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Foot-pound per Minute (ft⋅lb/min) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:ft⋅lb/min
Plural:ft⋅lb/min
Category:Power

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What is a Foot-pound per Minute?

Foot-pound per minute (ft⋅lbf/min) measures low mechanical power. 1 ft⋅lbf/min = 0.0226 watts. 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min = 1 hp exactly (original horsepower definition). Historical unit; watts or hp preferred.

History of the Foot-pound per Minute

Original basis for horsepower definition by James Watt (1780s): 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min = 1 hp. Based on draft horse work capacity in coal mines. Rarely used today except in historical engineering contexts.

Quick Answer

What is ft⋅lbf/min? Foot-pound per minute (ft⋅lbf/min) measures low power. 1 ft⋅lbf/min = 0.0226 watts. 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min = 1 hp (Watt's original definition). Historical unit; modern applications use hp, kW, or watts. Use our power converter for conversions.

Definition

1 ft⋅lbf/min = 0.0226 W = 0.0000226 kW = 0.00003 hp = 0.0771 BTU/h

Horsepower relationship: 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min = 1 hp (745.7 W) exactly

Common Uses

Historical: Original horsepower definition (Watt, 1780s). Engineering Education: Teaching power unit derivations. Rarely Used: Impractically small for modern applications. Conversion Reference: Link between hp and ft⋅lbf/s.

Real-World Examples

Power Levels (converted to ft⋅lbf/min)

  • 1 watt: ~44.25 ft⋅lbf/min
  • 100 watts: ~4,425 ft⋅lbf/min
  • 1 hp: 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min (exact)
  • 10 hp: 330,000 ft⋅lbf/min

Historical Context

  • Draft horse (Watt's era): ~22,000 ft⋅lbf/min sustained work
  • Watt's "horsepower": 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min (50% safety margin)
  • Modern horse: ~10,000-15,000 ft⋅lbf/min (actual)

Foot-pound per Minute Conversion Formulas

To Watt:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.022597 W
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.112985 watts

To Milliwatt:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 22.596966 mW
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 112.984829 milliwatts

To Kilowatt:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000023 kW
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000113 kilowatts

To Megawatt:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 2.2597e-8 MW
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 1.1298e-7 megawatts

To Gigawatt:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 2.2597e-11 GW
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 1.1298e-10 gigawatts

To Horsepower:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.00003 hp
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000152 horsepower

To Metric Horsepower:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000031 PS
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000154 PS

To Electric Horsepower:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.00003 hp(E)
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000151 hp(E)

To BTU per Hour:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.077104 BTU/h
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.38552 BTU/h

To BTU per Minute:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.001285 BTU/min
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.006425 BTU/min

To BTU per Second:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000021 BTU/s
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000107 BTU/s

To Foot-pound per Second:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.016667 ft⋅lb/s
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.083333 ft⋅lb/s

To Calorie per Second:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.005401 cal/s
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.027004 cal/s

To Kilocalorie per Hour:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.019443 kcal/h
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.097214 kcal/h

To Ton of Refrigeration:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000006 TR
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.000032 TR

To Erg per Second:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 225969.658055 erg/s
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 1129848.290276 erg/s

To Joule per Second:

1 ft⋅lb/min = 0.022597 J/s
Example: 5 ft⋅lb/min = 0.112985 J/s

Frequently Asked Questions

Formula: hp = ft⋅lbf/min ÷ 33,000 Examples:

Convert Foot-pound per Minute

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Foot-pound per Minute Quick Info

ft⋅lb/min
Symbol:ft⋅lb/min
Category:Power
System:Imperial/US Customary
Convert Foot-pound per Minute

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