Mass Flow Rate

Definition

The mass of water moving through a system per unit time, used in heat load calculations and derived from volumetric flow times water density.

It appears as the m term in both the sensible heat equation and the latent heat equation. Using water’s density of 8.34 lb/gal, a flow of 1,000 gpm equals 8,340 lb/min. Accurate mass flow is essential for converting between flow rate and energy removed or added.

Related concepts

Heat Load · Sensible Heat · Latent Heat

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