A pneumatic flow rate calculator helps engineers determine how much compressed air (measured in litres per minute or m³/h) a pneumatic system requires. Correct flow rate calculation is essential for sizing pipes, FRL units, valves, and compressors. Pneumatics Group Ireland provides a free online flow rate calculator at pneumatics.ie/flow-rate-calculator/ alongside expert technical support.
With this Flow Rate Calculator, it is possible to easily calculate the average volumetric flow rate of fluids by changing each of the three variables: length, pressure and bore diameter. The effects on the predicted flow rate are then given in three graphs, where in turn two of the variables are kept constant and the flow rate is plotted against a range of values of the third.
To begin calculating, enter your figures in the boxes below. If a value is not available
for any one of the variables, then please leave the field blank and the program will select its own value.
Undersizing your compressed air supply causes pressure drops that slow cylinders, starve valves, and cause erratic machine behaviour. Oversizing wastes capital and energy. The flow rate calculator on this page helps you specify the right component first time avoiding costly rework.
Use this tool to calculate the flow rate (litres per minute or m³/h) required for your pneumatic system based on your cylinder bore, stroke, speed, and working pressure.
Input the bore diameter (mm) and stroke length (mm) of your pneumatic cylinder.
How many cycles per minute will the cylinder complete? Enter strokes per minute (SPM).
Input the line pressure in bar (typically 4–8 bar for standard industrial pneumatics).
The calculator outputs the required flow rate in litres per minute (l/min) or m³/h use this figure to select correctly sized airlines, valves, FRL units, and regulators.
Pneumatic flow rate is the volume of compressed air consumed per unit time usually expressed in litres per minute (l/min) or m³/h. It matters because every pneumatic component has a maximum flow rating. If the demand exceeds the supply, pressure drops and performance suffers.
Most European pneumatic components use litres per minute (l/min) or m³/h. Older UK and Irish systems sometimes quote CFM (cubic feet per minute). 1 CFM ≈ 28.3 l/min. Our calculator uses l/min.
Divide litres per minute by 16.67. For example, 500 l/min ÷ 16.67 = 30 m³/h.
A 63mm bore cylinder with 200mm stroke running at 1 cycle per second at 6 bar requires approximately 60–80 l/min. Use our calculator for your specific dimensions and cycle rate.
If your calculation raises questions, our technical team can review your full system layout and recommend correctly sized components.
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