Water Velocity Calculator

How to Calculate Water Velocity

Water velocity is a measure of the rate of water flowing through a closed pipe system. Knowing the water velocity of a pipe can help determine things like pressure. Having the right velocity is important if you want to extend the life of your pipes; water velocity that is too high for your system can result in the pipes corroding faster and needing to be replaced sooner.

Water Velocity Formula

Water velocity for a pipe of any size or length can be found using a simple formula:

Thus, the velocity v is equal to the flow rate Q divided by the cross-sectional area A.

When using this formula, all units should be in the same form of measurement. If the flow rate is measured in cubic meters per second, then the area should be in square meters, and if the flow rate is measured in cubic feet per second, then the area should be in square feet.

The cross-sectional area of a pipe can be found using the formula: