Grain Bin Capacity (Bushels)
Cylinder plus cone volume of a round bin in cubic feet and bushels (ft^3 x 0.8036).
Example
You enter
- Bin diameter (ft) 30
- Eave (wall) height (ft) 20
- Peak cone height (ft; 0 for flat) 8
- Grain corn
- Packing factor 1
You get
- Cylinder volume 14137.2
- Cone volume 1884.96
- Total capacity 12875
Checked against published worked examples from: USDA FGIS.
Details, formula, and sources
ScopeCylinder plus cone volume of a round bin in cubic feet and bushels (ft^3 x 0.8036), and weight by grain test weight (corn / wheat / soybeans / oats). Bin geometry first-principles; standard (legal) bushel weights, not the FGIS grade minimums.
Formula or tableCylinder volume = pi x (d/2)^2 x eave height. Cone volume = (1/3) x pi x (d/2)^2 x peak height. Total ft^3 = (cylinder + cone) x packing factor. Bushels = ft^3 x 0.8036 (1 bushel = 1.2445 ft^3). Weight = bushels x test weight.
Source and editionBin geometry first-principles; standard (legal) bushel weights by name (USDA FGIS grade test weights in 7 CFR 810 differ by grade).
Free accessFree at ams.usda.gov/services/grain-inspection.
What governsEstimate. AHJ and licensed professional govern.
API field namesdiameter_ft, eave_height_ft, peak_height_ft, grain, packing_factor, cylinder_ft3, cone_ft3, total_bushels
- Bushel conversion 1 ft^3 = 0.8036 bushels (1 bushel = 1.2445 ft^3)USDA standard
- Bushel weights corn 56, wheat 60, soybeans 60, oats 32 lb/bushel (standard legal weights; FGIS grade minimums in 7 CFR 810 differ)standard bushel weights