What this converter does
This converter turns kilowatts of cooling into tons of refrigeration and back. Divide the kW figure by 3.5169 to get tons — the US unit most chiller and packaged-AC schedules still use. Type a value and read the result instantly.
It also handles BTU/hr, kcal/h and megawatts. For thermal power outside HVAC, see the kW to BTU/hr converter.
The units it covers
Every unit here measures cooling or heating capacity, converting through the kilowatt with a fixed ratio.
View all units & their values
| Unit | Symbol | Value | Mainly used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilowatt | kW | 1 | SI cooling/heating capacity |
| Ton of refrigeration | TR | 3.5169 | US HVAC chiller sizing |
| BTU per hour | BTU/hr | 0.000293 | US equipment ratings |
| Kilocalorie per hour | kcal/h | 0.001163 | Older metric ratings |
| Megawatt | MW | 1000 | District cooling plants |
The formula
Each capacity unit has a fixed value in kilowatts, so converting means going through the kilowatt once:
result = value × factor_from ÷ factor_toWhere:
- value = the number you typed
- factor_from = the “from” unit’s value in kW
- factor_to = the “to” unit’s value in kW
Worked example
Convert a 35 kW chiller to tons of refrigeration.
1 TR = 3.516853 kW35 ÷ 3.516853 = 9.95 TRA 35 kW chiller is roughly a 10-ton unit.
The units in this example
The SI unit of cooling and heating capacity, standard on chiller and heat-pump schedules across most of the world.
- 1 kW = 0.2843 TR
- 1 kW = 3,412 BTU/hr
- 1 kW = 860 kcal/h
- 35 kW = 9.95 TR
The US unit of cooling capacity — the rate that melts one short ton of ice in 24 hours, standard for North American chillers and AC.
- 1 TR = 3.5169 kW
- 1 TR = 12,000 BTU/hr
- 1 TR = 3,024 kcal/h
- 3.5 kW ≈ 1 TR