Convert Ton of Refrigeration to Terawatts
Convert Ton of Refrigeration (RT) to Terawatts (TW) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
TW = RT × 3.516852842e-9
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 Terawatts
A terawatt (TW) is 10¹² W. All of human civilisation consumes ~17-18 TW (electricity + heat + transport combined); global electricity generation alone is ~9 TW. Solar irradiance intercepted by Earth is ~174,000 TW; photosynthesis captures ~130 TW. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) fusion laser produces pulses of ~500 TW lasting nanoseconds. High-power laser facilities for nuclear physics and ICF research routinely exceed 1 TW in ultrashort pulse regimes. 1 TW = 10¹² W.
Quick Reference Table
| Ton of Refrigeration (RT) | Terawatts (TW) |
|---|---|
| 1 RT | 3.517 × 10-9 TW |
| 2 RT | 7.034 × 10-9 TW |
| 5 RT | 1.758 × 10-8 TW |
| 10 RT | 3.517 × 10-8 TW |
| 25 RT | 8.792 × 10-8 TW |
| 50 RT | 1.758 × 10-7 TW |
| 100 RT | 3.517 × 10-7 TW |