Plant Utilities worked example

Compressed Air Demand with compressed air demand of 430 SCFM: a worked example

This worked example runs the compressed air demand numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: compressed air demand of 430 SCFM instead of the typical 850 SCFM. Estimate compressed air demand cost from SCFM, air cost, and support adders so plant teams can compare compressor load, production support cost, and air system expansion needs.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Compressed air demand: 430 SCFM (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 850)
  • Generation cost at the header: 0.18 $/SCFM (held at the documented default)
  • Fixed compressor room support cost: 75 $ (held at the documented default)
  • Dryer, filter and maintenance adder: 40 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total compressed air demand cost = compressed air demand × air cost at header + fixed compressor support cost + dryer, filter, and maintenance adder.
  • Total compressed air demand cost works out to 192 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Cost per SCFM works out to 0.45 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Air demand variable cost works out to 77.4 $ at these inputs.
  • Compressor support adders works out to 115 $ at these inputs.

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 28.21% below the baseline at 192 $.
  • Use it to charge air cost back to a department, size the savings from leak repair or pressure reduction, or price an air-hungry process. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Total compressed air demand cost: 192 $ (headline result)
  • Cost per SCFM: 0.45 $ / piece
  • Air demand variable cost: 77.4 $
  • Compressor support adders: 115 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Compressed Air Demand calculator, set compressed air demand to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.