Specialty Films, Membranes & Barrier Materials worked example

Solvent Recovery at 99% capture efficiency: a worked example

Push capture efficiency up to 99% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. An EHS engineer prices solvent recovery on a solvent-coated barrier film line to weigh it against virgin solvent purchases.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Solvent-laden air processed: 500 thousand m3 (unchanged)
  • Recovery operating rate: 4.5 $/thousand m3 (unchanged)
  • Capture efficiency: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 90)
  • Recovery system base cost: 700 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total recovery cost = air volume x operating rate x capture efficiency + base cost) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 2,928 $ for total solvent recovery cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 5.86 $ / piece for solvent recovery cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 2,228 $ for variable solvent recovery cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 700 $ for fixed solvent recovery adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where capture efficiency sits at 90% and the headline result is 2,725 $, this scenario comes in 7.43% above the baseline at 2,928 $.
  • It computes the total solvent recovery cost, the cost per thousand m3 of processed air, and separates the variable capture cost from the fixed system base cost. 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

  • Total solvent recovery cost: 2,928 $ (headline result)
  • Solvent recovery cost per unit: 5.86 $ / piece
  • Variable solvent recovery cost: 2,228 $
  • Fixed solvent recovery adder: 700 $

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.