Need Capsule, Conical Bottom & Dished Heads? Calculate with 19+ liquid densities and custom weight calibration in our app.
Tank Volume Calculator
Select a tank shape below. You can assign different units to each dimension independently.
Vertical Tank
Calculates total capacity & dip level liquid
Calculating with fresh water (1.000 g/cm³). Selecting oil, fuels, chemicals, or custom density is supported in the mobile app.
Volume Output Conversions
| Unit | Filled Volume | Total Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Litres (L) | 0 | 0 |
| US Gallons (gal) | 0 | 0 |
| UK Gallons (Imperial) | 0 | 0 |
| Cubic Meters (m³) | 0 | 0 |
| Cubic Feet (ft³) | 0 | 0 |
| Oil Barrels (BBL) | 0 | 0 |
Capsule Tank (Spherical Hemispherical Heads)
Calculate this shape in our free Mobile App
Calculations for Capsule & Conical bottom tanks require advanced differential geometry. Download our free Tank Volume Calculator App to calculate this shape plus:
- Instant filled dip calibration & ullage calculation
- 15+ industrial tank profiles (Torispherical, Dished, Capsule, Cones)
- Liquid weight calculation with 19+ liquid densities & custom values
- 100% Free on iOS & Android
About the Tank Volume Calculator
Use this Tank Volume Calculator to find the total capacity and partial filled liquid volume for industrial, agricultural, and residential storage tanks. Whether you are measuring water storage, oil tanks, fuel drums, or chemical containers, this tool supports vertical cylinders, horizontal tanks, rectangular prism containers, and elliptical storage tanks.
You can assign independent measurement units (millimetres, centimetres, metres, inches, feet, or yards) to every dimension. The calculator converts results instantly into Litres (L), US Gallons, UK Imperial Gallons, Cubic Metres (m³), Cubic Feet (ft³), and Oil Barrels (BBL), along with liquid weight calculations.
How to Calculate Tank Volume
Calculating a tank’s volume requires three simple steps: determining the geometric shape, measuring outer or inner dimensions in consistent units, and computing total capacity vs. filled liquid volume.
Identify Tank Shape
Determine whether the storage vessel is a vertical cylinder, horizontal cylinder, rectangular basin, or elliptical tank.
Measure Dimensions
Measure internal diameter (d), total height (h1), length (L), or width (A). For dip liquid, measure current wet depth (L, L2, or H).
Compute Base Volume
Apply the shape formula in standard units (m³ or ft³). For horizontal tanks, compute using circular segment trigonometry.
Convert to Final Units
Convert m³ to Litres (× 1,000), US Gallons (× 264.172), UK Gallons (× 219.969), or Barrels (× 6.28981).
Practical Example: Vertical Cylindrical Water Tank
Total Height h1 = 2.0 m
Dip Liquid Level L = 1.5 m
Filled V = π × (0.6)² × 1.5 ≈ 1.696 m³
US Gallons = 1.696 × 264.172 = 448.2 Gallons
Water Weight = 1.696 × 1,000 = 1,696.4 kg
Tank Volume Formulas
Vertical Cylinder Tank
Total volume uses base circle area multiplied by full height:
Total Volume = π × (d / 2)² × h1
Filled Volume = π × (d / 2)² × L
Horizontal Cylinder Tank
Uses circular segment area based on dip depth (L2):
θ = 2 × arccos((r - L2) / r)
Filled Volume = 0.5 × r² × (θ - sin(θ)) × L
Rectangular Tank
Box prism volume based on width (A), height (B), length (L):
Total Volume = A × B × L
Filled Volume = A × H × L
Elliptical Tank
Horizontal elliptical cylinder with axis widths A and B:
Total Volume = π × (A / 2) × (B / 2) × L
Filled Volume = (A / B) × CircleSegment(B/2, H) × L
Liquid Density Reference Table
Liquid weight is directly calculated as Weight = Filled Volume (m³) × Density (kg/m³).
| Liquid Material | Typical Density (kg/m³) | Specific Gravity | Weight per US Gallon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure Water (4°C) | 1,000 kg/m³ | 1.000 | 8.34 lbs |
| Automotive Diesel | 820 – 860 kg/m³ | 0.832 | 7.05 lbs |
| Gasoline / Petrol | 710 – 770 kg/m³ | 0.740 | 6.17 lbs |
| Crude Oil (Average) | 800 – 900 kg/m³ | 0.870 | 7.26 lbs |
| Engine Lube Oil (SAE 30) | 880 – 920 kg/m³ | 0.880 | 7.34 lbs |
| Whole Milk | 1,030 kg/m³ | 1.030 | 8.60 lbs |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I calculate the volume of a vertical cylinder tank? ↓
Measure the tank's inner diameter (d) and total height (h1). Calculate the radius by dividing diameter by 2 (r = d / 2). The total tank volume equals π × r² × h1. To calculate current liquid fill, replace total height (h1) with your liquid dip level (L).
Why is a horizontal cylinder tank volume not linear? ↓
Because a horizontal cylinder has curved sides, the width of the liquid surface changes at different fill levels. When the tank is near empty or near full, a 1-centimetre rise in dip level represents much less liquid than a 1-centimetre rise near the middle. Calculating the exact liquid volume requires finding the circular segment cross-section area multiplied by tank length.
What is the difference between Dip Level and Ullage? ↓
Dip Level (Innage) is the depth of the liquid measured from the tank bottom up to the liquid surface. Ullage (Outage) is the empty dry headspace remaining between the liquid surface and the top of the tank. Total Capacity = Filled Liquid Volume + Ullage.
How many gallons are in a litre and a cubic metre? ↓
One cubic metre (1 m³) equals 1,000 litres. This converts to approximately 264.172 US liquid gallons or 219.969 UK Imperial gallons. One US gallon equals roughly 3.785 litres.
How is liquid weight calculated from tank volume? ↓
Liquid weight (mass) equals the filled volume in cubic metres multiplied by the density of the fluid (kg/m³). For pure water (density = 1,000 kg/m³), 1,000 litres weighs exactly 1,000 kilograms (1 metric tonne or ~2,204.6 lbs). For petroleum fuels like diesel (~832 kg/m³) or gasoline (~740 kg/m³), the liquid is lighter than water.