Municipal Waste Sorting Equipment worked example

Air Separator Energy with air separator connected fan load of 55 kW: a worked example

What does the result look like when air separator connected fan load reaches 55 kW? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it when comparing fan settings, sizing a windshifter for a fiber line, or pricing air separation energy into a per-ton processing cost.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Air separator connected fan load: 55 kW (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 22)
  • Air separator runtime per period: 8 hr (unchanged)
  • Blended electricity rate: 0.12 $ / kWh (unchanged)
  • Tons processed during runtime: 120 tons (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total air separator energy cost = connected fan load x runtime x blended electricity rate) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 52.8 $ / ton for total air separator energy cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 440 kWh for air separator energy used.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.44 $ / piece for air separator energy cost per ton.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 6.6 $ / hr for hourly air separator energy cost.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where air separator connected fan load sits at 22 kW and the headline result is 21.12 $ / ton, this scenario comes in 150% above the baseline at 52.8 $ / ton.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when air separator connected fan load is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It models the fan at its full connected load for the whole runtime; if your separator runs on a VFD that throttles down during low flow, actual kWh will be lower than the nameplate figure shown.

Results at a glance

  • Total air separator energy cost: 52.8 $ / ton (headline result)
  • Air separator energy used: 440 kWh
  • Air separator energy cost per ton: 0.44 $ / piece
  • Hourly air separator energy cost: 6.6 $ / hr

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.