Liters per Minute to Milliliters per Second Converter
Common Conversions
| L/min | mL/s |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 1.667 |
| 0.5 | 8.333 |
| 1 | 16.667 |
| 2 | 33.333 |
| 5 | 83.333 |
| 10 | 166.667 |
| 25 | 416.667 |
| 50 | 833.333 |
| 100 | 1666.667 |
| 1000 | 16666.667 |
Why this conversion matters in chemistry
Consider inert-atmosphere glovebox purge calculations. A 5 L/min N₂ purge is 83.3 mL/s on the per-second sensor response — the per-second figure that sets the recovery time constant after a glove-port operation. In practice you reach for it when an instrument-control panel logs in L/min but a per-second kinetic-modeling calculation needs the mL/s form. The constant of 16.6667 mL/s per L/min decomposes into 1000 mL/L over 60 s/min — the same geometric ratio that connects all volumetric flow units across these two timescales.
Formula
mL/s = L/min × 16.6667
Worked Examples
1 L/min = 16.667 mL/s
A typical preparative HPLC mobile-phase flow rate.
0.5 L/min = 8.333 mL/s
A common GC carrier-gas flow rate.
5 L/min = 83.333 mL/s
An industrial continuous-flow reactor feed rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert L/min to mL/s?
Multiply by 16.6667. The factor decomposes into 1000 mL/L divided by 60 s/min. The relationship is exact through the SI definitions.
Why does flow rate matter in chromatography?
Flow rate directly sets separation efficiency, retention times, and peak resolution in HPLC and GC. Faster flow trades resolution for speed; slower flow trades speed for sharper peaks. The Van Deemter curve identifies the optimal flow for a given column.
What's a typical HPLC flow rate?
Analytical HPLC runs 0.5–2.0 mL/min (0.008–0.033 mL/s). Preparative HPLC bumps up to 10–100 mL/min depending on column diameter, where L/min becomes the more readable unit.