Plant Utilities worked example

Refrigeration Tonnage at 92% target load share for the plant: a worked example

Push target load share for the plant up to 92% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. Use it when reviewing refrigeration tonnage for a utility budget, maintenance priority, capacity check, energy project, or production support plan.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Measured refrigeration load: 180 tons (unchanged)
  • Installed chiller plant capacity: 240 tons (unchanged)
  • Target load share for the plant: 92 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 80)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Refrigeration tonnage load share = measured refrigeration load ÷ installed refrigeration capacity × 100) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 75 % for refrigeration tonnage load share, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 17 points for gap to target.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 180 count for measured utility amount.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 240 count for reference utility amount.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where target load share for the plant sits at 80% and the headline result is 75 %, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 75 %.
  • It computes measured refrigeration load as a percentage of installed capacity, then compares that to your target load share to report the gap in percentage points. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Refrigeration tonnage load share: 75 % (headline result)
  • Gap to target: 17 points
  • Measured utility amount: 180 count
  • Reference utility amount: 240 count

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Refrigeration Tonnage calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.