ComfortAir HVAC software is created to be used by engineers, architects, contractors and energy auditors to calculate and analyse heating and air conditioning loads in commercial buildings.
Input and output units can be set independently to English or Metric units. The program contains weather and other necessary data for 1,071 cities and localities in 110 countries, thus making it applicable for virtually any location in the world.
Program output includes tables and graphs of cooling loads (load profiles) for all hours of the day and for all months. It also provides summary reports for peak conditions and a host of other useful information, such as reports and graphs of glass shading, from external shading devices like fins and overhangs.
An example of how the hourly load tables can be useful, is in the design of thermal storage air conditioning systems, where ton-hour (kilowatt-hour) calculations have to be made in order to size the storage systems.
Here are some key features of "ComfortAir HVAC Software":
Units Flexibility - ComfortAir is probably the only software of its kind that can be configured to work in either English or Metric units. The user only has to select the preferred units from the Options menu to configure the application according to his or her requirements. Furthermore, input units and output units can be selected independently, thus allowing users to work with the input units of their choice, and then generate output reports, tables and graphs in whatever units their clients prefer. International consultants will love this flexibility.
ComfortAir is User-Friendly and Powerful - Another noteworthy feature of ComfortAir is its user-friendliness, which is the result of several factors:
· First, the program was developed as a multiple document interface (MDI) type of application, which has the same type of architecture as many popular Windows applications. This makes it very easy for one to learn how to use ComfortAir. Of course, the MDI architecture also means that with ComfortAir, you can work on several projects simultaneously.
· Secondly, ComfortAir provides a helpful set of dialogs and wizards, which painlessly guide the user through the tasks of entering project data and completing other important processes. Without these wizards, data entry for example, could prove to be a long and tedious process, prone to errors and omissions. However, with the use of the wizards, these problems are significantly reduced and project data can be entered with greater accuracy, speed and comfort.
· Thirdly, ComfortAir provides output in three different formats. These are (1) summary reports for peak conditions, (2) tabular reports giving loads for every hour of the day for every month of the year, and (3) graphs which show hourly load profiles, also glass areas and percentage glass areas in direct sunshine as the day progresses. One instance in which the hourly load tables can be useful is in doing ton-hour (kilowatt-hour) calculations for sizing thermal storage air conditioning systems for energy conservation purposes. In any situation, the user can examine results for the entire building, or for individual building elements such as the roof, the windows, and the walls; or for individual heat sources such as the lights, the occupants, infiltration, solar radiation, etc.; or for whatever he or she needs to focus on. In this way for example, architects who design energy efficient buildings can keep abreast of the contributions made by various building elements to the air conditioning loads, and make timely changes to maximise the energy efficiency of the building as the design progresses. Engineering and Architecture students will find the capability of detailed analysis, a very useful tool in learning how fins, overhangs, different building materials, and just about any building feature, impact on the overall cooling load of a building.
Context-Sensitive Help - ComfortAir has the standard context-sensitive Help system, which on the click of a button, provides the user with ready information on the action currently being taken. The information provided by the Help system is also illustrated by diagrams where appropriate, to further promote the user friendliness of the application. The Help system also provides quick start information and a handy tutorial to teach new users how to use the software quickly and effectively.
ComfortAir is Applicable Worldwide - ComfortAir contains weather and other necessary data for 1,989 cities and localities in 163 countries across the globe. This means that the application can be used for virtually any location in the world. The user only has to click on the name of the city in which the project building is located and all the necessary data for that city becomes available and automatically used in the calculations.
Load Calculation Methodology - The load calculation methodology used by ComfortAir, is based on ASHRAE's CLTD/CLF method, which uses cooling load temperature difference and cooling load factors. Note that ComfortAir is a single-zone application. If the project building consists of more than one zone, the application is run separately for each zone.
Requirements:
· 24 Mb RAM
· 3.2 Mb free space
Limitations:
· only one weather station out of a possible 1,989 is supported
What's New in This Release: [ read full changelog ]
· Menu item Tools/ Options now gives the user the option to change display size and font size, as well as input and output units.
· Whenever data is copied from the view, a message box now appears to confirm that the data is successfuly copied to the clipboard.
· The total number of weather stations supported by ComfortAir has increased from 1,071 in previous versions to 1,989 in Version 4.0. In addition, the weather data now has the same format as the data in the ASHRAE Fundamentals 2001 handbook.
· It is now possible to view, print and copy all the data that the user puts into the program. These include weather data, building data, etc.
· The Help file is significantly updated.
· Tip of the Day feature is added.
· The installation program for the demo, as well as that for the full version of the software, is significantly improved.
· A ComfortAir Enhanced Tutorial in PDF format is now accessible from Start/All Programs/ ComfortAir/ ComfortAir Enhanced Tutorial.
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