1 to 10 | Filtration systems |
| Concrete | 1e-18 to 1e-16 | 0.001 to 0.1 | Construction materials |
Industry Applications and Use Cases
Petroleum Engineering and Reservoir Characterization
Petroleum engineers use permeability measurements in darcy or millidarcy to characterize reservoir rocks, predict oil and gas flow, and optimize production strategies. Typical reservoir permeabilities range from 0.1-10,000 millidarcy for various rock types. Converting between m², darcy, and millidarcy helps engineers work with international reservoir characterization standards, design well completions, and predict production rates when working with different measurement systems and equipment specifications.
Materials Science and Filtration Technology
Materials engineers calculate permeabilities in m² or darcy to design filtration membranes, optimize porous materials, and characterize material properties. Typical membrane permeabilities range from 0.1-1000 millidarcy for various filtration applications. Converting between permeability units helps engineers design filters, compare material properties, and work with international materials science standards when developing new filtration technologies.
Groundwater Hydrology and Environmental Engineering
Hydrologists use permeability measurements in m² or darcy to characterize aquifers, predict groundwater flow, and design remediation systems. Typical aquifer permeabilities range from 1-10,000 millidarcy for various geological formations. Converting between permeability units helps engineers design groundwater systems, predict contaminant transport, and compare international hydrology standards when working with different measurement systems.
Packaging and Textile Engineering
Packaging engineers use permeability measurements in permeability inches or darcy to design breathable packaging, optimize barrier properties, and ensure product protection. Typical packaging permeabilities range from 0.01-100 permeability inches for various packaging materials. Converting between permeability units helps engineers design packaging, compare barrier properties, and work with international packaging standards when developing new packaging solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is permeability and how is it different from porosity?
Permeability (k, m²) measures a material's ability to allow fluids to flow through it, while porosity (φ, dimensionless) measures the volume fraction of void space. Permeability depends on pore connectivity and size, while porosity only measures void volume. High porosity doesn't guarantee high permeability if pores aren't connected. Converting permeability units helps engineers characterize materials and predict flow behavior when designing systems.
How do I convert m² to darcy?
Multiply m² by 1.01325e12 to get darcy, since 1 darcy equals approximately 9.86923e-13 m² (defined as 1 cm/s flow under 1 atm/cm pressure gradient for 1 cP viscosity). For example, 1e-12 m² equals approximately 1.013 darcy. This conversion is commonly used in petroleum engineering and reservoir characterization.
How to convert darcy to millidarcy?
Multiply darcy by 1000 to get millidarcy (mD), since 1 millidarcy equals 0.001 darcy. For example, 1 darcy equals 1000 millidarcy, and 0.1 darcy equals 100 millidarcy. This conversion is exact and commonly used in petroleum engineering applications.
How to convert m² to cm²?
Multiply m² by 10,000 to get cm², since 1 square meter equals 10,000 square centimeters. For example, 1e-12 m² equals 1e-8 cm². This conversion is exact and commonly used in SI unit system permeability measurements.
What's the relationship between permeability and Darcy's law?
Darcy's law relates flow rate (Q) to permeability (k), pressure gradient (ΔP/L), cross-sectional area (A), and fluid viscosity (μ): Q = -kA(ΔP/L)/μ. Permeability (k) has units of length squared (m², darcy), representing intrinsic material property independent of fluid properties. Converting permeability units helps engineers calculate flow rates and predict material behavior when working with different measurement systems.
How to convert permeability inches to darcy?
Multiply permeability inches by approximately 25.4 to get darcy, since 1 permeability inch equals approximately 1 darcy-inch. For example, 1 permeability inch equals approximately 25.4 darcy. This conversion is commonly used in US Imperial system measurements for gas permeability.
How is permeability measured in practice?
Permeability is measured using techniques like constant-head permeameters, falling-head permeameters, or gas permeameters. Measurements involve flowing fluid through a sample under known pressure gradients and measuring flow rates. Converting permeability units helps engineers interpret measurements and compare data across different measurement techniques and international standards.
How to convert cm² to m²?
Divide cm² by 10,000 to get m², since 1 square meter equals 10,000 square centimeters. For example, 1e-8 cm² equals 1e-12 m². This conversion is exact and commonly used in SI unit system permeability measurements.
How accurate are permeability conversions?
Our converter uses exact mathematical relationships with 10-decimal precision. m² to darcy: multiply by 1.01325e12 approximately (1 darcy = 9.86923e-13 m²). m² to cm²: multiply by 10,000 exactly. darcy to millidarcy: multiply by 1000 exactly. These conversions ensure precision for scientific and engineering applications in petroleum engineering and materials science.
How does temperature affect permeability measurements?
Intrinsic permeability (k, m²) is temperature-independent, but measured flow rates depend on fluid viscosity, which varies with temperature. Permeability (0°C) and permeability (23°C) refer to measurements at specific temperatures, accounting for viscosity effects. Converting between temperature-specific permeability units requires accounting for viscosity changes when comparing measurements at different conditions.
How to convert between permeability at different temperatures?
Intrinsic permeability (m², darcy) is temperature-independent, but flow measurements depend on viscosity. To compare measurements at different temperatures, use: k_T2 = k_T1 × (μ_T1/μ_T2), where μ is viscosity. For gas permeability, viscosity changes with temperature affect measured flow rates even though intrinsic permeability remains constant. Converting helps engineers account for temperature effects when comparing measurements.
How does permeability relate to hydraulic conductivity?
Hydraulic conductivity (K, m/s) relates to intrinsic permeability (k, m²) through fluid properties: K = kρg/μ, where ρ is density, g is gravity, and μ is viscosity. Permeability is a material property, while hydraulic conductivity depends on both material and fluid properties. Converting permeability units helps engineers calculate hydraulic conductivity and predict flow behavior in groundwater and environmental engineering applications.
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