In refrigeration, what does a ton of ice at 32°F represent in terms of refrigeration capacity?

A ton of ice at 32°F is a standard measurement in refrigeration that represents the amount of heat energy required to freeze one ton (2,000 pounds) of water at 32°F into ice over a 24-hour period. This translates to a refrigeration capacity of 12,000 BTU/h.

The calculation is based on the fact that it takes 144 BTUs to freeze one pound of water at 32°F. Since there are 2,000 pounds in a ton, the total BTUs required to freeze one ton of water is calculated as follows:

144 BTU/lb * 2,000 lb = 288,000 BTUs over 24 hours.

To determine the hourly rate, we divide by 24 hours, resulting in:

288,000 BTU/24 h = 12,000 BTU/h.

This capacity is commonly used in the HVAC industry as a benchmark for defining the cooling capacity of air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Understanding this concept is crucial for ensuring that systems are adequately sized for their intended applications.