bhp
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Brake horsepower |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Units & Measurements, Organizations & Companies |
| Also written | BHP |
bhp has two meanings. It stands for Brake horsepower (engineering unit) or Broken Hill Proprietary Company (company and brand).
Meanings of bhp at a glance
| # | bhp stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake horsepower | Units & Measurements › Engineering Unit |
| 2 | Broken Hill Proprietary Company | Organizations & Companies › Company and Brand |
1. Brake horsepower
Units & Measurements · Engineering Unit Abbreviations
Engine power measured at the crankshaft, before transmission and drivetrain losses, using a dynamometer brake. British car reviews and many spec sheets quote bhp.
Example: The 2.0-litre turbo engine produces 296 bhp in the hot hatch.
The name comes from the Prony brake, an early dynamometer that absorbed engine power through friction. Drivetrain losses typically take 10 to 20 percent, so bhp exceeds wheel horsepower. Before 1972 US manufacturers quoted gross figures measured without accessories, which inflated numbers compared with today's SAE net ratings.
2. Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP)
Organizations & Companies · Company and Brand Abbreviations
Anglo-Australian mining giant, one of the world's largest producers of iron ore, copper, metallurgical coal and potash. Headquartered in Melbourne.
Example: BHP's iron ore shipments to China rose despite a slowing property market.
Founded in 1885 to mine silver, lead and zinc at Broken Hill in New South Wales. It merged with Billiton in 2001 to form BHP Billiton, then returned to the name BHP in 2018. Its dual listing was unified in Australia in 2022.
Related abbreviations
More engineering unit abbreviations
- Ah – Ampere-hour
- atm – Standard atmosphere
- AWG – American wire gauge
- bar – Bar
- BTU – British thermal unit
- C – Degree Celsius
- Cal – Food Calorie (kilocalorie)
- cfm – Cubic feet per minute
See all 103 engineering unit abbreviations →