Calculate the receiver volume needed to cover a short compressed-air peak demand over a given pressure range.
Complete the inputs and calculate.
Estimate buffer volume from free-air demand and usable absolute pressure range.
Free-air demand, minimum and maximum absolute pressure, desired buffer time and temperature assumption.
A receiver can deliver only the pressure span between pₘₐₓ and pₘᵢₙ. A smaller span or larger peak demand needs more geometric volume; absolute rather than gauge pressure avoids a systematic error.
The isothermal buffer model divides free-air demand by usable pressure span; absolute pressure is mandatory.
A larger span between pₘᵢₙ and pₘₐₓ reduces required receiver volume for the same air demand.
Sources and limits: Pneumatic storage balance; pressure-vessel design and legal safety requirements are separate.
Estimate buffer volume from free-air demand and usable absolute pressure range.
Pneumatics uses compressed air as the working medium. Force and speed depend on piston area and pressure as well as compressible air volume, normalized flow and valve characteristics.
The isothermal buffer model divides free-air demand by usable pressure span; absolute pressure is mandatory.
Free-air demand, minimum and maximum absolute pressure, desired buffer time and temperature assumption. A receiver can deliver only the pressure span between pₘₐₓ and pₘᵢₙ. A smaller span or larger peak demand needs more geometric volume; absolute rather than gauge pressure avoids a systematic error.
Enter free-air demand, minimum and maximum absolute operating pressure and the desired buffer time. The calculator returns the required geometric receiver volume using the isothermal buffer model.
A larger span between pₘᵢₙ and pₘₐₓ reduces required receiver volume for the same air demand.
A receiver can deliver only the pressure span between pₘₐₓ and pₘᵢₙ. A smaller span or larger peak demand needs more geometric volume; absolute rather than gauge pressure avoids a systematic error. Normalized flow is air flow converted to reference conditions. It is not the geometric chamber volume, so small lines or valves can strongly limit real cycle time.
Air demand in normal litres or normal cubic metres, pressures in bar (absolute), volume in litres.
Sizing a compressed-air receiver intended to cover peak demand beyond continuous compressor output for a given time.
Pneumatic storage balance; pressure-vessel design and legal safety requirements are separate.
Common mistake: Don't use gauge pressure instead of absolute pressure – the buffer model requires absolute pressures for pₘᵢₙ and pₘₐₓ. Too small a pressure swing between minimum and maximum leads to a disproportionately large required receiver volume.
The ideal gas law underlying the buffer model only holds with absolute pressures; a gauge value would give substantially wrong results at low pressures.
The larger the usable pressure swing between minimum and maximum, the more air the same receiver can store and deliver for the same volume change – a small swing needs a correspondingly larger receiver.
No. It gives only the volume needed for the buffer function; actual vessel design including wall thickness, testing and approval must follow applicable pressure-equipment regulations.
Isothermal buffer model: free-air demand divided by the usable absolute pressure span.
Results are preliminary engineering estimates. Manufacturer curves, loads, temperature, leakage, cushioning, and the complete safety and pressure-equipment assessment remain separate.
Receiver volume is estimated with an isothermal model. ISO 8778 defines the reference condition for normalised volume (1.01325 bar(a), 20 °C). ISO 6358-1 explicitly excludes components that exchange energy with the fluid like a receiver does, so it is not a calculation basis here. ISO 4414 explicitly excludes factory compressed-air distribution systems including receivers and serves at most as a general safety context, not a sizing standard for this calculator. Vessel approval itself -- e.g. under DIN EN 286-1 for simple unfired pressure vessels -- must be checked separately.