Convert Ton of Refrigeration to BTU per Second
Convert Ton of Refrigeration (RT) to BTU per Second (BTU/s) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
BTU/s = RT × 3.333333333
About Ton of Refrigeration
One ton of refrigeration (RT) = 12,000 BTU/h ≈ 3,517 W - the cooling rate to freeze 1 short ton (2,000 lb) of water in 24 hours. This follows from water's latent heat: 144 BTU/lb × 2,000 lb ÷ 24 h = 12,000 BTU/h. US residential AC is 1.5-5 tons; a large commercial building 500-2,000 tons; a hyperscale data centre 50,000-100,000 tons. The RT is deeply embedded in North American HVAC catalogs, load calculation software, and contractor pricing. 1 RT = 3,516.85 W.
About BTU per Second
One BTU per second (BTU/s) ≈ 1,055 W - close to 1 kW but slightly larger. Used when heat rates are so high that per-hour or per-minute numbers become unwieldy. In fire protection engineering, large house fires peak at 500-2,000 BTU/s; industrial fires at millions of BTU/s. Blast characterisation for petrochemical safety and large industrial heat exchangers with duties of millions of BTU/h are conveniently expressed in BTU/s. Since 1 BTU/s ≈ 1.055 kW, conversion to SI is straightforward. 1 BTU/s = 1,055.056 W.
Quick Reference Table
| Ton of Refrigeration (RT) | BTU per Second (BTU/s) |
|---|---|
| 1 RT | 3.33333 BTU/s |
| 2 RT | 6.66667 BTU/s |
| 5 RT | 16.6667 BTU/s |
| 10 RT | 33.3333 BTU/s |
| 25 RT | 83.3333 BTU/s |
| 50 RT | 166.667 BTU/s |
| 100 RT | 333.333 BTU/s |