Specialty Films, Membranes & Barrier Materials worked example

Solvent Recovery at 65% capture efficiency: a worked example

This worked example runs the solvent recovery numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 65% capture efficiency instead of the typical 90%. Estimate the operating cost of recovering coating solvents from film and membrane dryer exhaust for reuse.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Solvent-laden air processed: 500 thousand m3 (held at the documented default)
  • Recovery operating rate: 4.5 $/thousand m3 (held at the documented default)
  • Capture efficiency: 65 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 90)
  • Recovery system base cost: 700 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total recovery cost = air volume x operating rate x capture efficiency + base cost.
  • Total solvent recovery cost works out to 2,163 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Solvent recovery cost per unit works out to 4.33 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable solvent recovery cost works out to 1,463 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed solvent recovery adder works out to 700 $ at these inputs.

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 20.64% below the baseline at 2,163 $.
  • Use it when sizing or benchmarking a solvent recovery unit, comparing recovery vendors, or checking whether reclaimed solvent value offsets running cost on a coating line. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Total solvent recovery cost: 2,163 $ (headline result)
  • Solvent recovery cost per unit: 4.33 $ / piece
  • Variable solvent recovery cost: 1,463 $
  • Fixed solvent recovery adder: 700 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Solvent Recovery calculator, set capture efficiency to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.