A
ton of refrigeration or
ton of refrigeration (commonly abbreviated as
RT) is a
unit-Mathematics:* Unit , an element that is invertible with respect to ring multiplication* 1 , the unit number* Unit vector, a of the class of objects being studied-Science and technology:...
of
powerIn physics, power is the rate at which energy is transferred, used, or transformed. For example, the rate at which a light bulb transforms electrical energy into heat and light is measured in watts—the more wattage, the more power, or equivalently the more electrical energy is used per unit...
used in some countries (especially in North America) to refer to the thermal load extraction capacity (cooling) of
refrigerationRefrigeration is a process in which work is done to move heat from one location to another. This work is traditionally done by mechanical work, but can also be done by magnetism, laser or other means...
and
air conditioningAn air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
equipment.
It is defined as the amount of
latent heatLatent heat is the heat released or absorbed by a chemical substance or a thermodynamic system during a process that occurs without a change in temperature. A typical example is a change of state of matter, meaning a phase transition such as the melting of ice or the boiling of water. The term was...
absorbed by the fusion of a
short tonThe short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
of pure solid ice at 0 °C (32 °F) in 24 hours, therefore being equivalent to the delivery of 1 ton of ice per day. As regards equipment, this represents the ability to extract 12,000 BTU per
hourThe hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds...
, which in the
International System of UnitsThe International System of Units is the modern form of the metric system and is generally a system of units of measurement devised around seven base units and the convenience of the number ten. The older metric system included several groups of units...
is equivalent to 3,517
watts-People:*Watts , the surname of several people*Watts S. Humphrey , American software engineer often called the father of software quality*Watts , a Canadian record producer-Fictional characters:*Watts family in EastEnders...
.
Air conditioner equipment power in the U.S. is often described in terms of "tons of refrigeration", although many manufacturers provide the specifications also in BTU/
hThe hour is a unit of measurement of time. In modern usage, an hour comprises 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds...
or just in
watts-People:*Watts , the surname of several people*Watts S. Humphrey , American software engineer often called the father of software quality*Watts , a Canadian record producer-Fictional characters:*Watts family in EastEnders...
.