Water, Wastewater & Pump Systems Manufacturing worked example

Flow Test Energy Cost at 61% test-stand utilization share: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop test-stand utilization share to 61%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate flow test energy cost for pump performance testing from running hours, electricity rate, stand utilization, and fixed water and instrumentation cost.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Pump flow-test running hours: 900 kWh-hr (held at the documented default)
  • Electricity rate at the test stand: 0.14 $ / kWh (held at the documented default)
  • Test-stand utilization share: 61 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 85)
  • Fixed water and instrumentation cost: 300 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total flow test energy cost = test running hours x electricity cost per unit x stand utilization share + fixed water and instrumentation cost.
  • Total flow test energy cost works out to 377 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Flow test energy cost per unit works out to 0.42 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable flow test energy cost works out to 76.86 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed flow test energy cost adder works out to 300 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where test-stand utilization share sits at 85% and the headline result is 407 $, this scenario comes in 7.43% below the baseline at 377 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to test-stand utilization share, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It uses a single blended electricity rate and utilization share, so time-of-use tariffs and demand charges are not captured.

Results at a glance

  • Total flow test energy cost: 377 $ (headline result)
  • Flow test energy cost per unit: 0.42 $ / piece
  • Variable flow test energy cost: 76.86 $
  • Fixed flow test energy cost adder: 300 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Flow Test Energy Cost calculator, set test-stand utilization share to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.