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CHAPTER 38

UNITS AND CONVERSIONS

Table 1

Conversions to I-P and SI Units

(Multiply I-P values by conversion factors to obtain SI; divide SI values by conversion factors to obtain I-P)
Multiply I-P
acre (43,506 ft2)..................................................
..................................................
atmosphere (standard) ........................................
bar.......................................................................
barrel (42 U.S. gal, petroleum)...........................
..........................
Btu (International Table) ....................................
Btu (thermochemical) ........................................
Btu/ft2 (International Table) ...............................
Btu/ft3 (International Table) ...............................
Btu/gal ................................................................
Btuft/hft2 F....................................................
Btuin/hft2 F (thermal conductivity k).......... ..
Btu/h ...................................................................
Btu/hft2 .............................................................
Btu/hft2 F (overall heat transfer coefficient U)
Btu/lb ..................................................................
Btu/lbF (specific heat cp)
bushel (dry, U.S.)................................................
calorie (thermochemical)....................................
centipoise (dynamic viscosity )........................
centistokes (kinematic viscosity ) ....................
clo .......................................................................
dyne ....................................................................
dyne/cm2 .............................................................
EDR hot water (150 Btu/h) ................................
EDR steam (240 Btu/h) ......................................
EER ....................................................................
ft .........................................................................
..........................................................................
ft/min, fpm..........................................................
ft/s, fps ................................................................
ft of water ...........................................................
ft of water per 100 ft pipe...................................
ft2 ........................................................................
ft2 h F/Btu (thermal resistance R)....................
ft2/s (kinematic viscosity )................................
ft3 ........................................................................
........................................................................
ft3/min, cfm ........................................................
ft3/s, cfs...............................................................
ftlbf (torque or moment) ...................................
ftlbf (work)........................................................
ftlbf /lb (specific energy) ...................................
ftlbf /min (power) ..............................................
footcandle ...........................................................
gallon (U.S., *231 in3)........................................
gph ......................................................................
gpm.....................................................................
gpm/ft2 ................................................................
gpm/ton refrigeration..........................................
grain (1/7000 lb).................................................
gr/gal...................................................................
gr/lb ....................................................................
horsepower (boiler) (33 470 Btu/h)....................
horsepower (550 ftlbf /s) ...................................
inch .....................................................................
in. of mercury (60F)..........................................
in. of water (60F) ..............................................
in/100 ft, thermal expansion...............................
To Obtain I-P

By
0.4047
4046.873
*101.325
*100
159.0
0.1580987
1055.056
1054.350
11,356.53
37,258.951
278,717.1765
1.730735
0.1442279
0.2930711
3.154591
5.678263
*2.326
*4.1868
0.0352394
*4.184
*1.00
*1.00
0.155
1.0 105
*0.100
43.9606
70.33706
0.293
*0.3048
*304.8
*0.00508
*0.3048
29,989.07
98.1
0.092903
0.176110
92,900
28.316846
0.02832
0.471947
28.316845
1.355818
1.356
2.99
0.0226
10.76391
3.785412
1.05
0.0631
0.6791
0.0179
0.0648
17.1
0.143
9.81
0.7457
*25.4
3.37
249
0.833
By

To Obtain SI

Multiply I-P

ha
m2
kPa
kPa
L
m3
J
J
J/m2
J/m3
J/m3
W/(mK)
W/(mK)
W
W/m2
W/(m2 K)
kJ/kg
kJ/(kgK)
m3
J
mPas
mm2/s
m2 K/W
N
Pa
W
W
COP
m
mm
m/s
m/s
Pa
Pa/m
m2
m2 K/W
mm2/s
L
m3
L/s
L/s
Nm
J
J/kg
W
lx
L
mL/s
L/s
L/(sm2)
mL/J
g
g/m3
g/kg
kW
kW
mm
kPa
Pa
mm/m

inlbf (torque or moment)

