I’d like to introduce to you a software for calculating common fluid property parameters
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In our work, we often need to look up the physical property parameters of various fluids. Although these data are usually available in tables of fluid properties, there are still some drawbacks to using them; for example, the number of property parameters provided is limited, and only parameters for saturated states can be retrieved. Furthermore, due to their limited skills, some technical staff in certain units still use manual interpolation calculations after consulting tables, which is both time-consuming and prone to errors, thus affecting work efficiency. Using property calculation software can perfectly solve the above problems. The property calculation software I have used includes RefProp and CoolProp, among others. RefProp was developed by NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the United States); it is very well-known and its authority is widely recognized in the industry. However, this software is paid, and its price is not cheap. Although pirated versions can be found on the Internet, using them carries risks. What I am introducing here is another software with similar functions, but it is open-source and free: CoolProp. CoolProp was developed by researchers from several European universities and companies. From my personal comparisons, its calculation results are almost identical to those of refprop, with differences only in the decimal places. Of course, I have also encountered situations where it was impossible to calculate the property parameters of less commonly used media and mixed gases, or where the calculation results varied significantly; please be aware of this.
This post was last edited by Sam4691 on 2019-8-18 08:41. Below are the usage instructions. The official website of this software is http://www.coolprop.org. Unlike RefProp, it does not have its own separate software interface; it must be used through third-party platforms such as Excel or Matlab. Here, only the method of using it with Excel is described (suitable for Office versions 2007 and above); other usage methods can be found in the instructions on the official website. First is the installation of the software. First, enable Excel macros by opening the “Development Tools” tab in Excel. For convenience, I will attach all the files that need to be downloaded; of course, you can also download them directly according to the instructions on the official website. The required files are CoolProp_x64.dll, CoolProp_stdcall.dll, CoolProp.xlam, and TestExcel.xlsx. The Excel file in the attachment is for my personal use; the software will function properly only if the files CoolProp_x64.dll and CoolProp_stdcall.dll are placed in the directory “E:\Software\CoolProp\”. If the Excel file was downloaded from the official website, or if you want to place those DLL files in a different location, you need to find and replace the paths to those DLL files in the macro codes of the Excel file, so that they match the actual locations. CoolProp.xlam and TestExcel.xlsx can be placed in any location. The specific steps are as follows: 1. Determine the storage paths of CoolProp_x64.dll and CoolProp_stdcall.dll, and ensure that the DLL file paths specified in the macro code of the Excel file match the actual paths. 2. Install the Excel add-in. a) Open Excel. b) Click “File” - “Options” - “Add-ins”. c) In the drop-down menu below \"Manage\" at the bottom of the \"Options\" panel, select \"Excel Add-ins\", then click \"Go\". d) Click the “Browse” button, locate the CoolProp.xlam file, and then click “OK”. e) Ensure that the checkbox next to CoolProp under “Available Load Macros” is checked, then close it. 3. Create a new Excel file and enter the following code in any cell: “=PropsSI(“Dmass”,“T”,273.15,“P”,101325,“HEOS::Nitrogen”)”. If the result is 1.25038613, it indicates that the software has been installed correctly. Updated on 8/18/2019: This software has been updated to version 6.3.0; the attachment I provided is still for version 6.1.0. For the latest version, please download it from the official website.
This post was last edited by Sam4691 on 2018-4-20 at 13:30, detailing how to use the software. The format of the function used to query property parameters with CoolProp is: “=PropsSI(code1, code2, parameter1, code3, parameter2, medium name)”. Here, code 1 represents the parameter to be queried, while codes 2 and 3 represent the characteristics based on which the target characteristic is to be searched for. Parameters 1 and 2 are the specific values of the characteristics represented by codes 2 and 3, and finally, it is the name of the medium. A list of all supported codes, their meanings, and units can be found at http://www.coolprop.org/coolprop... ml#propssi-function. A list of all queryable medium names can be found at http://www.coolprop.org/fluid_pr...html#list-of-fluids. It is recommended that everyone save the above two pages on their computer for reference. Here are a few examples: Example 1: Given that the pressure of nitrogen is 1 Mpa (absolute pressure) and the temperature is 300 K, the function to calculate the corresponding density is: =PropsSI("D","P",1000000,"T",300,"Nitrogen"). Note: All parameters of the function can be referenced from cells; for example, if D, P, 1000000, T, 300, and nitrogen are entered in cells A1 through A6 respectively, then the function in Example 1 can be changed to “=PropsSI(A1,A2,A3,A4,A5,A6)”. Example 2: The function to query the saturation temperature of liquid oxygen at a saturation pressure of 1 MpaA is: =PropsSI("T","P",1000000,"Q",0,"oxygen"). Note: In the function above, the “Q” value represents the proportion of saturated vapor in the gas-liquid two-phase region. If the properties of saturated vapor are to be determined, the “Q” value is 1; if the properties of saturated liquid are to be determined, the “Q” value is 0. Example 3: The function to calculate the latent heat of vaporization of liquid argon at a saturation pressure of 1 MpaA is: =PropsSI(\"H\",\"P\",1000000,\"Q\",1,\"argon\")- PropsSI(\"H\",\"P\",1000000,\"Q\",0,\"argon\"). Note: CoolProp cannot directly retrieve the latent heat of vaporization; it must be calculated by subtracting the enthalpy of the saturated liquid from the enthalpy of the saturated steam.
Has the original poster used it themselves?
It’s quite useful; we all use it.
CoolProp.xlam and TestExcel.xlsx – OP, where are these two files?
I’ve put it inside the compressed file.
This post was last edited by zjq1962 on 2018-5-23 at 13:19. Original poster, why do the CoolProp_x64.dll and CoolProp_stdcall.dll files need to be placed in the “E:\Software\CoolProp\” directory for the software to work properly? What version of Excel is needed as well? What does it mean to ensure that the DLL file path of the macro code in the Excel file matches the actual one?