CoolSim: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Model

CoolSim provides a transient heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) modeling tool for vehicles in the MATLAB/Simulink environment.

Reducing the energy required to maintain vehicle cabin temperatures can create significant benefits, from reduced fuel costs to extended vehicle range, all while maintaining the thermal comfort drivers expect. NREL researchers built CoolSim to extend their vehicle HVAC modeling capabilities.

This NREL-developed HVAC system model uses a one-dimensional finite-volume formulation to solve energy, momentum, and continuity equations. Models of all the system components—compressor, condenser, expansion device, and evaporator—are included. Both mechanically and electrically driven compressor models are available to users. A mechanical model built in CoolSim was validated to steady-state-component and system data. Results were within 3% of the data.

Model Development

A 10-times faster quasi-transient and a 100-times faster mapped-component model have been developed for future release, along with Autonomie-integrated versions.

Heavy-duty and thermal system models are in development.

Contact

While NREL does not provide technical support for CoolSim, we welcome your feedback on the tool. Please share feedback or report any problems to [email protected].