Refrigerant Cycle Designer — Solve Vapor-Compression Cycles Online
Node States ▾
Solve a cycle to see node states
About the Refrigerant Cycle Designer New to p-h diagrams? Open the Interactive P-h Chart
Pick a topology, set your conditions, and the solver returns the whole cycle: every state point, mass flow, compressor work, capacity, and COP on a live log p-h chart.
How it works
You set what you know: evaporating and condensing temperature, superheat, subcooling, capacity. PreciseSystem closes the mass and energy balances for the whole system at once, not component by component. The state table and chart update as you type.
Topologies
15+ pre-built systems: single-stage, economizer (vapor and liquid injection), cascade, ejector, parallel evaporators, heat-pump variants.
Refrigerants
125+ pure fluids and 148 ASHRAE blends from the PreciseFluids equation-of-state library: transcritical CO₂ (R744), ammonia (R717), propane (R290), HFOs (R1234yf, R1234ze), and the rest. Zeotropic blends use real bubble and dew points, so temperature glide is modeled, not approximated.
Model detail
Free with sign-in: cycles at fixed evaporating and condensing temperatures. Paid tiers add UA heat exchangers and compressor maps with floating pressures as they roll out.
Related tools
Exploring refrigerant behavior? Start on the p-h diagram. Single state points and transport properties: property calculator.
FAQ
What does a refrigerant cycle designer do?
It solves the mass and energy balances of a vapor-compression cycle. Pick a topology, refrigerant, and operating conditions; get every state point, mass flow, compressor work, capacity, and COP on a live log p-h chart.
Which refrigerants can I model?
125+ pure refrigerants and 148 ASHRAE blends, including transcritical CO₂, ammonia, hydrocarbons, and HFOs, with zeotropic glide handled correctly.
Is it free?
Base cycles are free with sign-in. More topologies, higher model detail, and the full refrigerant library are paid — see pricing.
How is this different from the p-h diagram tool?
The p-h diagram is a chart you draw on. The designer computes the cycle from your inputs, then plots it.