The mechanism that determines the volume of fluid that passes a point per unit of time is a tool critical in many engineering and scientific fields. For instance, this may involve finding how many gallons pass through a pipe each minute, or how many liters per second discharge from a nozzle.
Accurate quantification of fluid movement provides significant advantages, including optimized system design, efficient resource management, and predictive capabilities regarding system performance. Historically, estimations were manual and prone to error; the advent of standardized tools has improved precision, aiding in avoiding costly over- or under-estimations.