Chiller Tonnage Calculator

Introducing the Chiller Tonnage Calculator: Your Handy Tool for Efficient Cooling

Are you looking for a way to accurately calculate the thermal load and water flow required for your chiller system? Look no further than our Chiller Tonnage Calculator!

Designed specifically for industrial processes and machine cooling applications, our calculator can help you determine the total chilled water flow your plant needs, the minimum water temperature required at the chiller outlet, and the outlet temperature at the chiller inlet.

Armed with this information, you can make informed decisions and accurate quotes before making any purchases.

Our user-friendly form makes it easy to input the necessary values for chiller calculation. Whether you need to determine pipe sizing, water flow rates, or glycol chiller sizing, our calculator has got you covered.

But what if you prefer to do things manually? No problem! Our calculator also provides the formula you need to manually calculate chiller tonnage.

With the Chiller Tonnage Calculator, you can ensure that your chiller system is properly sized for your application, leading to more efficient and effective cooling. Try it out today and see the difference it can make for your industrial processes!

Chiller Tonnage calculation formula:

For manual calculation the following information is required:

Specific Heat Table of Water:

Kcal/Kg°C
J/Kg°CBtu/lb°F
Specific Heat of Water141861
NOTE: The specific heat of the water indicates the amount of heat that needs to be extracted from the water to decrease the temperature by one degree.

Water Density Table:

Kg/LKg/m3Lb/ft3
Water density1100062.43
NOTE: The density of the water allows us to transform the volumetric flow into the mass flow.

Heat Power Units Conversion Table:

Heat Power UnitEqualsEqualsEquals
1W0.86
Kcal/h
3.41
Btu/h
0.00028435
TRF
1 Btu/h0.25
Kcal/h
0.29
W
0.00008333
TRF
1 Kcal/h3.96
Btu/h
1.16
W
0.00033069
TRF
1 TRF12000
Btu/h
3516.85
W
3023.95
Kcal/h
Note: The table shows the common units for measuring heat output in the refrigeration sector.

Volume Flow Conversion Table:

Volumetric Flow EqualsEqualsEquals
1 m3/s0.01 ft3/s16.67 L/min4.4 GPM
1 L/min0.26 GPM0.000589 ft3/s0.06 m3/s
1 ft3/s101.94m3/h1699 L/min448.83 GPM
1 GPM0.23 m3/h3.8 L/min0.000589 ft3/s

Chiller Calculation International System of Units:

Chiller Calculation made easy with the International System of Units!

So you need to calculate the power required for your chiller? No problem! Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Maximum water flow = 18 m3/h Chiller water inlet temperature = 14°C Chiller water outlet temperature = 8°C

Step One: First things first, we need to calculate the change in temperature of the water inside the chiller. Easy peasy!

T water inlet – T water outlet = 14°C – 8°C = 6°C Temperature change = 6°C

Step Two: Next, we’ll use the specific heat to determine the amount of heat required to achieve the desired temperature change.

Specific heat is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1°C. In this case, our specific heat is 1 kcal/kg°C.

Total heat to be extracted = Specific heat x Temperature change Total heat to be extracted = 1 kcal/kg°C x 6°C = 6 kcal/kg (that’s 6 kcal for each kg of water that enters the chiller)

Step Three: Now it’s time to calculate the power. We’ll need to know the mass flow that the chiller will receive.

Chiller water flow = 18 m3/h

Using table 4, we have: 18 m3/h x 16.67 = 300 liters/minute = 5 liters/second

Mass flow = Volumetric flow x Density Mass flow = 0.5 l/s x 1 kg/l = 5 kg/s

Chiller power = Total heat x Mass flow Chiller power = 6 kcal/kg x 5 kg/s = 30 kcal/s

Step Four: The final result needs to be converted to units of heat for use in refrigeration.

We’ll convert 30 kcal/s to kcal/h by multiplying by 3600.

30 kcal/s x 3600 = 108000 kcal/h

This value can be converted to different units:

108000 x 3.96 = 427680 Btu/h 108000 x 1.16 = 125280 W 108000 x 0.00033069 = 35.7 TRF (Tons of Refrigeration)

Step Five: To be on the safe side, we recommend applying a safety factor of 20%. This compensates for losses due to insulation deficiencies.

Chiller power = 35.7 TRF x 1.2 = 42.84 TRF

And there you have it, your chiller power calculation is complete!

Where to learn all about chillers?

We have prepared a complete training in chilled water installations with chillers.

Chiller Training Courses

Gerson Mora

Author: Gerson Mora

Graduated from the University of Carabobo in Venezuela. (1996-2001). Credential of the College of Engineers of Venezuela Number 131,187. Specialist in the area of ​​Industrial Refrigeration and HVAC Systems.