Compressed Air SCFM & Receiver Tank Sizing

Compressor receiver-tank sizing, pump-up time, duty cycle and shop-tool SCFM demand at 90 and 125 PSI supply.

Receiver tank sizing and pump-up time

Compressed Air SCFM & Receiver Tank Sizing calculations for receiver tank sizing and pump-up time are computed deterministically from published formulas, so the same inputs always produce the same result and the same OAS-XXXX verification hash.

Shop-tool SCFM demand

Compressed Air SCFM & Receiver Tank Sizing calculations for shop-tool scfm demand are computed deterministically from published formulas, so the same inputs always produce the same result and the same OAS-XXXX verification hash.

Duty cycle and altitude correction

Compressed Air SCFM & Receiver Tank Sizing calculations for duty cycle and altitude correction are computed deterministically from published formulas, so the same inputs always produce the same result and the same OAS-XXXX verification hash.

Engineering summary

Governing parameters for the Compressed Air SCFM & Receiver Tank Sizing silo.

Governing parameters and computed results for this calculation
Parameter Value
Supply pressure 90 / 125 PSI
Pump-up time target 1–5 min
Maximum duty cycle 70 %
Receiver sizing model V = T·(C−D)·Pa / ΔP
Standard reference 68 °F · sea level

Frequently asked questions

How do I size a receiver tank for a compressor?
Size the receiver so the compressor pumps up in one to five minutes: V = T·(C−D)·Pa / ΔP, where C is compressor output, D is shop demand, Pa is atmospheric pressure and ΔP is the cut-in to cut-out band.
What duty cycle should a shop compressor run at?
Keep the duty cycle at or below 70% so the compressor has recovery time between cycles. Duty cycle is demand divided by compressor output; a value above 70% means the compressor is undersized for the tool load.
Why does tool SCFM demand rise with supply pressure?
Most air tools consume more air at higher supply pressure because the motor runs faster. A 1 in impact wrench draws about 12 SCFM at 90 PSI but 15.6 SCFM at 125 PSI, so size the compressor for the pressure you actually run.