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Guide · Coolant recycling ROI

Estimate coolant recycling savings and payback.

Coolant recycling reduces two direct operating costs: new-fluid purchases and waste-fluid disposal. This guide explains the calculation, identifies the assumptions that affect the result, and outlines the information commonly included in a capital request.

Estimate savings and paybackReview the calculation →
Up to 85%
reduction in new fluid purchases, on the C.R.O.S.S.
Up to 90%
reduction in waste-disposal cost, on the C.R.O.S.S.
50% scenario
illustrative starting point to adjust using operating records
Quoted input
system investment used to calculate simple payback
Direct operating costs

Three areas contribute to the financial case

Recycling extends coolant life, reducing the volume of replacement fluid purchased and waste fluid hauled away. Reduced sump-cleaning labor can provide additional value.

  • New fluid purchases

    The concentrate you buy to refill and top up sumps. Recycling cuts this up to 85% by keeping the fluid usable instead of dumping it.

  • Waste disposal

    Hauler charges, required testing, and transportation. Fewer gallons generated can reduce disposal costs by up to 90%.

  • Sump labor

    The hours spent pumping out and recharging sumps. A typical manual cleaning that can require about four hours can be completed in approximately 15 minutes with the portable Green Machine.

Calculation method

How to estimate annual savings and payback

Each step is shown beside the assumption behind it, so every figure can be checked and adjusted against your own records. The figures below are illustrative, to show the arithmetic. Your own inputs produce your own number in the calculator.

Worked example · the savings calculationIllustrative figures
  1. 01Your baseline. Annual new-fluid spend plus annual hauler cost, from your purchasing and manifest records.Your recordsthe starting point
  2. 02Fluid savings. Apply a selected reduction to annual new-fluid spend, up to the stated maximum of 85%.− up to 85%of fluid spend
  3. 03Disposal savings. Apply a selected reduction to annual disposal cost, up to the stated maximum of 90%.− up to 90%of disposal cost
  4. ΣAnnual savings and payback. Add the two annual reductions, then divide the quoted system cost by the monthly savings.Investment ÷ monthly savingssimple payback in months
The “up to” figures are maximum reductions, not guaranteed results. A facility that already extends coolant life may have less reduction potential than one using frequent fixed-schedule change-outs. The calculator keeps the assumptions visible so the estimate can be checked against purchasing and disposal records.

Estimator scope. The calculation covers fluid purchases, disposal, and fluid life. It does not include installation, service, media, consumables, or other ownership costs, which are evaluated with the quotation.

Operating basis

Longer coolant life reduces purchases and disposal

Recycling controls contaminants and concentration so coolant can remain in service longer. One recorded installation illustrates how fluid condition changed while the system operated.

2% → trace
Tramp oil dropped from 2% to nil or a trace ring during the recorded evaluation period.
26% → 2%
The cream layer fell from 26% to 2%, the fluid clarifying as the system ran.
In range
Concentration, pH, solids, dissolved solids, and bacteria held inside the fluid's specified bands.

C.R.O.S.S. performance. C.R.O.S.S. removes 99.75% of tramp oil and particulate by volume. It can reduce new-fluid purchases by up to 85% and disposal costs by up to 90%. Actual reductions depend on the application and current fluid-management practices.

Capital-request preparation

How to structure the capital request

The calculator provides an estimate. A typical capital request also identifies the baseline, projected savings, payback, assumptions, and requested investment.

  1. 01The baselineCurrent annual new-fluid spend and hauler cost, cited from purchasing and manifest records. The number a reviewer can verify against your own invoices.
  2. 02The projected savingAnnual fluid and disposal savings from the calculator, with the selected reduction percentages and applicable maximums clearly identified.
  3. 03The paybackQuoted system cost divided by monthly savings, expressed in months. Use the same purchasing and disposal periods for the baseline and post-installation review.
  4. 04The assumptionsDocument the reduction percentages, fluid-life assumptions, operating conditions, and application-dependent limits used in the estimate.
  5. 05The requestState the proposed equipment, quoted investment, implementation timing, and expected payback.

Use the documented baseline and assumptions with the equipment specifications and quotation for your application. Request an application review and quote →

Common questions

Common questions in a capital-budget review

How should I set the reduction assumptions?+
The calculator starts both reductions at 50% as an illustrative scenario, not a typical or guaranteed result. Adjust them to a documented operating basis and keep them at or below the stated maximums. A facility that already extends coolant life may have less reduction potential than one using frequent fixed-schedule change-outs.
Will my fluid behave the same way?+
Provide the fluid, process, contamination load, and operating conditions. An EdjeTech engineer reviews the application and confirms equipment compatibility before quotation.
What about installation and ongoing service costs?+
The calculator excludes installation, service programs, media, consumables, and other ownership costs. Include these costs from the quotation in a total-cost evaluation.
What if my operation is unusual?+
The calculator remains a preliminary estimate. Unusual fluids, mixed processes, and multi-building layouts require an application review before the financial case is finalized.
Is recycling a capital expense or an operating expense?+
The equipment is typically evaluated as a capital investment, subject to your organization's accounting policy. The operating savings are primarily lower fluid purchases and disposal costs. Calculate simple payback from the quoted investment and projected monthly gross operational savings.
Use your operating data

Prepare the financial evaluation

Enter your fluid and disposal costs, review the assumptions, and confirm the equipment fit before using the estimate in a capital review.

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