Carbon Capture & CO₂ Compression Equipment worked example

Water Use Intensity with capture-loop water consumption rate of 30 gal / hr: a worked example

This scenario runs the water use intensity calculation on the strong side: capture-loop water consumption rate of 30 gal / hr, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it when water use intensity in carbon capture and co₂ compression equipment is being quoted and consumables are a real chunk of the cost stack.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Capture-loop water consumption rate: 30 gal / hr (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 12)
  • Water-consuming operating hours: 8 hr (unchanged)
  • Water and wastewater unit cost: 3.5 $ / gal (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Water consumed = capture water use rate × water-use operating hours) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 840 $ for total water and wastewater cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 240 units for water consumed.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 8 hr for water-use operating hours.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3.5 $ / unit for water and wastewater unit cost.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where capture-loop water consumption rate sits at 12 gal / hr and the headline result is 336 $, this scenario comes in 150% above the baseline at 840 $.
  • Use it to budget water cost for a capture run, benchmark water intensity between cooling configurations, or report environmental operating cost. 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

  • Total water and wastewater cost: 840 $ (headline result)
  • Water consumed: 240 units
  • Water-use operating hours: 8 hr
  • Water and wastewater unit cost: 3.5 $ / unit

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.