In aircraft design and engineering, “mass flow rate” (often denoted as ṁ) represents the rate at which mass flows through a particular point or component in a system, such as the rate at which air flows through an engine’s intake or exhaust. Mass flow rate is a fundamental parameter in fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.
The formula for calculating mass flow rate can be defined as:
- Mass Flow Rate (ṁ) is the rate at which mass flows, typically measured in kilograms per second (kg/s) or other mass flow rate units.
- Density (ρ) is the density of the fluid, typically measured in kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³) or other density units.
- Velocity (V) is the velocity of the fluid at the point of interest, typically measured in meters per second (m/s) or other velocity units.
- Cross-Sectional Area (A) is the area through which the fluid flows, typically measured in square meters (m²) or other area units