Power Electronics, Motors & Drives worked example

Electronics Cooling Cost with cooling system electrical load of 30 kW: a worked example

What does the result look like when cooling system electrical load reaches 30 kW? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it when comparing fans, heat exchangers, chillers, cabinet AC, liquid cooling, or room HVAC needed to remove inverter and drive heat loss.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Cooling system electrical load: 30 kW (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 12)
  • Cooling runtime: 8 hr (unchanged)
  • Electricity rate: 0.12 $ / kWh (unchanged)
  • Units cooled or processed: 1,000 units (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Cooling energy cost = cooling system electrical load × cooling runtime × electricity rate) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 28.8 $ for electronics cooling energy cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 240 kWh for cooling energy used.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.03 $ / piece for cooling cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3.6 $ / hr for cooling cost per hour.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where cooling system electrical load sits at 12 kW and the headline result is 11.52 $, this scenario comes in 150% above the baseline at 28.8 $.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when cooling system electrical load is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It models steady electrical load; it doesn't capture chiller efficiency curves (COP), part-load cycling, or demand charges.

Results at a glance

  • Electronics cooling energy cost: 28.8 $ (headline result)
  • Cooling energy used: 240 kWh
  • Cooling cost per unit: 0.03 $ / piece
  • Cooling cost per hour: 3.6 $ / hr

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.