DataToolsLab
Construction & Engineering Calculators

Tank Volume Calculator

Capacity and partial-fill volume for rectangular, cylindrical and spherical tanks.

Loading tool…

What is Tank Volume?

A tank's capacity is one formula; how much is in it at a given depth is a different one for each shape, and the difference is not academic. A vertical cylinder fills linearly (area × depth), a rectangular tank likewise, but a horizontal cylindrical tank fills as a circular *segment* — the middle holds far more per centimetre of depth than the ends — and a sphere fills as a spherical cap, which is non-linear at both ends. A dipstick reading converted linearly in a horizontal tank can be wrong by a factor of two around the quarter marks.

How it works

Capacity comes from the shape's own formula: length × width × height, π·r²·h for a cylinder, 4⁄3·π·r³ for a sphere. Fill volume is then computed from the depth the fill level implies, using area × depth for the vertical and rectangular cases, the circular segment formula L × [r²·acos((r−h) ÷ r) − (r−h)·√(2rh − h²)] for a horizontal cylinder, and the spherical cap π·h²·(3r − h) ÷ 3 for a sphere. The page names the fill formula it used so the curve being applied is visible.

  1. Enter your input. Type or paste your input into the field above — the tool responds instantly.
  2. Review the result. Output updates live as you type. Everything runs entirely in your browser.
  3. Copy or download. Use the Copy button to grab the result, or Download to save it as a file.

Examples

Realistic sample

Type or paste any realistic input — the tool computes the result locally and instantly.

Common mistakes

Expecting a server round-trip

Nothing is uploaded — every tool in this category runs entirely in your browser.

Online