Skip to main content

Convert BTU per Hour-Square Foot to Calories per Second-Square Centimeter

Instantly convert BTU per Hour-Square Foot (BTU/(hr·ft²)) to Calories per Second-Square Centimeter (cal/(s·cm²)) with our free online calculator.

Reviewed by Christopher FloiedUpdated

Formula: BTU/(hr·ft²) to cal/(s·cm²)multiply by 7.5397e-5

Reference Table

BTU per Hour-Square Foot (BTU/(hr·ft²))Calories per Second-Square Centimeter (cal/(s·cm²))
10.0000753965
50.000376983
100.000753965
250.00188491
500.00376983
1000.00753965

How to Convert BTU per Hour-Square Foot to Calories per Second-Square Centimeter

Formula

To convert BTU per Hour-Square Foot (BTU/(hr·ft²)) to Calories per Second-Square Centimeter (cal/(s·cm²)): multiply by 7.5397e-5

Step-by-Step

  1. Start with your value in BTU per Hour-Square Foot (BTU/(hr·ft²)).
  2. Multiply by 7.5397e-5 to perform the conversion.
  3. The result is your value expressed in Calories per Second-Square Centimeter (cal/(s·cm²)).

Conversion Factor

1 BTU/(hr·ft²) = 0.0000753965 cal/(s·cm²)

Reverse Factor

1 cal/(s·cm²) = 13263.2 BTU/(hr·ft²)

Worked Example

Convert 25 BTU per Hour-Square Foot to Calories per Second-Square Centimeter: 25 BTU/(hr·ft²) = 0.00188491 cal/(s·cm²)

About BTU per Hour-Square Foot (BTU/(hr·ft²))

An imperial heat-flux unit (≈ 3.1546 W/m² per NIST SP 811) used universally in US HVAC engineering, building-envelope thermal analysis, and shell-and-tube heat-exchanger design per TEMA standards. ASHRAE design cooling loads (per ASHRAE 90.1 / 62.1), solar heat-gain coefficient (SHGC) tables for fenestration per NFRC 100/200, and US HVAC equipment-output ratings all use BTU/(hr·ft²). Reference values from ASHRAE Handbook: peak summer solar heat gain through a south-facing window in Phoenix ~200-300 BTU/(hr·ft²) at solar noon; design cooling load for a US suburban home 30-50 BTU/(hr·ft²) of conditioned floor area; commercial-building design heating load 20-30 BTU/(hr·ft²) (mixed-humid climate per ASHRAE 90.1). US shell-and-tube heat-exchanger thermal-design specifications per TEMA Standards routinely quote heat-flux design points in BTU/(hr·ft²) — typical ranges 50-500 BTU/(hr·ft²) for liquid-to-liquid service; 1,000-10,000 BTU/(hr·ft²) for boilers and condensers; up to 100,000 BTU/(hr·ft²) for once-through-steam-generator superheater sections.

About Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter (cal/(s·cm²))

A CGS heat-flux unit equal to exactly 41,840 W/m² = 41.84 kW/m². Traditionally used in atmospheric physics, geophysics, and solar-radiation research, where the closely-related unit 'langley per minute' (1 langley = 1 cal/cm², so 1 ly/min = 1 cal/(min·cm²) = 696.7 W/m²) appears in historical solar-radiation observations published by US Weather Bureau, NOAA Surface Radiation Budget Network (SURFRAD), and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's pre-satellite solar-constant measurements. Used heavily in pre-1990s solar-energy literature, atmospheric-science textbooks (Iqbal 'An Introduction to Solar Radiation'), and geophysical heat-flow measurements at hydrothermal-vent fields. Reference values: peak summer-noon insolation in cal/(s·cm²) ≈ 0.024 (= ~1,000 W/m²); average global insolation ~0.006 cal/(s·cm²). Today mostly superseded by W/m² in publications and instrumentation, retained only for historical-record continuity.

Quick Facts

  • 1 BTU per Hour-Square Foot equals 0.0000753965 Calories per Second-Square Centimeter
  • 1 Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter equals 13263.2 BTU per Hour-Square Foot
  • BTU per Hour-Square Foot is a unit of heat flux
  • Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter is a unit of heat flux
  • This conversion is commonly used in fire protection engineering, electronics cooling, and solar energy
  • The BTU per Hour-Square Foot belongs to the imperial system
  • The Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter belongs to the metric system

Common BTU per Hour-Square Foot to Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter Conversions

BTU per Hour-Square Foot (BTU/(hr·ft²))Calories per Second-Square Centimeter (cal/(s·cm²))
0.017.539651e-7
0.10.00000753965
0.250.0000188491
0.50.0000376983
10.0000753965
20.000150793
30.00022619
50.000376983
100.000753965
150.00113095
200.00150793
250.00188491
500.00376983
750.00565474
1000.00753965
2500.0188491
5000.0376983
10000.0753965
50000.376983
100000.753965

