Átfolyás

Átfolyás is a Hungarian noun describing the act or process of a fluid flowing through a medium, or the amount that does so. The term is used across disciplines to denote movement of liquids through materials, as well as the rate or capacity of that movement. It stems from át- meaning through and folyás meaning flow.

In hydrology and soil science, átfolyás refers to the movement of water through soil or rock, typically laterally, from wetter to drier zones or toward drainage outlets. It is distinguished from infiltration, which is vertical entry of water into the soil, and from runoff, which is surface flow.

In engineering and environmental technology, átfolyás denotes the flow of a fluid through a device or medium, such as a filter, membrane, pipe, or heat exchanger. The flow quantity is usually expressed as a flow rate (for example, cubic meters per second) and depends on factors such as pressure difference, porosity, and resistance of the medium.

In ecological and environmental contexts, átfolyás can describe the transfer of substances and energy through ecosystems via water pathways, for example in wetlands or peatlands, where throughflow contributes to hydrological balance and nutrient transport.

The term is commonly translated into English as throughflow or, in some contexts, throughput, depending on the specific application.