Elevator Bucket Capacity Calculator
Work out an elevator leg's throughput in bushels and tons per hour from the bucket, spacing and belt speed. Tapco CC-HD, CC-LP HD and Super Capacity capacities are built in, or enter your own.
How these are calculated
| Result | Formula |
|---|---|
| Buckets per foot | 12 ÷ spacing (in) × rows |
| Volume per hour | cu in/hr = capacity × fill × buckets per foot × belt speed (ft/min) × 60 |
| Bushels per hour | bu/hr = cu in/hr ÷ 2,150.42 |
| Cubic feet per hour | ft³/hr = cu in/hr ÷ 1,728 |
| Tons per hour | short tons/hr = bu/hr × lb per bushel ÷ 2,000 (metric t/hr = short tons × 0.9072) |
Bucket capacities, minimum spacings and the cut-down and Hunter Grizzly notes are Tapco's published figures, the same as our CC-HD, CC-LP HD and Super Capacity dimension charts. 2,150.42 cubic inches is one U.S. bushel. Results are estimates: confirm the design with your elevator manufacturer, or send us your numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate bucket elevator capacity?
Multiply the bucket's capacity in cubic inches by the number of buckets per foot of belt (12 divided by the spacing in inches, times the number of rows) and by the belt speed in feet per minute, then by 60 for an hour. Divide by 2,150.42 to convert cubic inches to bushels.
What is water-level capacity?
It is the volume a bucket holds when filled level with water. Tapco lists both water level and water level plus 10 percent, and recommends water level plus 10 percent as the usable capacity for engineering, because a bucket typically carries 10 to 20 percent more than water level. Choose water level instead for a more conservative figure.
How do I convert bushels per hour to tons per hour?
Multiply bushels per hour by the weight of a bushel in pounds and divide by 2,000. Shelled corn is 56 lb per bushel and wheat and soybeans are 60 lb, so 4,000 bushels per hour of corn is about 112 tons per hour.
What bucket spacing should I use?
Use the spacing your elevator was designed for, and no closer than the bucket maker's minimum. Tapco publishes a minimum spacing for every bucket size; on centrifugal elevators, buckets set too close can interfere with filling and discharge.
Why is my real capacity lower than the result?
The result assumes every bucket fills to the level you enter. In practice fill depends on how the boot feeds, the material and the belt speed, so measured throughput is often lower than the theoretical figure.
Can Jealco supply elevator buckets and bolts?
Yes. We stock Tapco CC-HD, CC-LP HD and Super Capacity buckets and the matching elevator bolts, and can quote other makes. Send us your belt width, speed and target capacity.
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Sizing or re-bucketing a leg?
Send us the leg's belt width, speed, current buckets and target capacity, and we will suggest the bucket size, spacing and bolts.