113
in2...................................................................... 645.16
in3 (volume) ...................................................... 16.3874
in3/min (SCIM)................................................. 0.273117
in3 (section modulus)........................................ 16387
in4 (section moment) ........................................ 416 231
kWh .................................................................. *3.60
kW/1000 cfm .................................................... 2.118880
kilopond (kg force) ........................................... 9.81
kip (1000 lbf) .................................................... 4.45
kip/in2 (ksi) ....................................................... 6.895
litre.................................................................... *0.001
met .................................................................... 58.15
micron (m) of mercury (60F)........................ 133
mile ................................................................... 1.609
mile, nautical .................................................... *1.852
mile per hour (mph).......................................... 1.609344
......................................... 0.447
millibar ............................................................. *0.100
mm of mercury (60F)...................................... 0.133
mm of water (60F) .......................................... 9.80
ounce (mass, avoirdupois) ................................ 28.35
ounce (force or thrust) ...................................... 0.278
ounce (liquid, U.S.) .......................................... 29.6
ounce inch (torque, moment)............................ 7.06
ounce (avoirdupois) per gallon ......................... 7.489152
perm (permeance at 32F) ................................ 5.72135 1011
perm inch (permeability at 32F) ..................... 1.45362 1012
pint (liquid, U.S.).............................................. 4.73176 104
pound
lb (avoirdupois, mass)....................................... 0.453592
...................................... 453.592
lbf (force or thrust)............................................ 4.448222
lbf /ft (uniform load).......................................... 14.59390
lb/fth (dynamic viscosity )............................ 0.4134
lb/fts (dynamic viscosity ) ............................ 1490
lbf s/ft2 (dynamic viscosity ) ......................... 47.88026
lb/h .................................................................... 0.000126
lb/min................................................................ 0.007559
lb/h [steam at 212F (100C)] .......................... 0.2843
lbf /ft2 ................................................................. 47.9
lb/ft2 .................................................................. 4.88
lb/ft3 (density, )............................................... 16.0
lb/gallon ............................................................ 120
ppm (by mass) .................................................. *1.00
psi ..................................................................... 6.895
quad (1015 Btu) ................................................. 1.055
quart (liquid, U.S.)............................................ 0.9463
square (100 ft2) ................................................. 9.29
tablespoon (approximately) .............................. 15
teaspoon (approximately) ................................. 5
therm (U.S.) ...................................................... 105.5
ton, long (2240 lb) ............................................ 1.016
ton, short (2000 lb) ........................................... 0.907
ton, refrigeration (12 000 Btu/h) ...................... 3.517
torr (1 mm Hg at 0C) ...................................... 133
watt per square foot .......................................... 10.76
yd ...................................................................... *0.9144
yd2 ..................................................................... 0.8361
yd3 ..................................................................... 0.7646

mNm
mm2
mL
mL/s
mm3
mm4
MJ
kJ/m3
N
kN
MPa
m3
W/m2
mPa
km
km
km/h
m/s
kPa
kPa
Pa
g
N
mL
mNm
kg/m3
kg/(Pasm2)
kg/(Pasm)
m3

Divide SI

To Obtain I-P

Divide SI

The preparation of this chapter is assigned to TC 1.6, Terminology.

Copyright 2005, ASHRAE

By

By

To Obtain SI

kg
g
N
N/m
mPas
mPas
Pas
kg/s
kg/s
kW
Pa
kg/m2
kg/m3
kg/m3
mg/kg
kPa
EJ
L
m2
mL
mL
MJ
Mg
Mg; t (tonne)
kW
Pa
W/m2
m
m2
m3

*Conversion factor is exact.

Notes: 1. Units are U.S. values unless noted otherwise.
2. Litre is a special name for the cubic decimetre. 1 L = 1 dm3 and 1 mL = 1 cm3.

