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Laboratory Procedures & Workflows
Standardized procedures for laboratory operations, testing, and calibration.
Mass Flow Calibration
Fundamentals
Volumetric Flow

Laboratory Procedures & Workflows
Standardized procedures for laboratory operations, testing, and calibration.
- General Laboratory Procedures
- Leak Checking
- Mass Flow Calibration
- Measurement Uncertainty Evaluation
  Methods for calculating and documenting measurement uncertainty.
- Validation & Verification of Methods
  Procedures for ensuring methods are appropriate and accurate.
- Ensuring Validity of Results
  Internal checks, proficiency testing, and monitoring techniques.
- Equipment Monitoring & Drift Analysis
  How we monitor equipment stability through calibration drift analysis, and how to interpret the drift tables and graphs on each device page.
- Document Control & Change Management
  How the laboratory controls, versions, and approves all QMS documentation using Git and GitLab.
- Risk Management & Preventive Actions
  Identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks.

Volumetric Flow

Author:Matthias Boularot

Created on:12 Mar 2025

Last updated on:19 Feb 2026

Volumetric flow, often referred to as volumetric flow rate, is a measurement of the amount of fluid that passes through a given cross-sectional area per unit of time. It quantifies the volume of fluid that flows past a specific point in a system over a certain period of time.

Figure 1. Fluid Flow in a Pipe

Figure 1. Fluid Flow in a Pipe

Mathematically, volumetric flow (Q) is calculated using the formula:

Q = U_{avg} \cdot A

$Q$: Volumetric Flow Rate. [ $m^{3} \cdot s^{-1}$ ]
$U_{avg}$: Average Fluid Velocity [ $m \cdot s^{-1}$ ]
$A$: Cross Sectional Area Through Which the Fluid is Flowing [ $m^{2}$ ]

Important:

Volumetric flow of a compressible fluid is not conserved along the flow path as the density of said fluid depends on local conditions, see Density of Gases. It therefore cannot be used to accurately compare flow meters.