Convert flow rate units — m³/s, L/s, L/min, ft³/s, gallon/min and more.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| m³/s | Cubic Meter/Second | 0.000472 |
| m³/min | Cubic Meter/Minute | 0.028319434 |
| m³/h | Cubic Meter/Hour | 1.6978417 |
| L/s | Liter/Second | 0.472 |
| L/min | Liter/Minute | 28.319434 |
| ft³/s | Cubic Foot/Second | 0.016668432 |
| gal/min | Gallon/Minute (US) | 7.4813758 |
| gal/h | Gallon/Hour (US) | 448.88255 |
Formula: GPM = CFM × 7.481
Multiply any CFM value by 7.481 to get GPM.
Reverse: CFM = GPM × 0.1337
Common flow rate values — factor: 1 CFM = 7.481 GPM
| CFM (CFM) | GPM (GPM) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 0.01 CFM | 0.07481 GPM | Tiny |
| 0.1 CFM | 0.7481 GPM | Small fan |
| 1 CFM | 7.481 GPM | Small room fan |
| 10 CFM | 74.81 GPM | Room ventilation |
| 50 CFM | 374 GPM | Bathroom exhaust |
| 100 CFM | 748.1 GPM | Small HVAC |
| 500 CFM | 3740 GPM | Commercial HVAC |
| 1000 CFM | 7481 GPM | Large HVAC |
| 5000 CFM | 3.74e+04 GPM | Data center |
| 1e+04 CFM | 7.481e+04 GPM | Large plant |
| 5e+04 CFM | 3.74e+05 GPM | Arena ventilation |
| 1e+05 CFM | 7.481e+05 GPM | Stadium |
| 5e+05 CFM | 3.74e+06 GPM | Very large |
| 1e+06 CFM | 7.481e+06 GPM | Extreme |
| 1e+07 CFM | 7.481e+07 GPM | Max |
1 CFM = 7.481 GPM.
m³/s × 1000 = L/s × 60 = L/min. Use this chain for quick conversions.
Multiply result by 0.1337 to recover the original CFM value.
Designs pumps, pipes, and water distribution systems with flow rates in m³/s, L/s, and GPM.
Specifies air handling units and ductwork in CFM (ft³/min) and m³/h for North American and European projects.
Monitors and controls treatment processes with flow rates in m³/h, L/s, and MGD.
Designs sprinkler systems with required flows in GPM and L/min per NFPA standards.
Measures river and groundwater flows in m³/s (m) and ft³/s (cfs) for flood modeling and water resource planning.
Configures ventilators and oxygen delivery systems with flow rates specified in L/min.
Cubic feet per minute (CFM) is the dominant airflow unit in North American HVAC, ventilation, and pneumatic systems. One CFM = 0.000472 m³/s = 28.32 L/min.
HVAC systems in the US are universally specified in CFM: a typical bedroom requires 50–100 CFM of ventilation; a commercial kitchen exhaust hood needs 300–1,500 CFM; a large data center cooling system may require 100,000+ CFM.
Interesting fact: The term CFM is so entrenched in US building practice that even metric-preferring engineers typically specify airflows in CFM for North American projects. Air compressors are rated in CFM at a specified pressure (e.g., '10 CFM @ 90 psi').
Gallons per minute (GPM) is the standard flow unit for pumps, plumbing, fire suppression, and irrigation systems in the United States. One US GPM = 6.309 × 10⁻⁵ m³/s = 3.785 L/min.
US pump specifications universally use GPM: a residential well pump delivers 5–20 GPM; a fire suppression sprinkler system requires 7–26 GPM per head; a municipal fire hydrant delivers 500–1,500 GPM. Fuel transfer pumps at gas stations operate at 10–15 GPM.
Interesting fact: The US uses about 345 billion gallons of freshwater per day — approximately 240 million GPM. Of this, about 41% goes to thermoelectric power plant cooling, 37% to irrigation, and 13% to public water supplies.
Converting CFM to GPM is essential across hydraulic engineering, HVAC, water treatment, fire protection, and medicine. SI units (m³/s, L/s) are standard in science; European engineering uses m³/h; US systems use GPM and CFM; medical applications use L/min.
Quick reference: 10 CFM = 74.81 GPM. Reverse: 1 GPM = 0.1337 CFM. Factor: 1 CFM = 7.481 GPM.
All conversions use IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic, accurate to at least 8 significant figures.