SFX Fluid Calculator

Calculate hydraulic and pneumatic systems for special effects work

Designed for SFX crews working with fluid-powered cylinders and gas cannons. Unlike other calculators, this app accounts for flow restrictions through hoses and fittings - giving you realistic performance predictions, not just theoretical values. It allows much higher flow rates & velocities than industrial calculators are intended for

Three Specialized Calculators:

Hose & Elbow Calculator
Calculate pressure drop and maximum flow through your hose runs. See how hose length, diameter, and fittings affect performance.

Cylinder Calculator
Determine forces, velocities, and timing for hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. Includes buckling analysis for compression loads with safety factors.

Gas Cannon Calculator
Simulate compressed gas expansion for pneumatic cannons. Model gas transfer through orifices with choked flow calculations. Based on testing, 70% efficiency matches real-world results - a great starting point for your setup. It has a setting for dead-space (the volume at the top of the cylinder + hose from the valve to the cylinder) which has a big effect on the force & velocity profile. You can use this to run higher pressures but to spread out the force / acceleration to stop it buckling the rig.

Why Flow Restrictions Matter:
Most calculators assume unlimited flow, but real-world hoses and fittings create significant restrictions. This app shows you:
- Actual pressure available after hose losses
- True flow capacity of your system
- How to properly size hoses and ports

Features:
✓ Metric and imperial units
✓ Multiple fluid types (hydraulic oil, water, air, nitrogen)
✓ BSP fitting sizes built-in up th 2"
✓ Print-friendly reports
✓ Works offline
✓ No ads, no tracking, completely free

Built by SFX crew for SFX crew

Whether you're rigging a cylinder-powered effect or calculating cannon trajectories, this app gives you the numbers you need to plan your setup and troubleshoot performance issues. You can feed the force / velocity profiles into Solidworks Mothion Analysis to calculate actual trajectories.