Cylindrical Tank
Cylindrical Tank Volume Calculator
Calculate liquid volume from tank diameter, length and the dipstick reading. Works for horizontal and vertical tanks.
Tank dimensions
Tank diagram
Calculated volume
- Tank capacity
- Liquid depth
- Remaining capacity
| Dip | Volume (gal) | Volume (L) | % Full |
|---|
About this calculator
How cylindrical tank volume is calculated
A horizontal cylindrical tank holds a partial circular segment of the cross-section, stretched along the tank. A vertical tank holds a flat circle that grows with the dip.
V = L · [(h − r)·√(2rh − h²) + r²·arccos((r − h)/r)]
where r is the tank radius, h is the liquid depth (dip) and L is the tank length. The result is converted from cubic inches to US gallons by dividing by 231.
Measurement guide
How to dip a tank
Lower a straight dipstick from the fill opening until it touches the bottom. Mark the wet line, pull the stick out, and read the depth from the bottom. For the diameter, measure across the widest inside of the tank. For a horizontal tank, the length is inside end wall to inside end wall.
Assumptions
The tank is level, the heads are flat-ended for horizontal tanks, and the dipstick is perpendicular to the surface. Rounded or dished ends, sloping tanks and baffle plates are not modelled here.