Plant Utilities worked example

Plant Air Demand Growth at 61% compressor system efficiency and leakage allowance: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop compressor system efficiency and leakage allowance to 61%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate future compressed air requirement from current SCFM, planned line growth, and compressor system efficiency allowance.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Current compressed air demand: 1,250 SCFM (held at the documented default)
  • Added demand per new production line: 180 SCFM / line (held at the documented default)
  • Compressor system efficiency and leakage allowance: 61 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 85)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Required future air demand = current compressed air demand × growth per new line ÷ compressor system efficiency allowance.
  • Required quantity works out to 368,852 SCFM at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Theoretical added demand works out to 225,000 SCFM at these inputs.
  • Efficiency and leakage allowance works out to 143,852 SCFM at these inputs.
  • Compressor system efficiency allowance works out to 61 % at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where compressor system efficiency and leakage allowance sits at 85% and the headline result is 264,706 SCFM, this scenario comes in 39.34% above the baseline at 368,852 SCFM.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to compressor system efficiency and leakage allowance, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It applies one flat efficiency allowance to the whole system; real losses vary by piping layout, storage, and leak rate, so field-verify leakage before committing to a compressor size.

Results at a glance

  • Required quantity: 368,852 SCFM (headline result)
  • Theoretical added demand: 225,000 SCFM
  • Efficiency and leakage allowance: 143,852 SCFM
  • Compressor system efficiency allowance: 61 %

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Plant Air Demand Growth calculator, set compressor system efficiency and leakage allowance to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.