Carbon Capture & CO₂ Compression Equipment worked example

Sorbent Consumption with sorbent makeup rate of 6 kg / hr: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop sorbent makeup rate to 6 kg / hr, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate sorbent replacement or makeup cost for a carbon capture bed, cartridge, contactor, or DAC module over a planned operating period.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Sorbent makeup rate: 6 kg / hr (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 12)
  • Capture system runtime: 8 hr (held at the documented default)
  • Sorbent cost: 3.5 $ / kg (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Sorbent consumed = sorbent makeup rate × capture system runtime.
  • Sorbent replacement cost works out to 168 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Sorbent consumed works out to 48 units at these inputs.
  • Capture system runtime works out to 8 hr at these inputs.
  • Sorbent cost works out to 3.5 $ / unit at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where sorbent makeup rate sits at 12 kg / hr and the headline result is 336 $, this scenario comes in 50% below the baseline at 168 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to sorbent makeup rate, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It assumes a constant makeup rate; real attrition spikes during startup, thermal cycling and fluidization upsets, so a flat hourly rate understates cost during transient operation.

Results at a glance

  • Sorbent replacement cost: 168 $ (headline result)
  • Sorbent consumed: 48 units
  • Capture system runtime: 8 hr
  • Sorbent cost: 3.5 $ / unit

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Sorbent Consumption calculator, set sorbent makeup rate to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.