Foot-pounds per second to Megawatts conversion

How to convert foot-pounds per second to megawatts?

To convert foot-pounds per second to megawatts, we'll go through a series of steps to convert these units appropriately. Power is the rate at which work is done, and different units can be used to measure it.

1. Conversion Factors Needed:

   • 1 foot-pound (ft·lbf) = 1.35582 joules (J)
   • 1 watt (W) = 1 joule/second (J/s)
   • 1 megawatt (MW) = 1,000,000 watts (W)

2. Convert 1 foot-pound per second to joules per second (which is the same as watts): 1 \text{ ft·lbf/s} = 1.35582 \text{ J/s} Therefore, 1 \text{ ft·lbf/s} = 1.35582 \text{ watts}

3. Convert watts to megawatts: $1 \text{ megawatt} = 1,000,000 \text{ watts}$ So, $1 \text{ watt} = 10^{-6} \text{ megawatts}$

4. Combine these conversions: 1 \text{ ft·lbf/s} = 1.35582 \text{ watts} = 1.35582 \times 10^{-6} \text{ megawatts}

Therefore, 1 foot-pound per second is equal to $1.35582 \times 10^{-6}$ megawatts, or approximately $1.35582\ \mu\text{MW}$.

Real World Examples for Other Quantities of Foot-pounds per Second:

1. Human Power Output:

   • The average human can sustain around 1/10 horsepower for an extended period, which is 550 ft·lbf/s (as 1 horsepower equals 550 ft·lbf/s). This is equivalent to: 550 \text{ ft·lbf/s} = 550 \times 1.35582 \text{ watts} = 745.701 \text{ watts} \approx 0.0007457 \text{ MW}

2. Small Engine:

   • A small gas engine producing 5 horsepower would have the following output: 5 \text{ hp} = 5 \times 550 \text{ ft·lbf/s} = 2750 \text{ ft·lbf/s} Converting this to megawatts: 2750 \text{ ft·lbf/s} = 2750 \times 1.35582 \text{ watts} = 3738.505 \text{ watts} \approx 0.003738 \text{ MW}

3. Electric Motors:

   • An electric motor rated at 1 horsepower produces: 1 \text{ hp} = 550 \text{ ft·lbf/s} This converts to: 550 \text{ ft·lbf/s} = 550 \times 1.35582 \text{ watts} = 745.701 \text{ watts} \approx 0.0007457 \text{ MW}

These examples illustrate how different systems and machines can be described in terms of foot-pounds per second (a traditional unit) and how we can easily convert them to more modern and internationally recognized units like watts or megawatts.