Mass flow

Mass flow is the movement of substances at equal rates or as a single body. For example, blood circulation, transport of water and assimilates in xylem vessels and phloem tubes of plants. This relies upon the cohesion of water molecules to each other and adhesion to the vessel's wall by hydrogen bonding. If an air bubble occurs the flow will be stopped as the column is broken and the pressure difference in the vessel cannot be transmitted; this is called an air lock.

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Also known as Mass transfer and bulk flow.

While operating with open systems, one needs dimension that describes mass flows, which flow over system-borders. A mass flow describes the mass of a medium, that in a time unit of (1 second [s], 1 minute [min], 1 hour [h]) moves through a cross section.

Mass Flow is a particularly useful value when dealing with gases as volume flow varies more with temperature and pressure than with solids and liquids.

See also

• Pounds Per Hour

• Fluid Dynamics

• Mass flow rate