Compressed Air: Tank Size Calculator for Intermittent Demand

Compressed Air demand is not always steady. You could be consuming 1,000 CFM for 5 minutes and then have a 1min intermittent demand of 1,500 CFM. Instead of being sized for an air compressor with 1,500 CFM capacity, you can install an Air Receiver Tank. Here we will help you calculate how large you need.

What you need to know:

1) How long the intermittent demand will last – in Seconds
2) What the intermittent demand will be – in CFM
3) Your Air Systems Max Capacity – in CFM
4) Max pressure you will allow your receiver tank to hit – in PSI
5) Minimum operating pressure for your plant – in PSI

You can then calculate this one of two ways:

1) Do the Long Math:
If you would like this, please reply back to this email and I will provide you all the formulas necessary to find your needed receiver tank size.

2) Use our Online Tank Size Calculator:
We have developed an Online Receiver Tank Calculator to get you your instant results.

So let’s work out the problem we started this article with. Your facility has an intermittent demand for 1min, of 1,500 CFM. Let’s say your current system is capable of 1,200CFM. You want a tank rated at 200 PSI, and we know your plant needs at least 100PSI to properly function. Using our calculator we know you need storage of at least 330 gallons.

Want to  better understanding the settings on your air compressor? Contact Us.