Popular conversions
1 pairsKilogram per Second ↔ Kilogram per Hour
kg/s ↔ kg/h
Unit guides
2 unitsDetailed guide to this category
Mass flow rate measures how much mass of a substance passes through a section per unit of time.
It is fundamental to mass balance calculations in industrial process engineering.
- Physical quantity
- Mass flow rate
- SI unit
- Kilogram per second
- Typical use
- Industrial process and mass balance
What is mass flow rate?
Mass flow rate is the mass of a substance moving through a system per unit of time.
It is used in industrial process design, fuel and material flow calculations.
Mass flow versus volumetric flow
Mass flow rate describes the amount of material by mass, such as kilograms per second. Volumetric flow rate describes occupied volume, such as liters per minute or cubic meters per hour.
For gases and liquids, density links the two quantities. A volume flow rate alone does not establish mass flow unless the fluid density and conditions are known.
Using mass-flow conversions
Keep the mass unit and time unit explicit in a specification. Converting kilograms per hour to kilograms per second changes only the time basis, while converting to another mass unit changes the mass basis as well.
Mass-flow values are used in material balances, fuel delivery, chemical processing and thermal-system calculations.
Unit comparison table
| Unit | Symbol | SI equivalent | System | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilogram per Second | kg/s | SI reference unit | SI | Process engineering and mass balances |
| Kilogram per Hour | kg/h | 1 kg/h = 1/3,600 kg/s | Practical time-based unit | Industrial equipment and material handling |
Units
| Unit | Symbol | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Kilogram per Second | kg/s | View unit guide |
| Kilogram per Hour | kg/h | View unit guide |