Carbon Capture & CO₂ Compression Equipment worked example

Capture Efficiency at 99% target capture efficiency: a worked example

This scenario runs the capture efficiency calculation on the strong side: 99% target capture efficiency, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it when capture efficiency in carbon capture and co₂ compression equipment needs a clean rate and gap-to-target you can put on a tier board.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Captured CO₂ mass flow: 8 t CO₂ / day (unchanged)
  • Inlet CO₂ mass flow: 250 t CO₂ / day (unchanged)
  • Target capture efficiency: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 95)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (CO₂ capture efficiency = captured CO₂ mass flow ÷ inlet CO₂ mass flow × 100) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3.2 % for co₂ capture efficiency, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 95.8 points for capture efficiency gap to target.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 8 count for captured co₂ mass flow.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 250 count for inlet co₂ mass flow.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where target capture efficiency sits at 95% and the headline result is 3.2 %, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 3.2 %.
  • Use it when commissioning a capture train, verifying performance against a 45Q or offtake guarantee, or diagnosing a drop in capture rate. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • CO₂ capture efficiency: 3.2 % (headline result)
  • Capture efficiency gap to target: 95.8 points
  • Captured CO₂ mass flow: 8 count
  • Inlet CO₂ mass flow: 250 count

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Capture Efficiency calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.