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Flow Rate Converter

Instantly convert flow rates between liters, gallons, cubic feet, and more for engineering, plumbing, and lab applications.

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    What Is Flow Rate? | Unit Conversion Overview

    Flow rate — also known as volume flow rate — is the quantity of fluid (liquid or gas) that passes through a point or system per unit of time. It is essential in fluid dynamics, engineering, plumbing, HVAC, irrigation, and more.

    Professionals across various industries use different units depending on the application. For example:

    • HVAC and mechanical engineers use ft³/s and ft³/min.
    • Medical and laboratory devices often show flow in L/min.
    • Pump systems and irrigation engineers prefer US gal/min or US gal/hr.
    • Industrial and environmental engineers rely on m³/s for large-scale flow monitoring.

    Our free Flow Rate Unit Converter supports seamless conversion between:

    • m³/s – cubic meter per second (SI base unit)
    • ft³/s, ft³/min – imperial volumetric units
    • in³/s, in³/min – inch-based small volume flows
    • US gal/day, US gal/hr, US gal/min – U.S. customary units
    • L/min – liters per minute (metric system)

    Whether you’re a plumber calculating pipe capacity, an engineer calibrating pumps, or a researcher converting flow metrics, this tool helps you get accurate results instantly.

    How Flow Rate Conversion Works | Formulas Explained

    All unit conversions pass through the SI base unit: cubic meter per second (m³/s). The universal 2-step formula is:

    1. Convert Input to m³/s:
   input_value × (conversion factor → m³/s)

2. Convert m³/s to Target Unit:
   m³/s ÷ (conversion factor of target unit)

    Example: To convert from ft³/min to L/min:

    10 ft³/min × 0.0004719474432 (→ m³/s) = 0.00471947 m³/s
Then: 0.00471947 ÷ 1.6666667×10⁻⁵ = 283.17 L/min

    Conversion factors to m³/s:

    • 1 ft³/s = 0.028316846592 m³/s
    • 1 ft³/min = 0.0004719474432 m³/s
    • 1 in³/s = 1.6387064×10⁻⁵ m³/s
    • 1 in³/min = 2.7311773×10⁻⁷ m³/s
    • 1 gal/min = 6.30801964×10⁻⁵ m³/s
    • 1 gal/hr = 1.051503273×10⁻⁶ m³/s
    • 1 gal/day = 4.38044844×10⁻⁸ m³/s
    • 1 L/min = 1.6666667×10⁻⁵ m³/s

    Flow Rate Conversion Examples

    • 500 ft³/s to m³/s: 500 × 0.028316846592 = 14.158 m³/s
    • 1000 L/min to gal/min: 1000 × 1.6666667×10⁻⁵ = 0.01667 m³/s → ÷ 6.30801964×10⁻⁵ = 264.17 gal/min
    • 200 in³/s to ft³/min: 200 × 1.6387064×10⁻⁵ = 0.003277 m³/s → ÷ 0.0004719474432 = 6.94 ft³/min
    • 10 ft³/min to L/min: 10 × 0.0004719474432 = 0.004719 m³/s → ÷ 1.6666667×10⁻⁵ = 283.17 L/min

    Common Use Cases for Converting Flow Rates

    • Plumbing & HVAC: Convert flow for pipe sizing and ventilation systems.
    • Irrigation: Translate gallons/day into liters/minute for efficient watering systems.
    • Industrial engineering: Compare flow specs from different international suppliers (e.g., m³/s vs gal/min).
    • Medical applications: Convert L/min to ft³/min for anesthetic gas flows or oxygen tanks.
    • Hydrology & Environmental science: Track river discharge in ft³/s and convert to SI values.
    • Pump system design: Adjust imperial data to metric pipelines.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the difference between ft³/s and ft³/min?

    ft³/s measures how many cubic feet of fluid flow each second, while ft³/min expresses flow per minute. Multiply ft³/s × 60 to get ft³/min.

    Can I convert directly between US gal/min and L/min?

    Yes. 1 US gal = 3.78541 L. Use that ratio or let the converter handle it automatically.

    What unit is used for measuring river flow?

    Hydrologists typically use ft³/s or m³/s to represent river discharge. This tool lets you switch between the two easily.

    Why use m³/s as the base unit?

    Because it is the SI base unit for volumetric flow. Converting everything to m³/s first avoids rounding errors when chaining conversions.

    How do I convert cubic inches per minute to liters per minute?

    1 in³/min = 2.7311773×10⁻⁷ m³/s. Multiply by 60 to get m³/min (≈1.6387064×10⁻⁵ m³/min), then multiply by 1000 to get L/min. Net factor: 2.7311773×10⁻⁷ × 60 × 1000 = 0.016390642.

    When might I need US gal/day or US gal/hr?

    Water treatment plants and certain irrigation systems specify flow in US gal/day or US gal/hr. This converter lets you quickly switch to SI or other units.

    Is cubic foot per second used in hydrology?

    Yes—hydrologists commonly use ft³/s (cfs) to report river discharge rates. To compare with scientific data, you may convert cfs → m³/s.

    Can I use this offline?

    Yes. All calculations occur in your browser once the page is loaded. No further internet access is needed.

    Does this work on mobile?

    Yes. On narrow screens, the two columns collapse into one, and the form remains fully functional.