ProREFD: Tool for Automated Computer-Aided Refrigerant Design, Analysis, and Verification

Abstract ProREFD is a computer-aided software for refrigerant design, analysis and verification, which consists of six tools that are suitable for different aspects of refrigerant design and verification. The six tools are the following: three databases plus a search engine; pure component properties estimation; mixture properties estimation; refrigerant selection and/or design; refrigeration cycle simulation; and modelling. The database tool consists of a database of measured pure component properties of especially selected refrigeration related compounds; a database of measured vapor-liquid equilibrium data of binary mixtures; and a database of measured binary azeotrope data. The property estimation tools employ a collection of especially developed and tested property models suitable for refrigeration processes. The refrigerant selection and/or design tool helps the user to select and/or design a refrigerant (single compound or mixture), given a set of target properties. The refrigeration cycle simulation performs simulation for the selected refrigerant and specified cycle operation conditions. The modelling tool is used to revise and/or add new property or process models. The paper presents the different implemented tools in ProREFD and highlights its use through several illustrative examples.