This web page allows you to convert the different power units and answers the following questions in particular: What is power and how is it measured? Who was responsible for the development of the watt and what other power units were developed later? What are some interesting facts about power units? What are some examples of reference values in different power units? What are some simple formulae that can be used to convert between power units?
Power is the rate of energy transfer over time. It is measured in units of power, such as watts (W), kilowatts (kW), megawatts (MW), gigawatts (GW), terawatts (TW), horsepower (hp), metric horsepower (PS, cv), electrical horsepower (ehp), boiler horsepower (bhp), or tonnes of refrigeration (TR). Measuring power is an important part of many processes, including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and economics. In this chapter, we will explore the history and uses of power units, as well as some interesting facts about them.
The watt was first used in the 19th century by James Watt, who was responsible for the development of the steam engine. The kilowatt (kW) was later developed as a unit of power equal to 1000 watts. In the 20th century, the megawatt (MW) was developed as a unit of power equal to one million watts, followed by the gigawatt (GW) and the terawatt (TW). Horsepower is an older unit of power, developed in the 18th century. Since then, many other power units have been developed, such as metric horsepower (PS, cv), electrical horsepower (ehp), boiler horsepower (bhp), and tonnes of refrigeration (TR). These power units are used for a variety of purposes, including measuring the power of engines and electric motors, as well as determining energy prices for billing customers.
Power units have many interesting facts associated with them. The watt is the SI unit of power and is named after James Watt. Kilowatt hour (kWh) is the unit of energy equal to one kilowatt of power expended for one hour of time. Megawatts are often used to measure the power of large electric motors and turbines. The metric horsepower is used to measure the power of vehicles in Europe, while the electrical horsepower is used to measure the power of electric motors in the US. Horsepower is a unit of power derived from measurement of horses and is used in the automotive and construction industries.
This chapter will provide a list of reference values for power units.
When it is necessary to convert between power units, there are some simple formulae that can be used. To convert from watts to kilowatts, simply divide the wattage by 1000. To convert from kilowatts to megawatts, divide the kilowatts by 1000. To convert from megawatts to gigawatts, divide the megawatts by 1000. To convert from gigawatts to terawatts, divide the gigawatts by 1000. To convert from horsepower to metric horsepower, multiply the horsepower by 0.98632. To convert from electrical horsepower to boiler horsepower, multiply the electrical horsepower by 9.8. To convert from tonnes of refrigeration to kilowatts, multiply the tonnes by 12.16.