Understanding BTU per Hour-Square Foot

The BTU per Hour-Square Foot (symbol: BTU/(hr·ft²)) is a unit of heat flux. An imperial heat-flux unit (≈ 3.1546 W/m² per NIST SP 811) used universally in US HVAC engineering, building-envelope thermal analysis, and shell-and-tube heat-exchanger design per TEMA standards. ASHRAE design cooling loads (per ASHRAE 90.1 / 62.1), solar heat-gain coefficient (SHGC) tables for fenestration per NFRC 100/200, and US HVAC equipment-output ratings all use BTU/(hr·ft²). Reference values from ASHRAE Handbook: peak summer solar heat gain through a south-facing window in Phoenix ~200-300 BTU/(hr·ft²) at solar noon; design cooling load for a US suburban home 30-50 BTU/(hr·ft²) of conditioned floor area; commercial-building design heating load 20-30 BTU/(hr·ft²) (mixed-humid climate per ASHRAE 90.1). US shell-and-tube heat-exchanger thermal-design specifications per TEMA Standards routinely quote heat-flux design points in BTU/(hr·ft²) — typical ranges 50-500 BTU/(hr·ft²) for liquid-to-liquid service; 1,000-10,000 BTU/(hr·ft²) for boilers and condensers; up to 100,000 BTU/(hr·ft²) for once-through-steam-generator superheater sections.

It belongs to the imperial measurement system.

BTU per Hour-Square Foot are commonly used in fire protection engineering, electronics cooling, and solar energy.

Understanding Calories per Second-Square Centimeter

The Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter (symbol: cal/(s·cm²)) is a unit of heat flux. A CGS heat-flux unit equal to exactly 41,840 W/m² = 41.84 kW/m². Traditionally used in atmospheric physics, geophysics, and solar-radiation research, where the closely-related unit 'langley per minute' (1 langley = 1 cal/cm², so 1 ly/min = 1 cal/(min·cm²) = 696.7 W/m²) appears in historical solar-radiation observations published by US Weather Bureau, NOAA Surface Radiation Budget Network (SURFRAD), and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's pre-satellite solar-constant measurements. Used heavily in pre-1990s solar-energy literature, atmospheric-science textbooks (Iqbal 'An Introduction to Solar Radiation'), and geophysical heat-flow measurements at hydrothermal-vent fields. Reference values: peak summer-noon insolation in cal/(s·cm²) ≈ 0.024 (= ~1,000 W/m²); average global insolation ~0.006 cal/(s·cm²). Today mostly superseded by W/m² in publications and instrumentation, retained only for historical-record continuity.

It belongs to the metric measurement system.

Calories per Second-Square Centimeter are commonly used in fire protection engineering, electronics cooling, and solar energy.

Why Convert BTU per Hour-Square Foot to Calories per Second-Square Centimeter?

Converting between BTU per Hour-Square Foot and Calories per Second-Square Centimeter is a frequent requirement for engineers, scientists, and students working with heat flux values. Different industries and regions favour different unit systems, so having a dependable conversion tool saves time and prevents errors in technical calculations. Whether you are verifying a specification sheet, cross-checking simulation results, or preparing a report for an international audience, accurate heat flux conversion is essential.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert BTU per Hour-Square Foot to Calories per Second-Square Centimeter?

An imperial heat-flux unit (≈ 3. To convert BTU per Hour-Square Foot to Calories per Second-Square Centimeter, multiply by 7.5397e-5. For example, 25 BTU/(hr·ft²) equals 0.00188491 cal/(s·cm²).

How many Calories per Second-Square Centimeter are in 1 BTU per Hour-Square Foot?

There are 0.0000753965 Calories per Second-Square Centimeter in 1 BTU per Hour-Square Foot.

How many BTU per Hour-Square Foot are in 1 Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter?

There are 13263.2 BTU per Hour-Square Foot in 1 Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter.

What is the formula for BTU per Hour-Square Foot to Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter conversion?

The formula is: multiply by 7.5397e-5. This means 1 BTU/(hr·ft²) = 0.0000753965 cal/(s·cm²).

Is a BTU per Hour-Square Foot bigger than a Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter?

Yes. One BTU per Hour-Square Foot is larger than one Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter because 1 BTU/(hr·ft²) equals 0.0000753965 cal/(s·cm²), which is less than 1.

When do you need to convert between BTU per Hour-Square Foot and Calories per Second-Square Centimeter?

A CGS heat-flux unit equal to exactly 41,840 W/m² = 41. BTU per Hour-Square Foot and Calorie per Second-Square Centimeter are both heat flux units, so conversion comes up whenever one source of information uses one unit and another uses the other — a classic cross-reference challenge in engineering, trade, travel, and everyday life.

More Heat Flux Conversions

Related Tools