Hydrogen Electrolyzer & Fuel Cell Manufacturing worked example

Humidification Load with humidifier connected load of 15 kW: a worked example

Push humidifier connected load up to 15 kW and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. Use it when an operations or facilities lead is building a per-stack utility cost view for the test cells and needs to know what the humidifier (membrane or sparger) really costs to run.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Humidifier connected load: 15 kW (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 6)
  • Humidifier runtime per stack: 3 hr (unchanged)
  • Electric energy rate: 0.13 $ / kWh (unchanged)
  • Stacks processed in the period: 40 stacks (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Humidifier energy used per stack = humidifier load × humidifier runtime per stack) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 45 kWh for humidifier kwh per stack, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 5.85 $ for humidifier energy cost per stack.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.15 $ / piece for humidifier cost per stack processed.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1.95 $ / hr for hourly cost.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where humidifier connected load sits at 6 kW and the headline result is 18 kWh, this scenario comes in 150% above the baseline at 45 kWh.
  • It computes the energy a humidifier consumes per stack and the resulting cost per stack and per hour from connected load, runtime and the energy rate. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Humidifier kWh per stack: 45 kWh (headline result)
  • Humidifier energy cost per stack: 5.85 $
  • Humidifier cost per stack processed: 0.15 $ / piece
  • Hourly cost: 1.95 $ / hr

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.