Hydraulic, Pneumatic & Fluid Power Systems worked example

Pneumatic Air Consumption at 98% compressor and distribution efficiency: a worked example

This scenario runs the pneumatic air consumption calculation on the strong side: 98% compressor and distribution efficiency, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it when pneumatic air consumption in hydraulic, pneumatic and fluid power systems needs a buy quantity for the next hydraulic, pneumatic and fluid power systems run and you do not want to short the line.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Cycles or actuations per period: 500 units (unchanged)
  • Free air consumed per cycle: 0.08 units (unchanged)
  • Compressor / distribution efficiency: 98 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 85)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Required pneumatic air consumption = covered amount × use per unit ÷ transfer efficiency) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 40.82 units for required quantity, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 40 units for theoretical amount.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.82 units for loss allowance.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 98 % for efficiency.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where compressor and distribution efficiency sits at 85% and the headline result is 47.06 units, this scenario comes in 13.27% below the baseline at 40.82 units.
  • Use it when sizing or auditing a compressed-air supply, adding pneumatic stations to an existing header, or diagnosing why actuators slow down under load. 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

  • Required quantity: 40.82 units (headline result)
  • Theoretical amount: 40 units
  • Loss allowance: 0.82 units
  • Efficiency: 98 %

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.