Gallons per minute to Cubic yards per second conversion

How to convert gallons per minute to cubic yards per second?

To convert from gallons per minute (GPM) to cubic yards per second (yd³/s), you need to consider the following conversion factors:

• 1 gallon (US) is equal to 0.133681 cubic feet.
• 1 cubic yard is equal to 27 cubic feet.
• 1 minute is 60 seconds.

Here’s the step-by-step process for the conversion:

Step 1: Convert gallons to cubic feet

1 gallon = 0.133681 cubic feet

Step 2: Convert cubic feet to cubic yards

1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet

Step 3: Convert minutes to seconds

1 minute = 60 seconds

Now, let’s put it all together for 1 GPM:

Formula:

$\text{cubic yards per second} = \left( \frac{\text{gallons per minute} \times 0.133681 \text{ cubic feet per gallon}}{27 \text{ cubic feet per cubic yard}} \right) \div 60 \text{ seconds per minute}$

Calculation:

$1 \text{ GPM} = \left( \frac{1 \times 0.133681}{27} \right) \div 60$

$1 \text{ GPM} = \left( \frac{0.133681}{27} \right) \div 60$

$1 \text{ GPM} = \frac{0.133681}{27 \times 60}$

$1 \text{ GPM} = \frac{0.133681}{1620}$

$1 \text{ GPM} \approx 8.253 \times 10^{-5} \text{ cubic yards per second}$

So, 1 gallon per minute is approximately $8.253 \times 10^{-5}$ cubic yards per second.

Real-World Examples

1. Residential Water Flow:

   • A standard showerhead may flow at about 2.5 GPM.
     • Conversion: $2.5 \times 8.253 \times 10^{-5} \approx 2.063 \times 10^{-4} \text{ yd³/s}$

2. Garden Hose:

   • A typical garden hose flows at around 10 GPM.
     • Conversion: $10 \times 8.253 \times 10^{-5} \approx 8.253 \times 10^{-4} \text{ yd³/s}$

3. Fire Hose:

   • A fire hose can discharge about 150 GPM.
     • Conversion: $150 \times 8.253 \times 10^{-5} \approx 0.0124 \text{ yd³/s}$

4. Swimming Pool Fill Rate:

   • A pool filter pump might have a flow rate of 60 GPM.
     • Conversion: $60 \times 8.253 \times 10^{-5} \approx 4.952 \times 10^{-3} \text{ yd³/s}$

These conversions can help you appreciate the relatively small volume represented by cubic yards per second, even though gallons per minute might seem like a large flow rate in everyday terms.