A CoolPack alternative that is actually maintained
CoolPack taught a generation of engineers refrigeration cycles for free — and then stopped. Development ceased after v1.33, the fluid list froze, and it sometimes refuses to start on an up-to-date Windows build. Evodelta keeps the job it did well and rebuilds it on verified CoolProp physics, in the browser, with the refrigerants used in 2026.
What happened to CoolPack
Straight from the vendor's own page, so you can check it yourself: https://www.ipu.dk/refrigeration-software/coolpack
- “CoolPack is no longer maintained.”
- “A large part of CoolPack is based on EES, and difficult to maintain.”
- “CoolPack has limited availability of refrigerants, and sometimes compatibility issues with up-to-date Windows versions.”
Why CoolPack hurts in 2026
Unmaintained for years — no fixes, no updates, no support.
Frozen fluid list: no R-454B, R-32 or R-1234yf by default, so the A2L transition is not covered.
Windows-only desktop install, with reported startup problems on current Windows.
EES-based backend that the authors themselves describe as difficult to maintain.
Split across six or more separate sub-programs instead of one workspace.
What Evodelta gives CoolPack users
25 refrigerants, including the A2L and A3 fluids that replaced R-410A.
CoolProp Helmholtz equations of state — the same reference lineage as REFPROP, no proprietary look-up tables.
Nothing to install — runs in the browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, iPad and phone.
Guided cycle forms, interactive P-h diagram, pipe sizing, cascade systems, A2L charge-limit and minimum-room-area checks.
Free tier, no card. Solo $49/month — $0 to start — and no per-seat licensing ladder for a classroom.
CoolPack vs Evodelta, line by line
CoolPack facts are quoted from IPU; Evodelta facts are checkable in the product.
| Aspect | CoolPack | Evodelta |
|---|---|---|
| Maintained? | No — ceased after v1.33; IPU itself points users to CoolTools | Actively shipped, with a public changelog and verification page |
| Physics engine | Large parts built on EES — “difficult to maintain” in the authors' own words | CoolProp Helmholtz equations of state — the same reference lineage as REFPROP, no proprietary look-up tables |
| Install | Windows desktop download; install friction; compatibility issues reported on current Windows | Nothing to install — runs in the browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, iPad and phone |
| Refrigerants | “Limited availability of refrigerants”; frozen file set; students hand-copy REFPROP files in | 25 A1 / A2L / A3 fluids including R-454B, R-32, R-1234yf, R-290, CO₂ and ammonia |
| A2L-era fluids | Not available by default — the transition to R-454B/R-32 left it behind | R-454B, R-32, R-1234yf, R-290 with glide (bubble/dew) handled |
| Shape of the product | Fractured into 6+ separate sub-programs | One workspace: cycle, chart, pipe sizing, charge limits |
| Sharing / teams | Local files only | Shareable cycle links + PDF/CSV export |
| Price | Free | Free tier, no card. Solo $49/month — $0 to start |
Migrating a CoolPack calculation in three steps
What transfers, what you re-enter, and how to confirm the result.
- 1.Export or photograph your CoolPack case inputs (evaporating/condensing temperature, superheat, subcooling, compressor isentropic efficiency, fluid) — CoolPack's EES-based files are not importable, so the conditions get re-entered, not re-computed.
- 2.Re-enter the same conditions in the Evodelta standard-cycle form for the same refrigerant. Glide is handled automatically for blends.
- 3.Compare state points and COP against your CoolPack printout: results agree within the ideal-cycle tolerance band documented on /verification.
CoolPack questions engineers actually ask
No. IPU's own page states that CoolPack is no longer maintained: development ceased after v1.33, and the project is described as having limited refrigerant availability and occasional compatibility problems with current Windows versions. IPU's stated aim is to replace it with their newer CoolTools package.
Evodelta is free to start and runs entirely in the browser — nothing to install, on Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, iPad or phone. It uses CoolProp Helmholtz equations of state rather than the EES-based legacy engine, and carries current A2L-era refrigerants.
Not directly — CoolPack is largely EES-based and does not export a portable case file. The practical path is to re-enter your operating conditions (evaporating and condensing temperature, superheat, subcooling, isentropic efficiency, refrigerant) into the Evodelta cycle form, then compare the output against your CoolPack printout.
CoolPack is a Windows desktop download and its age shows on current Windows builds; there is no macOS or Linux version. Evodelta needs no install and no operating-system-specific build — it is a web application.
Do not take our word for it
Engineers rightly distrust unvalidated web calculators. The method and a worked example are published.