How to Calculate Steam Pipe Volume

While the volume of a steam pipe may not equal its capacity under pressure, steam pipe volume is calculated in much the same way as any other volume: measure the physical dimensions needed for the calculation, then use those dimensions in the appropriate mathemtaical formula. A steam pipe is cylindrical, so the appropriate formula for volume is represented by pi x radius of the end of the pipe (squared) x the length of the pipe.

Instructions

1

Measure the inside diameter of the steam pipe. Divide this measurement by 2 to get the radius.

2

Multiply the radius by itself (square the radius), then multiply the result by 3.14159 (pi). This is the area of the end of the pipe (the area of the pipe's "bore").

3

Measure the length of the steam pipe. Multiply the length of the pipe by the area of the pipe's bore. The result is the volume of the steam pipe.