Hydraulic, Pneumatic & Fluid Power Systems worked example

Pneumatic Air Consumption at 61% compressor and distribution efficiency: a worked example

Suppose compressor and distribution efficiency falls to 61%. This page works the full calculation at that level so you can see exactly which result moves and by how much. Calculate pneumatic air consumption for hydraulic, pneumatic & fluid power systems planning, quoting, troubleshooting, capacity review, or process improvement.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Cycles or actuations per period: 500 units (held at the documented default)
  • Free air consumed per cycle: 0.08 units (held at the documented default)
  • Compressor / distribution efficiency: 61 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 85)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Required pneumatic air consumption = covered amount × use per unit ÷ transfer efficiency.
  • Required quantity works out to 65.57 units at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Theoretical amount works out to 40 units at these inputs.
  • Loss allowance works out to 25.57 units at these inputs.
  • Efficiency works out to 61 % at these inputs.

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 39.34% above the baseline at 65.57 units.
  • It multiplies the number of cycles by the air used per cycle, then divides by system efficiency to give the actual free-air demand the compressor must supply. When the numbers land here, the stressed input is the lever to work; the walkthrough above shows exactly how much each output recovers as it climbs back toward the baseline.

Results at a glance

  • Required quantity: 65.57 units (headline result)
  • Theoretical amount: 40 units
  • Loss allowance: 25.57 units
  • Efficiency: 61 %

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Pneumatic Air Consumption calculator, set compressor and distribution efficiency to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.