CarTalk Caller Question on Partially Filled Tank

Following equations from Christensen (1984),

!
2d0
θ = arccos 1 − (1)
D
Where θ is the central angle in radians, d0 is the depth of the fluid, and D is the diameter of
the circle.

D2
A0 = (θ − cos θ sin θ) (2)
4
Where A0 is the area of the circle with fluid. If the volume of fluid in the cylinder is defined
in Equation 3,

V = π f r2 h = A0 h (3)

Where f is the fraction of the volume of the fluid to the cylinder total volume, r is the radius
of the circle and h is the length of the cylinder. Setting Equation 2 equal to Equation 3 and
simplifying:

D2
4 f πd02 = A0 = (θ − cos θ sin θ) (4)
4

16π f d02
! ! !!
2d0 2d0 2d0
= arccos 1 − − 1 − sin arccos 1 − (5)
D2 D D D

 s
!2 
D2
! !
arccos 1 − 2d0 − 1 − 2d0 2d0 

d02 = 1− 1−  (6)
16π f  D D D 

Ultimately yields the iterative solution to the depth above the circle ‘bottom’ as a function of
fractional volume and circle diameter:

v
u  s
u
t ! ! !2 
D2 arccos 1 − 2d0 − 1 − 2d0
 2d0 
d0 = 1− 1−  (7)
16π f  D D D 

This can be solved in a spreadsheet application or solver function on an advanced calculator.

1
References

Christensen, B. A. Design of partially filled circular pipes: a rational approach to storm sewer
analysis. Proc. Intern. Symposium on Urban Hydrology, Hydraulics, and Sediment Control,
1984, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.