24/11/2022

Update to fluid and refrigerant libraries in COILS

From the next update, Unilab Coils will allow you to search and display the names of refrigerants and fluids by:

ASHRAE name,
Abbreviated name,
CAS Number,
Full Name,
Chemical Formula,
Synonym
Trade Name

As we know, the software has so far always handled only ASHRAE names, so for example R454B, R22 and so on. In fact, Refprop, on which Coils’ fluid and refrigerant library is based, also allows searching by these other criteria, which Unilab has introduced especially for refrigerants, but also for some fluids, if that nomenclature is indicated in the REFPROP library.

By clicking in COILS on the binoculars icon, we can as usual perform the fluid search:

By typing in the name or part of the name of a refrigerant, in any of the nomenclatures shown, user will now be able to search and view the fluid by ASHRAE Name, Abbreviated Name, CAS Number, Full Name, Chemical Formula, Synonym, and Trade Name. Concerning the trade name level we will soon have important new features, which we will reveal very shortly.

We have also changed the options menu so that the user can choose what type of name to work with by default. If the user is more comfortable using a trade name or CAS number, the program will now be able to display the fluid in this format by default.

For example, if I choose “Chemical Formula,” the program by default will show fluids in the chemical formula format, in the interface and on the output printout.

While working by default with one type of name format, there is nothing to prevent the user from searching with any of these nomenclatures, and the software will still be able to display all of them. Here is an example:

If the user searches for Pentane, he will find all available nomenclatures for that fluid or refrigerant in the search. If I have set the fluid default display as a chemical formula by default, once PENTANE is selected