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Refrigeration Cycle for an LCOE estimate

Simulate an LCOE estimate live in your browser. This runs the real Refrigeration Cycle solver — adjust the inputs, watch it respond instantly, and export the result. No install, no account.

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1

Heat Pump

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Heat Pump COPLive

Controls

Presets

A heat pump does not make heat — it moves it, so it can deliver several kilowatts of warmth per kilowatt of electricity. The coefficient of performance is that ratio, capped by the Carnot limit T_hot/(T_hot − T_cold). The colder it gets outside, the harder the pump works and the lower the COP — but even at freezing it beats a resistance heater several times over.

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Data Inspector

COP7.74
Carnot max COP15.5
Heat per kW power7.7 kW
vs resistance heater7.7× better

Governing equation

Reading this result: At 2°C the pump delivers about 7.7 kW of heat per kW of electricity — roughly 7.7× a resistance heater — because it moves heat rather than making it.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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2

Carnot Cycle

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Carnot CycleLive

Controls

Presets

The Carnot cycle — two isothermal and two adiabatic steps — is the most efficient possible heat engine between two temperatures. Its efficiency depends only on the reservoir temperatures: η = 1 − Tc/Th. No real engine can beat it, which is why raising the hot temperature or lowering the cold one is the only path to higher efficiency.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Efficiency50.0%
Tₕ / Tc2.00
Carnot limit50.0%

Governing equation

Reading this result: Efficiency here is 50.0% and is fixed by the temperature ratio alone — widening the expansion ratio enlarges the enclosed work loop but can never push past the 50.0% Carnot ceiling, and each kelvin removed from the cold side buys a bit more than each kelvin added to the hot side.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

or unlock everything with Pro →

About this simulation

The full Refrigeration Cycle tool models an LCOE estimate with the same numerics engineers and scientists use — running entirely client-side. Change any parameter and the result updates in real time, so you can build intuition, check a design, or teach the concept without spreadsheets or installs.

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Other ways to simulate an LCOE estimate

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Frequently asked questions

How do I simulate an LCOE estimate?
Open this page and use the live Refrigeration Cycle tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.
Is it free?
Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.
Can I use my own numbers?
Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive an LCOE estimate from your own measurements.