Tank Sizing Calculator
Calculate usable buffer storage from process demand and duration, then gross it up for a visible unusable/freeboard allowance.
Use the Tank Sizing Calculator
Calculate usable buffer storage from process demand and duration, then gross it up for a visible unusable/freeboard allowance.
Calculations happen locally in your browser. ToolLott does not send these inputs to a server for this tool.
Preliminary planning or arithmetic calculation only. Confirm project inputs, units, operating assumptions and applicable requirements before procurement, construction or operational decisions.
How to use it
Replace the worked-example values with actual project data. Review the intermediate quantities and visible assumptions before using the result elsewhere.
How the Tank Sizing Calculator works
Calculate usable buffer storage from process demand and duration, then gross it up for a visible unusable/freeboard allowance. The methodology below exposes the production equation, a QA-verified worked example and the boundary between this screen and detailed design.
Calculation breakdown
ToolLott will explain the current inputs and displayed result here.
Buffer tank capacity with unusable/freeboard allowance
The production engine evaluates usable = demand x hours; gross = usable / (1 - unusable_fraction). It begins by multiply process demand by buffer duration for required usable volume., then convert unusable/freeboard allowance to a decimal fraction., and finally divide usable volume by the usable fraction of gross capacity. This keeps the calculation auditable instead of hiding design assumptions behind a single number.
usable = demand x hours; gross = usable / (1 - unusable_fraction)ToolLott evaluates the relationship using the entered units and full numeric precision before display rounding.
| Symbol / input | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
demand | Process demand (m3/h) | user input |
bufferHours | Required buffer duration (h) | user input |
unusable | Unusable / freeboard allowance (%) | user input |
Step-by-step method
- Multiply process demand by buffer duration for required usable volume.
- Convert unusable/freeboard allowance to a decimal fraction.
- Divide usable volume by the usable fraction of gross capacity.
Worked example
Liam, a project engineer, has a process demand of 14 m³/h and wants 6 hours of buffer storage plus 10% unusable/freeboard allowance.
Example inputs
- Process demand (m3/h): 14
- Required buffer duration (h): 6
- Unusable / freeboard allowance (%): 10
Calculation / processing
Usable buffer = 14 x 6 = 84 m³.Usable fraction = 1 - 0.10 = 0.90.Gross capacity = 84 / 0.90 = 93.33 m³.
Use the result as a screening or quantity-planning value and compare it with the project criteria, manufacturer data and applicable engineering requirements before making a design or procurement decision.
Assumptions
- The entered values are representative of the condition being screened and use the units shown on the page.
- The equation models only the stated relationship; omitted system effects are not silently estimated.
Limitations
- This page is not engineering certification and does not replace applicable standards, design loads, manufacturer data, site investigation or competent professional review.
- Results can change materially when real geometry, losses, transients, material properties, duty cycles, safety factors or regulatory criteria differ from the simplified inputs.
Common questions
Is this a final engineering design?
No. It is a transparent screening calculation using the entered assumptions and the stated equation.
Why does the page show assumptions and limitations?
Engineering formulas are only valid within their modelling assumptions; exposing them helps users decide what additional design checks are required.
Should I use the rounded displayed value in later design work?
Use suitable calculation precision and the governing project/standard requirements rather than relying on display rounding alone.
Methodology sources
Related ToolLott tools
A realistic way Liam could use this tool
Liam is a project engineer.
Liam has a process demand of 14 m³/h and wants 6 hours of buffer storage plus 10% unusable/freeboard allowance.
In the example, Liam uses demand = 14; buffer hours = 6; unusable = 10. The observable result is Gross tank capacity: 93.33 m3; the worked case therefore connects the source data directly to the number, text or setting shown on the page.
What changes for Liam is now explicit: Gross tank capacity: 93.33 m3. The result can be checked against the real source data before they calculate usable buffer storage from process demand and duration, then gross it up for a visible unusable/freeboard allowance. The page also keeps this limitation explicit: Preliminary screening/planning calculation only.
Fictional scenario using realistic example data. For Ready tools, the worked result is tied to the tested example shown in the tool. Replace the figures with your own inputs and independently verify important professional, financial, legal, health or safety decisions.
What this calculator is for
Use it to calculate usable buffer storage from process demand and duration, then gross it up for a visible unusable/freeboard allowance.
It sits within ToolLott’s Mining collection, where you can also estimate camp population, conveyor power, dewatering, earthworks, fuel consumption, haul-road inputs, tank sizing and ventilation.