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Tank Geometry

Enter the plate thickness you intend to use. This gives an indicative material weight for budgeting — it is not a code thickness calculation.

Gross Capacity
litres
Working volume —

Breakdown

Cylindrical shell
Heads / ends
Straight flange
Gross total
Working volume
Overall length / height

Your dimensions are carried into the enquiry form automatically.

How this is calculated. Volumes are exact geometry. The cylindrical shell is π·D²/4 × length. A 2:1 ellipsoidal head is πD³/24 (≈0.1309·D³) per head. A hemispherical head is πD³/12 (≈0.2618·D³) per head. A standard ASME flanged & dished (torispherical) head with a 6% knuckle is taken as ≈0.0809·D³ per head — an industry approximation accurate to roughly ±2%, and the exact figure varies slightly with your head supplier's forming. Straight flange is added separately as π·D²/4 × SF per head, because it is not included in those coefficients.

Please note. This tool gives capacity and indicative material weight for preliminary sizing and budgeting. It does not perform pressure-vessel design and does not calculate code-required thickness. Shell and head thickness must be determined by a qualified design engineer against the governing code for your duty — API 650 or IS 803 for atmospheric storage, API 620 for low pressure, or ASME Section VIII Division 1 for pressure vessels — together with any applicable Indian statutory requirements. Talk to our engineering team and we will size it properly for your service conditions.

Which Code Governs Your Tank?

One of the most common sources of confusion in tank enquiries is which standard applies. It is decided by internal design pressure, and there are three bands — not two.

Design pressureGoverning codeTypical application
Atmospheric to 2.5 psig (0.172 barg)API 650 · IS 803 (India)Bulk storage tanks — solvents, chemicals, water, oils
2.5 – 15 psig (0.172 – 1.03 barg)API 620Low-pressure storage, blanketed / inerted tanks
Above 15 psig (1.03 barg)ASME Section VIII Div 1Pressure vessels, reactors, autoclaves, jacketed equipment

A vessel operating below 15 psig can still be designed and built to ASME Section VIII where a client specification or statutory authority calls for it — the threshold defines where ASME becomes mandatory, not where it becomes permissible. In India, the SMPV(U) Rules and IBR may also apply independently of these codes. If you are unsure which applies to your duty, send us the service conditions and we will tell you.

Ask Our Engineers
Our Range

Tanks We Manufacture

SS 316 / 316L Tanks

For acids, chlorides and aggressive chemical duty where 304 will not hold up. Material traceability and test certificates supplied against every tank.

500 L – 200 KLSS 316 / 316LPharma & chemical
SS 316 Tanks

SS 304 Tanks

The workhorse grade for food, beverage, water and general chemical storage where chloride attack is not a concern.

500 L – 200 KLSS 304 / 304LFood grade
SS 304 Tanks

MS & Carbon Steel Tanks

Cost-effective bulk storage for oils, solvents and non-corrosive service, with internal lining or external coating as required.

Bulk capacityIS 2062Lined / coated
MS Tanks
Questions

Tank Sizing FAQs

How do you calculate the volume of a tank with dished ends?

Total volume is the cylindrical shell plus both heads plus the straight flange. The shell is π·D²/4 × tangent-to-tangent length. A 2:1 ellipsoidal head adds πD³/24 (≈0.1309·D³) per head. A standard ASME flanged & dished head adds ≈0.0809·D³ per head. A hemispherical head adds πD³/12 (≈0.2618·D³) per head. The straight flange must be added separately — it is not part of those coefficients, and leaving it out systematically under-reads capacity.

What is the difference between gross and working volume?

Gross volume is the full geometric capacity of the vessel. Working volume is what you can actually use, leaving freeboard for vapour space, thermal expansion, agitation, foaming and instrument clearance. 80–90% of gross is typical; 85% is a common default. For agitated or foaming duty the working fraction is usually lower.

Which code applies — API 650, API 620 or ASME VIII?

API 650 covers atmospheric storage up to 2.5 psig. API 620 covers 2.5 to 15 psig. ASME Section VIII Division 1 is mandatory above 15 psig, and can be applied voluntarily below it where a client or statutory body requires it. In India, SMPV(U) Rules and IBR may impose requirements independent of these codes. Send us your service conditions and we will confirm which applies.

Does this calculator give me the plate thickness I need?

No — and deliberately so. It gives capacity and an indicative plate weight for the thickness you enter, which is what you need for preliminary sizing and budgeting. Code-required thickness depends on design pressure, design temperature, material allowable stress, joint efficiency, radiography level and corrosion allowance, and must be established by a qualified design engineer against the governing code. Our engineering team will do that as part of your quotation.

What corrosion allowance is normal?

For stainless steel in pharmaceutical, food and clean chemical service, zero is standard — the grade is chosen precisely so it does not corrode. A conservative 0.8–1.5 mm is sometimes applied in mildly corrosive duty. For carbon steel in general chemical service, 3 mm is the common default, with 1.5 mm as a practical minimum. It is not code-mandated and should be set for your specific fluid, temperature and design life.

What capacity tanks does Reta Engineering Works build?

From 500 litres to 200,000 litres (200 KL) in SS 304, SS 316, SS 316L and mild steel, vertical or horizontal. Larger capacities and custom geometries are available on consultation. Fabricated at our Bhiwadi works in Rajasthan, Delhi NCR, with installation support across India and export supply worldwide.

Request a Tank Quotation

Technical Enquiry Form

Plot No. G281, RICCO Industrial Area, Bhiwadi, Rajasthan 301019
Mon – Sat · 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM IST
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