Free Engineering Tool — #144
Air Receiver Tank Volume Calculator
Determine the required air receiver tank size based on compressor output, cut-in/cut-out pressure, and demand time.
Results
Receiver Volume Formula
- V — receiver volume (litres)
- Q — air demand (L/s at atmospheric pressure)
- t — allowable pressure drop time (seconds)
- Patm — atmospheric pressure (1.013 bar abs)
- Pmax — cut-out pressure (bar gauge)
- Pmin — cut-in pressure (bar gauge)
Given: Q = 15 L/s, t = 30 s, P_max = 8 bar, P_min = 6 bar
V = 15 × 30 × 1.013 / (8 − 6) = 227.9 litres
Select a standard 250 L receiver tank.
⚠️ Note: Always round up to the next standard tank size. Consider adding 10–20% margin for future expansion.
Use V = Q × t × P_atm / (P_max − P_min). Q is air demand in L/s (free air), t is the allowable time for pressure to drop from cut-out to cut-in, and the denominator is the pressure band.
A common rule of thumb: 3–5 gallons per CFM of compressor output, or 10–20 litres per L/s. This gives a reasonable buffer for intermittent demands.
Cut-out (P_max) is where the compressor stops; cut-in (P_min) is where it restarts. The difference is the pressure band, typically 1–2 bar (15–30 psi). Wider band = smaller tank needed.
Receivers: (1) smooth pulsations, (2) store energy for peaks, (3) allow condensate separation, (4) reduce compressor cycling, (5) buffer between supply and demand.
Yes. A wet receiver before the dryer handles pulsations and condensate. A dry receiver after the dryer provides clean air storage near the point of use. This is best practice for large systems.
The procedures described on this page were developed and field-tested by the Vibromera team using the Balanset-1A, a portable dual-channel balancer and vibration analyzer for on-site rotor balancing.
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