Calculate steel tank weight, outer or inner diameter, height, or density from the remaining values, with optional flat end plates and metric or US units.

Find shell and optional flat-plate mass.

Uniform shell with external full-diameter flat plates. Excludes shaped heads, welds, fittings, supports, contents and corrosion allowance; no pressure or strength check.

Zero represents a solid cylinder.

Excludes external plate thickness.

Editable nominal steel density; use your material data.

Steel Tank Formula

The following shell-only formula estimates tank mass, commonly called weight. It does not verify pressure rating or structural strength.

m = (π) / (4) [(Dₒ / 12)² - (Dᵢ / 12)²] h d
  • Where m is the mass (lb), commonly called tank weight
  • Do is the outer diameter (in)
  • Di is the inner diameter (in)
  • h is the clear shell or cavity length (ft), excluding external plate thickness
  • d is the material mass density (lb/ft³)

For the shell, subtract the inner cylinder volume from the outer cylinder volume, then multiply by material mass density. The widget can add zero, one or two full-outer-diameter flat plates outside the entered shell length. Each plate adds volume π × Do² × t / 4 in consistent units; the plates do not reduce the ideal cavity, and overall axial length is shell length + n × t.

What is the weight of a steel tank?

Definition:

Tank mass depends on its diameters, shell length, plates and material mass density. A nominal steel value of about 490 lb/ft³ is editable; use the actual material density when known. Results in lb or kg are mass, rather than gravitational force. Shaped heads, welds, fittings, supports, contents and corrosion allowance are omitted.

How to calculate weight of a steel tank?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines how to calculate the weight of a steel tank.

First, determine the inner diameter. For this example, the inner diameter is measured to be 5 inches.

Next, determine the outer diameter. This outer diameter is 12 inches.

Next, determine the height of the tank. The height is measured to be 2 ft.

Finally, using the information above and an assumed nominal mass density of 490 lb/ft³, calculate the shell-only mass without end plates.

m = (π / 4) × [(Do / 12)² − (Di / 12)²] × h × d

m = (π / 4) × [(12 / 12)² − (5 / 12)²] × 2 × 490

m ≈ 636.063 lb (288.514 kg)

FAQ

How do you convert the dimensions from inches to feet in the steel tank formula?

To convert dimensions from inches to feet in the steel tank formula, you divide the dimension in inches by 12, as there are 12 inches in a foot. This is seen in the formula with the outer diameter (Do) and inner diameter (Di) both being divided by 12 before being used in the calculation.

Why is density an important factor in calculating the weight of a steel tank?

Density is crucial because it represents the mass per unit volume of the material. In the context of a steel tank, the density of steel affects the overall weight of the tank because it determines how much mass is present in a given volume of the tank’s material. The higher the density, the heavier the tank will be for a given size.

Can this formula be used for tanks made of materials other than steel?

Yes, the formula can be used for tanks made of materials other than steel, as long as you have the correct density value for the material in question. The density (d) in the formula represents the material’s density, and by substituting the density of another material, you can calculate the weight of a tank made from that material.