Plant Utilities worked example

Steam Demand at 99% boiler delivery efficiency: a worked example

Push boiler delivery efficiency up to 99% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. Use it when reviewing steam demand for a utility budget, maintenance priority, capacity check, energy project, or production support plan.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Steam used by process: 48,000 lb (unchanged)
  • Operating time: 8 hr (unchanged)
  • Boiler delivery efficiency: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 88)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Raw steam demand = steam used by process รท operating time) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 5,940 lb / hr for effective steam demand, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 6,000 lb / hr for raw steam demand.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 99 % for efficiency.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 8 hr for operating time.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where boiler delivery efficiency sits at 88% and the headline result is 5,280 lb / hr, this scenario comes in 12.5% above the baseline at 5,940 lb / hr.
  • It divides total process steam used by operating time to get raw hourly demand, then multiplies by boiler delivery efficiency to get the effective steam demand at the process. 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

  • Effective steam demand: 5,940 lb / hr (headline result)
  • Raw steam demand: 6,000 lb / hr
  • Efficiency: 99 %
  • Operating time: 8 hr

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.