ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel The Engineering Mindset Refrigeration Design Software – Coolselector®2 HVACR
Welcome to an exploration of refrigeration design software, specifically tailored for HVAC refrigeration engineers and students in mechanical and industrial engineering. Today, we delve into Coolselector 2, a remarkable and free software developed by Danfoss. This tool is designed to simplify the process of selecting refrigeration components, and you can download it directly from the Danfoss website. Additionally, Danfoss offers an in-depth video training series called Coolselector Start Up School, which I had the pleasure of creating. You can find links to these resources at the end of this article.
Upon launching Coolselector 2, you’ll find a comprehensive array of refrigeration components under the valves and line components tab. The software also features several other tabs on the left side, offering options for various refrigeration systems, including cold room calculators, evaporator station designs, compressors, condensers, controls, and sensors. Danfoss engineers are continually enhancing this software with new features.
Let’s explore some practical examples of how Coolselector 2 can be beneficial. Suppose you need to select a thermostatic expansion valve for your system. You can easily choose it from the valves and line components tab. After selection, the software provides a schematic of the system, allowing you to choose your refrigerant and input operating conditions. For instance, if you have a capacity of 2.5 kilowatts, you can input this value while leaving other settings as default for a quick demonstration. You can also customize the displayed units by navigating to Options, then Units, and selecting your preferred unit system.
Next, you can select the product range in the lower left corner. For example, choosing a T2 will prompt the software to recommend a suitable product. You can then review its performance through various tables and charts. The performance details tab offers calculated values for pressure, temperature, enthalpy, and entropy, along with a corresponding schematic. One standout feature is the ability to generate a complete pressure-enthalpy chart for the system, which can be printed for reference.
Once you’ve selected a product, you can generate a comprehensive project report by clicking the Report button at the top. This report includes all necessary details and can be printed, saved as a PDF, or exported. The software is incredibly user-friendly, and detailed video tutorials are available for various scenarios on the Danfoss YouTube channel.
Let’s examine the cold room feature. By selecting commercial applications and then cold rooms, you can manually enter details or use the wizard for a simplified process. The wizard guides you through inputting cold room dimensions and conditions, specifying stored products, and providing cold room conditions and operating hours. The software then presents this information graphically, allowing you to add additional data like air infiltration and heat loads.
Once satisfied with the details, you can view a table of recommended products for the system. While Danfoss doesn’t supply evaporators, they provide all necessary information for your supplier. You can also generate a full project report and obtain a bill of materials for a quotation from a Danfoss supplier.
To select a compressor, navigate to the compressors and condensing units tab and choose compressors. After selecting the application, such as a medium temperature application for food preservation, you can choose the refrigerant (e.g., R404A) and electrical supply (e.g., three-phase, 415V). For this example, a fixed-speed reciprocating compressor is selected.
Inputting operating conditions is crucial, and the software will recommend a product based on these inputs. The performance details tab provides extensive information on performance and applicability. Charts can be converted into tables and exported by right-clicking on them. You can also compile this information into a professional report by clicking the Report button.
Coolselector 2 allows you to streamline your experience by selecting Options, then Preferences, and choosing your industry. For instance, selecting Industrial will hide irrelevant products and features. You can also create custom preferences and add your name to defaults for reports and bills of materials.
To quickly identify suitable products for different refrigerants, click on Tools, then Products and Refrigerants Overview. A color-coded chart displays this information, which can be exported. Additionally, you can view different refrigerant charts by clicking on Tools and then the Log pressure-enthalpy diagram.
That’s it for this exploration! To continue your learning journey, check out additional resources and videos available on TheEngineeringMindset.com. Stay connected with us on social media for more insights and updates.
Download Coolselector 2 from the Danfoss website and follow along with the Coolselector Start Up School video series. As you watch, pause the videos to explore each feature in the software. This hands-on approach will help you become familiar with the interface and functionalities.
Using Coolselector 2, challenge yourself to select the appropriate thermostatic expansion valve for a given set of operating conditions. Document your selection process, including the refrigerant choice and input conditions, and compare your results with peers to discuss different approaches.
Design a cold room using the Coolselector 2 software. Input the dimensions, stored products, and operating conditions. Generate a project report and present your design to the class, highlighting the decision-making process and the recommended products.
Select a compressor for a medium temperature application using Coolselector 2. Input the necessary operating conditions and generate a performance report. Analyze the report to understand the compressor’s suitability and share your findings in a group discussion.
Explore the customization options in Coolselector 2 by setting preferences for your industry. Create a personalized experience by adjusting the software settings and generating a report with your custom defaults. Share your customized setup with classmates and discuss the benefits of personalization.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hello everyone, Paul here from TheEngineeringMindset.com. In this video, we will explore some refrigeration design software. This video is intended for HVAC refrigeration engineers and mechanical and industrial engineering students. I’m excited to recommend a fantastic and free refrigeration design software called Coolselector 2, developed by Danfoss, who has kindly sponsored this video. You can download it for free from the Danfoss website; just click the link in the video description below. I also recommend checking out the in-depth video training series for this software, created by Danfoss on their channel called Coolselector Start Up School. You might recognize the voice in those training videos because I made them. Links to those resources will be available at the end of this video and in the description below.
When we open the software, we will see a wide range of refrigeration components in the valves and line components tab. On the left side, there are several other tabs that provide options for different types of refrigeration systems, including a cold room calculator, evaporator station designs, compressors, condensers, controls, and sensors. It’s worth noting that the engineers at Danfoss are continually adding new features to this software.
