Plant Utilities worked example

Condensate Return Savings at 65% usable condensate share: a worked example

Suppose usable condensate share falls to 65%. This page works the full calculation at that level so you can see exactly which result moves and by how much. Estimate savings from returned condensate based on recovered klb, avoided makeup water, fuel value, and usable return share.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Condensate returned: 850 klb (held at the documented default)
  • Avoided makeup water and fuel cost: 7.5 $ / klb (held at the documented default)
  • Usable condensate share: 65 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 90)
  • Pumping and treatment credit: 0 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total condensate return savings cost = condensate returned × avoided makeup water and fuel cost × usable condensate share + pumping and treatment credit.
  • Total condensate return savings cost works out to 4,144 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Cost per item or period works out to 4.88 $ / item at these inputs.
  • Variable condensate return savings cost works out to 4,144 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed utility adder works out to 0 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where usable condensate share sits at 90% and the headline result is 5,738 $, this scenario comes in 27.78% below the baseline at 4,144 $.
  • It multiplies condensate returned by the avoided makeup and fuel cost per klb and the usable share, then adds a pumping and treatment credit to give total savings. 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

  • Total condensate return savings cost: 4,144 $ (headline result)
  • Cost per item or period: 4.88 $ / item
  • Variable condensate return savings cost: 4,144 $
  • Fixed utility adder: 0 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Condensate Return Savings calculator, set usable condensate share to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.