Enter the airflow in cubic feet per minute (CFM) into the calculator to determine the equivalent cooling capacity in tons. This calculator is based on the standard conversion that 1 ton of cooling capacity is equal to an airflow of 400 CFM.

CFM to Tons Calculator

Enter any 1 value to calculate the other

CFM ↔ Tons Conversion Table (Rule of thumb: 400 CFM per ton)
CFM to Tons Tons to CFM
50 CFM = 0.1250 tons0.5 tons = 200 CFM
75 CFM = 0.1875 tons0.75 tons = 300 CFM
100 CFM = 0.2500 tons1 ton = 400 CFM
150 CFM = 0.3750 tons1.25 tons = 500 CFM
200 CFM = 0.5000 tons1.5 tons = 600 CFM
250 CFM = 0.6250 tons2 tons = 800 CFM
300 CFM = 0.7500 tons2.5 tons = 1,000 CFM
350 CFM = 0.8750 tons3 tons = 1,200 CFM
400 CFM = 1.0000 tons3.5 tons = 1,400 CFM
500 CFM = 1.2500 tons4 tons = 1,600 CFM
600 CFM = 1.5000 tons5 tons = 2,000 CFM
700 CFM = 1.7500 tons6 tons = 2,400 CFM
800 CFM = 2.0000 tons7.5 tons = 3,000 CFM
900 CFM = 2.2500 tons8 tons = 3,200 CFM
1,000 CFM = 2.5000 tons10 tons = 4,000 CFM
1,200 CFM = 3.0000 tons12 tons = 4,800 CFM
1,400 CFM = 3.5000 tons15 tons = 6,000 CFM
1,600 CFM = 4.0000 tons18 tons = 7,200 CFM
2,000 CFM = 5.0000 tons20 tons = 8,000 CFM
3,000 CFM = 7.5000 tons25 tons = 10,000 CFM
Formulas: tons = CFM ÷ 400 and CFM = tons × 400. Table reflects the calculator’s 400 CFM/ton rule-of-thumb.

CFM to Tons Formula

The following formula is used to convert CFM to tons of cooling capacity.

Tons = CFM / 400

Variables:

  • CFM is the airflow in cubic feet per minute
  • Tons is the cooling capacity in tons

To convert CFM to tons, divide the airflow value by 400.

What is CFM?

CFM stands for cubic feet per minute and is a measure of airflow. It is commonly used to specify the performance of air compressors, HVAC systems, and other equipment that moves or processes air. In the context of cooling systems, CFM is used to measure the volume of air that passes through an air conditioning unit, which is directly related to the unit’s cooling capacity.

What is Tons in Cooling Capacity?

In HVAC terms, a “ton” is a unit of measurement that describes the cooling capacity of an air conditioning system. One ton of cooling is defined as the amount of heat required to melt one ton (2000 pounds) of ice in a 24-hour period. This is equivalent to 12,000 BTU/hour or approximately 3.517 kilowatts. The term originated from the use of tons of ice to cool buildings in the past.

How to Calculate CFM to Tons?

The following steps outline how to convert CFM to tons of cooling capacity.


  1. First, determine the airflow in cubic feet per minute (CFM).
  2. Next, use the formula from above: Tons = CFM / 400.
  3. Finally, calculate the cooling capacity in tons.
  4. After inserting the CFM value and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variable as an example problem to test your knowledge.

airflow in cubic feet per minute (CFM) = 800 CFM

Using the formula, Tons = 800 CFM / 400 = 2 Tons of cooling capacity.