Calculate a cylinder’s radius, height, or capacity from any two values, with unit support for meters, centimeters, inches, feet, liters, and gallons.
- All Math and Numbers Calculators
- Column Volume Calculator
- Grain Bin Capacity Calculator
- Volume in Terms of Pi Calculator
- Circle Volume Calculator
- Vessel Volume Calculator
- Pipe Volume Calculator
Cylinder Capacity Formula
The capacity of a cylinder is its circular cross-sectional area multiplied by its height or length. If you enter a fill percentage below 100%, the calculator multiplies the full volume by that percentage.
V = pi*r^2*h*(F/100)
V = pi*(D/2)^2*h*(F/100)
V = pi*(C/(2*pi))^2*h*(F/100)
- V = cylinder volume or usable capacity
- r = radius of the cylinder
- D = diameter of the cylinder
- C = circumference around the cylinder
- h = cylinder height or length
- F = fill percentage, where 100 means completely full
- pi = approximately 3.14159
If you choose radius, the calculator uses the radius directly. If you choose diameter, it divides the diameter by 2 to get the radius. If you choose circumference, it converts circumference to radius using r = C / (2*pi). After finding the volume, it applies the fill percentage and converts the result to the selected output unit, such as liters, gallons, cubic meters, cubic feet, cubic inches, or milliliters.
Cylinder Capacity Unit Conversions
These common conversions help you check or compare the calculator result.
| Unit | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 1 liter | 1,000 cm³ or 0.001 m³ |
| 1 milliliter | 1 cm³ |
| 1 cubic meter | 1,000 liters |
| 1 US gallon | 3.78541 liters |
| 1 cubic foot | 28.3168 liters |
| 1 cubic inch | 16.3871 milliliters |
Typical Cylinder Capacity Examples
| Diameter | Height / Length | Full Capacity | 50% Full |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 cm | 30 cm | 2.356 L | 1.178 L |
| 25 cm | 100 cm | 49.087 L | 24.544 L |
| 1 ft | 4 ft | 3.142 ft³ | 1.571 ft³ |
Example Cylinder Capacity Calculations
Example 1: Capacity from diameter
You have a cylinder with a diameter of 10 cm and a height of 30 cm. The fill percentage is 100%.
V = pi*(10/2)^2*30*(100/100)
V = 2356.19 cm^3 = 2.356 L
The full capacity is about 2.356 liters.
Example 2: Capacity from radius with partial fill
You have a cylinder with a radius of 4 inches and a length of 20 inches. The fill percentage is 75%.
V = pi*4^2*20*(75/100)
V = 753.98 in^3
The usable capacity at 75% full is about 754 cubic inches, or about 3.264 US gallons.
Cylinder Capacity Calculator FAQ
Is cylinder capacity the same as cylinder volume?
Yes. For this calculator, cylinder capacity means the internal volume of the cylinder. If you are measuring a container, tank, pipe, or tube, capacity is the amount of space inside it. The result can be shown as a volume unit, such as cubic feet, or as a liquid unit, such as liters or gallons.
Should I use the inside diameter or outside diameter?
Use the inside diameter when calculating how much a cylinder can hold. The outside diameter includes the wall thickness, so it will overstate the usable capacity for a tank, pipe, or container.
Does the fill percentage calculate a horizontal tank fill level?
No. The fill percentage is a simple percentage of the full cylinder volume. For example, 50% means half of the total capacity. It does not calculate the curved liquid segment that occurs when a horizontal cylinder is filled to a certain depth.
