Definition – What does Flow Rate mean?
Flow rate can be defined as the speed or rapidness of a fluid or gas that flows through a channel or a vessel. This rate is a means of measuring the speed or velocity of liquid or gas that is meant to flow from a particular channel, pipe, or vessel. By determining how much mass or volume of gas or liquid passes per unit time, scientists can determine how deep the wells are to be dug or appraised in order to reach the reservoir.
Petropedia explains Flow Rate
The volumetric flow rate can be calculated as:
Q = v • A
where
v = Flow velocity
A = cross-sectional vector area/surface
The flow rate of oil and gas holds a very important role in the upstream sector of the petroleum industry.
The field production phase of the good test, in which a flow test is conducted to gather the data from an underground source of oil and natural gas, determines the production range of a well and whether it can be used for production or not. Therefore, tests are carried out at an oil field after it has been dug. The tests conducted in these fields help engineers to analyze the health of the well and its further requirements.
Common units of volume flow are m³/s, m³/h, m³/d, L/s, L/min, etc.
The units of mass flow are: kg/s, kg/min, kg/h, g/s, g/min.
It should be noted here that the flow is a dynamic quantity, which represents the instantaneous value of a certain section of pipeline, channel, or river.
Cumulative flow is the total amount of fluid flowing through a certain section of the pipeline, channel, or river in a period of time. As mentioned above, instantaneous flow is an important parameter that needs to be controlled and adjusted in industrial and agricultural production processes. Cumulative flow is one of the parameters that must be known in commercial activities such as trade, distribution, handover, and supply of fluids. It is the basis for prices, settlements, and charges.
The equipment used to measure the flow rate is called a flow meter. Many modern flow meters can be used to measure both instantaneous flow and cumulative flow. For example, an electromagnetic flowmeter is a flowmeter that can measure instantaneous flow and cumulative flow.