Convert Ton of Refrigeration to Kilowatts

Convert Ton of Refrigeration (RT) to Kilowatts (kW) instantly and accurately.

Conversion Formula

kW = RT × 3.516852842

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 Kilowatts

A kilowatt (kW) is 1,000 W - the everyday unit for home, vehicle, and industrial power. Average US home consumption is ~1.2 kW continuous (~10,500 kWh/year). EV motors range from 30 kW (city cars) to 600+ kW (performance models); a Tesla Model S Performance produces 560 kW (751 hp). Industrial gas turbines on commercial aircraft generate 20,000-100,000 kW. Solar installations are sized in kW-peak. Industrial electric motors span from fractional kW to thousands of kW. 1 kW = 1,000 W = 1.341 hp = 3,412.1 BTU/h.

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