Silo Capacity

\[V=\frac{\pi D^2}{4}H_c+\frac{\pi D^2}{12}H_h\]

Variables

Vtotal silo volume (m³)

Vcylcylindrical section volume (m³)

Vhophopper section volume (m³)

Dsilo diameter (m)

Hccylindrical section height (m)

Hhhopper height (m)

Description

What is this formula?

The Silo Capacity equation calculates the total storage volume of a vertical grain silo composed of a cylindrical section and a conical hopper bottom.

When to use it

Use this formula when estimating grain storage capacity, sizing agricultural silos, planning harvest storage requirements, and evaluating existing storage infrastructure.

Example

A grain silo has:

D = 6 m

Hc = 12 m

Hh = 3 m

Step 1:

Vcyl = (π × 6² × 12) / 4

Vcyl = 339.29 m³

Step 2:

Vhop = (π × 6² × 3) / 12

Vhop = 28.27 m³

Step 3:

V = 339.29 + 28.27

V = 367.56 m³

Result:

The silo storage capacity is approximately 367.56 m³.

Applications

- Grain storage design

- Agricultural engineering

- Feed storage facilities

- Harvest planning

- Bulk material storage

Note

This formula assumes a cylindrical silo with a perfect conical hopper. Real silos may include roof volumes, discharge structures, stiffeners, or non-standard geometries that slightly modify the actual storage capacity.

For commercial grain inventories, volume is often converted to mass using bulk density values specific to the stored material, such as wheat, corn, soybeans, or rice.