Let’s look at some quick examples of how useful this software is. For instance, if we want to select a thermostatic expansion valve for our system, we can choose it from the valves and line components tab. After selecting the thermostatic valve, we can see a schematic of the system, choose our refrigerant, and input our operating conditions. For this example, let’s say we have a capacity of 2.5 kilowatts, leaving the rest as default for a quick demonstration. You can change the displayed units by clicking on Options, then Units, and selecting your preferred unit option.
Next, we can select the product range in the lower left corner. I’ll choose a T2 for this example, and the software will automatically make a product recommendation. We can view its performance through various tables and charts. In the performance details tab, the software provides all the calculated pressure, temperature, enthalpy, and entropy values for the system. Additionally, there’s a schematic that relates to those points. One of my favorite features is that we can generate a complete pressure-enthalpy chart for the system, which can even be printed. I wish I had this tool when I was studying engineering; it would have saved me a lot of time.
Once we’ve decided on a product, we can click the Report button at the top to generate a full project report with all the necessary details, which we can print, save as a PDF, or export. It’s incredibly user-friendly. As I mentioned, there are detailed videos available for various scenarios, and I personally created those training videos hosted on the Danfoss YouTube channel.
Now, let’s take a look at a cold room feature. We can click on commercial applications and then select cold rooms. We can manually enter the details or use the wizard, which simplifies the process. I’ll use the wizard for this demonstration. We need to input the cold room dimensions and conditions, and we can leave these as default for now. We then specify what we are storing in the cold room, along with the temperature and mass of the products. After that, we provide the cold room conditions and operating hours, as well as the type of insulation being used. The software will then present this information in a graphical format for review, allowing us to add additional data like air infiltration and heat loads.
Once we’re satisfied with the details, we can proceed to a table showing all the recommended products for the system. While Danfoss doesn’t provide evaporators, they do supply all the necessary information to provide to your supplier. We can also generate a full report for our project and obtain a bill of materials to get a quotation from a Danfoss supplier.
Next, let’s quickly see how to select a compressor for our refrigeration system. We click on the compressors and condensing units tab, then select compressors. The screen will load with a lot of information. We start by choosing the application we need; for this example, I’ll select a medium temperature application for food preservation. I’ll choose R404A as the refrigerant and a three-phase, 415 electrical supply for the compressor. For this example, I’ll go with a fixed-speed reciprocating compressor.
Now, we input our operating conditions, which is crucial, so take your time here. The software will automatically recommend a product based on the input. In the performance details tab, we can find extensive information about how it will perform and check its applicability to our system. The charts can be converted into tables easily, and we can export this data by right-clicking on it.
Again, we can see the calculated pressure, temperature, enthalpy, and entropy values, along with a schematic and the pressure-enthalpy chart. We can compile all this information into a professional-looking report by clicking the Report button at the top.
What else can we do with the software? We can streamline our experience by clicking on Options, then Preferences, and selecting our industry. For example, if I choose Industrial, it will hide products and features that aren’t relevant to me. We can also create custom preferences and add our name to defaults for reports and bills of materials.
We can quickly identify which products are suitable for different refrigerants by clicking on Tools, then Products and Refrigerants Overview. A color-coded chart will display this information, which can also be exported. Additionally, we can view different refrigerant charts by clicking on Tools and then the Log pressure-enthalpy diagram.
That’s it for this video! To continue your learning, check out one of the videos on screen now, and I’ll see you in the next lesson. Don’t forget to follow us on social media and visit TheEngineeringMindset.com.
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This version maintains the content while removing any informal language and ensuring clarity.
Refrigeration – The process of removing heat from a space or substance to lower its temperature, often used in engineering to preserve perishable goods or cool environments. – The refrigeration system in the laboratory is crucial for maintaining the integrity of temperature-sensitive experiments.
Software – A set of instructions, data, or programs used to operate computers and execute specific tasks, essential in engineering for simulations and design. – Engineers rely on advanced software to model complex systems and predict their behavior under various conditions.
Engineers – Professionals who apply scientific and mathematical principles to design, develop, and analyze technological solutions. – Engineers collaborated to create a more efficient energy system for the new industrial plant.
Mechanical – Relating to machines or the principles of mechanics, often involving the design and operation of machinery. – The mechanical properties of the new alloy were tested to ensure its suitability for aerospace applications.
Industrial – Pertaining to the manufacturing sector, involving the production and processing of goods and materials. – The industrial automation system significantly increased the factory’s production capacity.
Components – Individual parts or elements that make up a larger system or machine, crucial in engineering for building functional devices. – The failure of one of the components led to a complete shutdown of the assembly line.
Performance – The efficiency and effectiveness with which a system or component operates, often measured against specific criteria. – The performance of the new engine was evaluated under various load conditions to ensure reliability.
Temperature – A measure of the thermal energy within a substance or system, critical in engineering for controlling processes and reactions. – Maintaining a constant temperature is essential for the chemical reaction to proceed safely and efficiently.
Pressure – The force exerted per unit area, important in engineering for understanding fluid dynamics and structural integrity. – The pressure in the hydraulic system must be monitored closely to prevent equipment failure.
Applications – The practical uses or implementations of a technology, concept, or device in real-world scenarios. – The applications of nanotechnology in medicine are expanding rapidly, offering new solutions for drug delivery.
