Tons to BTU/hr Conversion Calculator

Tons to BTU/hr Calculator

Enter power in refrigeration tons:

Result in BTU/hr: BTU/hr

A tons to BTU/hr calculator converts refrigeration capacity between tons of refrigeration (RT) and British Thermal Units per hour (BTU/hr). This conversion is essential for:
✅ HVAC system design
✅ Commercial refrigeration
✅ Chiller specifications
✅ Industrial cooling systems

Key Definitions

Ton of Refrigeration (RT): Cooling capacity to melt 1 ton of ice in 24 hours
BTU/hr: Rate of heat transfer (1 RT = 12,000 BTU/hr)

Conversion Formulas

1. Tons to BTU/hr

P (B T U / h r) = P (R T) \times 12, 000

Example:

Convert 3.5 tons to BTU/hr:
$3.5 \times 12, 000 = 42, 000 BTU/hr$

2. BTU/hr to Tons

P (R T) = \frac{P (B T U / h r)}{12, 000}

Example:

Convert 24,000 BTU/hr to tons:
$24, 000 \div 12, 000 = 2 RT$

Conversion Table (RT ⇆ BTU/hr)

Tons (RT)	BTU/hr
0.5 RT	6,000 BTU/hr
1 RT	12,000 BTU/hr
1.5 RT	18,000 BTU/hr
2 RT	24,000 BTU/hr
3 RT	36,000 BTU/hr
5 RT	60,000 BTU/hr
10 RT	120,000 BTU/hr
20 RT	240,000 BTU/hr

How to Use the Calculator

Enter Tons → Get BTU/hr (Multiply by 12,000)
Enter BTU/hr → Get Tons (Divide by 12,000)

Example Calculations:

4.25 tons to BTU/hr:
$4.25 \times 12, 000 = 51, 000 BTU/hr$
30,000 BTU/hr to tons:
$30, 000 \div 12, 000 = 2.5 RT$

Practical Applications

Residential AC Units: Typically 1-5 tons (12,000-60,000 BTU/hr)
Commercial Chillers: 20-100 tons (240,000-1.2M BTU/hr)
Supermarket Refrigeration: 5-20 tons per aisle (60,000-240,000 BTU/hr)

Cooling Capacity Reference

System Type	Typical Capacity
Window AC Unit	0.75-1.5 RT (9,000-18,000 BTU/hr)
Central AC (House)	2-5 RT (24,000-60,000 BTU/hr)
Commercial Rack System	10-50 RT (120,000-600,000 BTU/hr)
Industrial Chiller	100+ RT (1.2M+ BTU/hr)

FAQ

1. Why is cooling measured in "tons"?

🔹 Historic term from ice melting capacity (1 RT = 288,000 BTU/24h)

2. How many BTU/hr is 1 ton?

✅ 1 RT = 12,000 BTU/hr

3. What's the difference between BTU/hr and tons?

🔹 Same energy, different units (tons for large systems, BTU/hr for precise measurements)

4. How to convert 7.5 tons to BTU/hr?

7.5 \times 12, 000 = 90, 000 BTU/hr

5. Is higher tonnage always better?

❌ No - must match the cooling load requirements

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