Specialty Films, Membranes & Barrier Materials worked example

Drying Energy with drying oven connected load of 30 kW: a worked example in specialty films, membranes & barrier materials

What does the result look like when drying oven connected load reaches 30 kW? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it when drying energy in specialty films, membranes and barrier materials is being quoted and energy is a real chunk of the specialty films, membranes and barrier materials cost stack.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Drying oven connected load: 30 kW (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 12)
  • Drying oven runtime: 8 hr (unchanged)
  • Blended electricity rate: 0.12 $ / kWh (unchanged)
  • Coated web length or rolls dried during runtime: 1,000 units (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total drying energy cost = drying energy connected load × drying energy runtime × blended electricity rate) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 240 kWh for drying energy used, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 28.8 $ for total drying energy cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.03 $ / piece for energy cost per kwh.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 3.6 $ / hr for hourly drying energy cost.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where drying oven connected load sits at 12 kW and the headline result is 96 kWh, this scenario comes in 150% above the baseline at 240 kWh.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when drying oven connected load is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It assumes a constant full-load draw; real dryers modulate zone-by-zone with line speed and coat weight, so meter the oven for precise costing on tight-margin work.

Results at a glance

  • Drying energy used: 240 kWh (headline result)
  • Total drying energy cost: 28.8 $
  • Energy cost per kWh: 0.03 $ / piece
  • Hourly drying energy cost: 3.6 $ / hr

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.