38.1

38.2

2005 ASHRAE HandbookFundamentals (SI)

Table 2

Pressure
psi

in. of water
(60F)

in. Hg
(32F)

1
= 27.708
0.036091
1
0.491154
13.609
14.6960
407.19
0.0193368
0.53578
14.5038
401.86
14.223
394.1
1.45038 104 4.0186 103
Mass

1
1.4286 104
0.06250
2.20462

Volume

cubic inch
1
1728*
231.0*
61.02374
6.102374 104

Energy

Btu

Note: MBtu, which is

1000 Btu, is confusing
and is not used in the
Handbook.

1
1.2851 103
3.9683 103
9.4782 104
3.41214

Density

lb/ft3

ft3/lb

Specific Volume

grain

1
0.133680
0.016018
16.018463

= 0.068948
2.4884 103
0.033864
1.01325*
1.3332 103
1
0.980665*
105*

ounce (avoir.)

= 7000*
1
437.5*
1.5432 104

= 16*
2.2857 103
1
35.274

cubic foot
= 5.787 104
1
0.13368
0.035315
35.315

kgf/cm2

bar

= 0.068046
= 51.715
1.8665
2.4559 10-3
0.033421
25.400
1
760.0
1
1.31579 103
0.98692
750.062
0.96784
735.559
9.8692 106
7.50 103

= 0.45359
6.4800 105
0.028350
1
cubic metre (m3)

litre

= 4.329 103
7.48052
1
0.264173
264.173

pascal

= 0.07030696
= 6894.8
2.537 103
248.84
0.034532
3386.4
1.03323
1.01325 105*
1.3595 103
133.32
1.01972*
105*
1
9.80665 104*
1.01972 105* 1

kg

gallon

= 1.63871 105
0.028317
0.0037854
0.001*
1

= 0.0163871
28.317
3.7854
1
1000*
joule (J) =
watt-second (Ws)

calorie (cal)

ftlbf

1
7.48055
62.4280
0.0624280

mm Hg
(32F)

atmosphere

= 2.0360
0.073483
1
29.921
0.03937
29.530
28.959
2.953 104

lb (avoir.)

Conversion Factors

= 778.17
1
3.08803
0.73756
2655.22

= 251.9958
0.32383
1
0.23885
859.85

= 1055.056
1.355818
4.1868*
1
3600*

lb/gal

g/cm3

kg/m3

= 0.133680
1
8.34538
0.008345

= 0.016018
0.119827
1
0.001*

= 16.018463
119.827
1000*
1

gal/lb

cm3/g

m3/kg

= 7.48055
1
0.119827
119.827

= 62.4280
8.34538
1
1000*

watt-hour (Wh)
= 0.293071
3.76616 104
1.163 103*
2.7778 104
1

= 0.0624280
0.008345
0.001*
1

1 poise = 1 dyne-sec/cm2 = 0.1 Pas = 1 g/(cms)

Viscosity (absolute)

lbf s/ft2

poise
1
478.8026
1.72369 106
10*
14.8819

lbf h/ft2

= 2.0885
1
3600*
0.020885
0.031081

Temperature

103

kg/(ms) = Ns/m2
107

= 5.8014
2.7778 104
1
5.8014 106
8.6336 106

lbm/fts

= 0.1*
47.88026
1.72369 105
1
1.4882

= 0.0671955
32.17405
1.15827 105
0.0671955
1

Temperature

Scale

Temperature Interval
R

Kelvin

xK=

x 273.15

1.8x

1.8x 459.67

1K=

9/5 = 1.8

9/5 = 1.8

Celsius

xC =

x + 273.15

1.8x + 491.67

1.8x + 32

1C =

9/5 = 1.8

9/5 = 1.8

Rankine

xR =

x/1.8

(x 491.67)/1.8

x 459.67

1R =

5/9

5/9

Fahrenheit

xF =

(x + 459.67)/1.8

(x 32)/1.8

x + 459.67

1F =

5/9

5/9

Notes: Conversions with * are exact.

The Btu and calorie are based on the International Table.

All temperature conversions and factors are exact.

The term centigrade is obsolete and should not be used.

When making conversions, remember that a converted value is

no more precise than the original value. For many applications,
rounding off the converted value to the same number of significant

figures as those in the original value provides sufficient accuracy.

See ANSI Standard SI-10-1997 (available from ASTM or IEEE)
for additional conversions.

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