Mass Flow Rate Calculation

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What is Mass Flow Rate?

Mass flow rate is a fundamental concept in fluid dynamics and engineering that describes the mass of a substance that passes through a given surface per unit of time. It's a crucial parameter in many applications, including chemical processing, aerospace, and environmental engineering. Unlike volumetric flow rate (which measures volume per unit time), mass flow rate directly accounts for the density of the substance, making it more versatile and accurate in scenarios where density variations are significant (e.g., due to temperature or pressure changes).

Why is Mass Flow Rate Important?

Understanding and accurately calculating mass flow rate is vital for:

  • Process Control: Ensuring precise amounts of reactants are fed into a chemical reactor.
  • Efficiency Calculations: Determining the fuel consumption rate of engines or the material throughput in manufacturing.
  • Safety: Monitoring the flow of hazardous materials.
  • Design: Sizing pumps, pipes, and other fluid handling equipment.

How to Calculate Mass Flow Rate

The most common way to calculate mass flow rate is by multiplying the volumetric flow rate by the density of the fluid.

The formula is: Mass Flow Rate (ṁ) = Density (ρ) × Volumetric Flow Rate (Q)

Alternatively, if you know the mass of a substance that flows over a certain time period, you can calculate it as: Mass Flow Rate (ṁ) = Mass (m) / Time (t)

This calculator will use the first formula, requiring you to input the density and volumetric flow rate of the substance. Ensure your units are consistent for accurate results.

Mass Flow Rate Calculator

kg/m³ g/cm³ lb/ft³
m³/s L/min gal/min ft³/s
.calculator-container { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 20px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; } .article-content { flex: 1; min-width: 300px; padding-right: 20px; border-right: 1px solid #eee; } .calculator-interface { min-width: 300px; } .input-group { margin-bottom: 15px; } .input-group label { display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; font-weight: bold; } .input-group input[type="number"] { padding: 8px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 4px; width: calc(100% – 100px); /* Adjust width to make space for unit selection */ margin-right: 5px; } .input-group select { padding: 8px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 4px; } button { padding: 10px 15px; background-color: #007bff; color: white; border: none; border-radius: 4px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 16px; } button:hover { background-color: #0056b3; } #result { margin-top: 20px; font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: bold; color: #333; } function calculateMassFlowRate() { var density = parseFloat(document.getElementById("density").value); var densityUnit = document.getElementById("densityUnit").value; var volumetricFlowRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("volumetricFlowRate").value); var volumetricFlowRateUnit = document.getElementById("volumetricFlowRateUnit").value; if (isNaN(density) || isNaN(volumetricFlowRate)) { document.getElementById("result").innerHTML = "Please enter valid numbers for density and flow rate."; return; } // Convert density to kg/m^3 var density_kg_m3; if (densityUnit === "kg/m^3") { density_kg_m3 = density; } else if (densityUnit === "g/cm^3") { density_kg_m3 = density * 1000; // 1 g/cm³ = 1000 kg/m³ } else if (densityUnit === "lb/ft^3") { density_kg_m3 = density * 16.0185; // 1 lb/ft³ ≈ 16.0185 kg/m³ } // Convert volumetric flow rate to m^3/s var volumetricFlowRate_m3_s; if (volumetricFlowRateUnit === "m^3/s") { volumetricFlowRate_m3_s = volumetricFlowRate; } else if (volumetricFlowRateUnit === "L/min") { volumetricFlowRate_m3_s = volumetricFlowRate * (1 / 1000) * (1 / 60); // 1 L/min = 0.001 m³/min = 0.00001667 m³/s } else if (volumetricFlowRateUnit === "gal/min") { volumetricFlowRate_m3_s = volumetricFlowRate * 0.0000630902; // 1 US gal/min ≈ 0.0000630902 m³/s } else if (volumetricFlowRateUnit === "ft^3/s") { volumetricFlowRate_m3_s = volumetricFlowRate * 0.0283168; // 1 ft³/s ≈ 0.0283168 m³/s } // Calculate mass flow rate in kg/s var massFlowRate_kg_s = density_kg_m3 * volumetricFlowRate_m3_s; // Display result with appropriate units var resultDisplay = "Mass Flow Rate: " + massFlowRate_kg_s.toFixed(4) + " kg/s"; document.getElementById("result").innerHTML = resultDisplay; }

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