Chiller Capacity Converter

Determining the Correct Chiller Tonnage

Fill in the boxes with the following three parameters to get the estimated chiller size you need for your application.

1. The flow rate
2. The incoming water temperature
3. The target chilled water temperature

Here’s a step-by-step formula to help you calculate the chiller tonnage:

• Find the Temperature Difference: Subtract the desired chilled water temperature from the incoming water temperature.
• Determine the Hourly Water Flow Rate: Estimate the volume of water (in m³) that needs to be cooled every hour.
• Compute the Cooling Capacity in Tons: = Water Flow Rate x  Temp. Differential ÷ 0.86 ÷ 3.517
• Adjust for Optimal Sizing: Increase the calculated capacity by 20% to find the ideal size for your needs.

For example, what size of chiller is required to cool 5m³ water from 25°c to 15 °c in 1 hour?

• Temperature Differential = 25°c-15°c=10°c
• Water Flow Rate = 5 m³/hour
• Ton Capacity = 5 x 10 ÷ 0.86 ÷ 3.517 = 16.53 Tons
• Oversize the chiller = 16.53 x 1.2 = 19.84 Tons

Hence, a chiller with a capacity of 19.84 tons would be your best choice.