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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

How to figure gallons in a barrel??

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Travis

11-24-2005 21:24:15




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Ok all you mathemeticians--I have a fuel oil barrel that measures 43" tall, 27.5" wide, and 48" long. Can anyone tell me how to figure the capacity of this barrel? Thanks to you all.

Travis




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Kevin (FL)

11-28-2005 20:52:12




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Travis, 11-24-2005 21:24:15  
Travis,

I get about 7 sq feet of area over 4 feet of length--that comes out to be a little over 28 cubic feet. Divide cubic feet by .13368 to get to gallons and the "outside shell" tank size is 212 gallons. Subtract about 5% for shell and baffle volume and the actual tank size available is about 200 gallons.



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Travis

11-25-2005 06:56:12




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Travis, 11-24-2005 21:24:15  
Wow! Thanks guys! I didn't expect to get such a response. The barrel is an old fuel oil barrel, I am installing a waste oil furnace in my shop and wanted to figure how long a tank of waste oil would last. The heater burns 1.25 gallons an hour and the LP heater I just took out ran for an average of 10 hours per day according to its fuel usage,(but it was verrry inefficient). So anyway, the calculations don't have to be exact, I'm going to assume it is 200 gallons as this barrel isn't as large as most fuel barrels I have seen.
Thanks again, guys.

Travis

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MarkB_MI

11-25-2005 04:43:28




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Travis, 11-24-2005 21:24:15  
You just break it up into pieces and add up the volumes of the pieces.

In this case, it sounds like you have a cylinder 27.5 inches in diameter x 48 inches long that has been cut in two lengthwise and had a box 15.5 inches tall by 27.5 inches deep by 48 inches long inserted into it. (No, I know that's not how they made it, but just imagine.)

Calculate the volume of the cylinder (V=pi*r^2*l):

V(cyl)=3.1415*((27.5/2)^2)*48=28,510 cu. in.

Calculate the volume of the box (V=h*d*l):

V(box)=15.1*27.5*48=20,460 cu. in.

Now add them up:

V=28,510+20,460=48,970

And convert to gallons (231 cu. in per gallon):

V=48970/231=212 gallons

So it sounds like you have a 200 gallon tank

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Midwest redneck

11-25-2005 03:48:55




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Travis, 11-24-2005 21:24:15  
I come up with 119 gallons. I may be wrong, that has happened before. My tells me that a lot.



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willie j

11-25-2005 03:38:28




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Travis, 11-24-2005 21:24:15  
Travis
Without going outside to measure, it sounds like you have the common 265 gal furnace oil tank. These were designed many years ago when furnace oil tanks were commonly installed in basements. Narrow enuff to fit thru a 30 inch doorway, short enuff to negotiate any twisty-turny stairways, low enuff so they could be set up with the bottom higher than the furnace pot for gravity feed, but still not hit the ceiling. Set up in basement to keep the heavy oil from jelling in cold weather. Some cities had "beautification ordinances" to keep the ugly tank out of sight. Lots easier & cheaper than digging up the yard & trying to punch a hole thru a rock foundation wall for piping.
Of course, I could be completely wrong too.
Willie

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Doug L.

11-24-2005 22:22:25




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Travis, 11-24-2005 21:24:15  
Area of a circle is pi (3.14) x radius squared. Volume of a cylinder is area of base x height. Measure in cubic inches and use the other fellas cubic inch per gallon to estimate gallons.



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Travis

11-24-2005 21:57:24




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Travis, 11-24-2005 21:24:15  
Forgot to mention that it is an oval tank--I will try and remember to get the circumference tomorrow if that helps. I am guessing it's about 150-200 gallons, but not sure. Thanks.

Travis



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Joe (Wa)

11-24-2005 21:52:44




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Travis, 11-24-2005 21:24:15  
Your measurements appear to be a rectangular tank, right?

43 x 27.5 x 48 = area in cu inch / 231 cu inch per gallon = 245.714 gals.

Joe



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Stan in Oly, WA

11-25-2005 00:21:38




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Joe (Wa), 11-24-2005 21:52:44  
Hi, Travis

How accurate does the computation have to be? Oval is a name for a shape that isn't specific enough to compute with complete accuracy. Viewed from the end, does the tank have a section of parallel sides? Are the top and bottom semicircles? If so, the area of the end can be computed as the area of a rectangle (or square) and the area of a circle. If the oval has no straight parts, then it is an ellipse, and the computation is also simple. But if the end is formed by parallel sides and non-circular top and bottom (parabolas) or by circular top and bottom less than semicircle in size (segments of circle) then more detailed measurements are necessary to perform the calculation.

Let's say the tank has a flat front and back and semicircular top and bottom. Then the capacity is 212 gallons. Since this is only a little less than the result of Joe's calculation which assumed square corners, it seems like it should be right. Elliptical shape, parabolic top and bottom, or circular segment top and bottom won't change the answer by much. Again, how accurate does the answer have to be?

All the best, Stan

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Stan in Oly, WA

11-25-2005 00:27:08




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 Re: How to figure gallons in a barrel?? in reply to Stan in Oly, WA, 11-25-2005 00:21:38  
How come I can do geometry, but I can't post the damn message where I mean to?

Sorry, Joe, this was meant for Travis, not for you.



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