Plant Utilities worked example

Compressed Air Demand with compressed air demand of 2,100 SCFM: a worked example

Push compressed air demand up to 2,100 SCFM and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. Use it when reviewing compressed air demand for a utility budget, maintenance priority, capacity check, energy project, or production support plan.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Compressed air demand: 2,100 SCFM (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 850)
  • Generation cost at the header: 0.18 $/SCFM (unchanged)
  • Fixed compressor room support cost: 75 $ (unchanged)
  • Dryer, filter and maintenance adder: 40 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total compressed air demand cost = compressed air demand × air cost at header + fixed compressor support cost + dryer, filter, and maintenance adder) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 493 $ for total compressed air demand cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.23 $ / piece for cost per scfm.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 378 $ for air demand variable cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 115 $ for compressor support adders.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where compressed air demand sits at 850 SCFM and the headline result is 268 $, this scenario comes in 83.96% above the baseline at 493 $.
  • It computes the total cost of a stated compressed air demand — variable generation plus fixed and maintenance adders — and the resulting cost per SCFM. 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

  • Total compressed air demand cost: 493 $ (headline result)
  • Cost per SCFM: 0.23 $ / piece
  • Air demand variable cost: 378 $
  • Compressor support adders: 115 $

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.