Thickness or Ga. of Stainless steel water tank?

[liquidkaos]

How do you calculate the thickness or gauge of a given metal (304 Stainless Steel for example) for a 36" dia. round, vertical cylinder water holding tank? If filled say the tank would be 25-30 feet tall. No physical pressure (pumps or vacuum) on this vessel (vented to atmosphere). Flat bottom, not a bulkhead style base. Not sure if water temp matters but for the sake of measurements if needed. Let say an air temp of 80 deg. F. and a water temp of 130 deg. F. also not sure if it matters but elevation at roughly 1000ft. above sea level.

 

[MalliCk]

one possibility is to detremine the inner and outer dia s

and its for sure the pressure changes significantly wrt temperatures and head
for the described situation it may nt be of great concern

 

[oswaler]

I would approach this question by first considering the structural requirements for the water tank. The thickness or gauge of the stainless steel used for the tank would depend on the size and shape of the tank, the height of the tank, the material properties of the stainless steel, and the environmental conditions surrounding the tank.

To calculate the appropriate thickness or gauge of the stainless steel for a 36" diameter, 25-30 feet tall, vertical cylinder water holding tank, we would need to consider the maximum load that the tank could potentially be subjected to. This would include the weight of the water when the tank is filled, any potential wind or seismic loads, and the pressure from the water itself.

In this case, since the tank is not pressurized and is vented to atmosphere, the main load would come from the weight of the water. The maximum pressure at the bottom of the tank can be calculated using the height of the tank, the density of water (assuming it is filled to capacity), and the acceleration due to gravity. This pressure can then be used to determine the minimum thickness or gauge of the stainless steel needed to withstand this load without deforming or failing.

Additionally, the material properties of the stainless steel, such as its yield strength and tensile strength, would also need to be taken into account. These properties can vary depending on the grade of stainless steel used, so it would be important to know the specific grade of 304 stainless steel being used for the tank.

The environmental conditions, such as the air and water temperatures and the elevation above sea level, may also play a role in the calculation. Higher temperatures can potentially increase the pressure from the water, while elevation can affect the atmospheric pressure and therefore the overall load on the tank.

In summary, the calculation of the appropriate thickness or gauge of the stainless steel for a water tank would involve considering the structural requirements, material properties, and environmental conditions. It would be important to gather all of this information in order to accurately determine the optimal thickness or gauge for the tank.