Mistral Associates, established in 1984, supplies RAC Expert System Application Engineering Software to 140
countries. Representing over 94% of the world's population. Of the remaining 60 UN recognised sovereign states, home to around 6% of the
world's population, half do not have a reliable electricity supply and in some cases no electricity supply at all.
Most of Mistral's revenue stream, over 90% of which is ploughed back into the company in pursuit of further RAC industry research, product development, essential software coding upgrading and interactive database creation and updating, comes from annual leasing of program access licences.
A smaller part of Mistral's revenue stream, around 20%, comes from distribution of 'White Label' excerpt versions of Mistral's world-leading systems. Also referred to as Sponsored versions. Importantly, Mistral's sponsors provide a reliable, official source of verifiable and verified RAC equipment selection data. Unlike imitators, Mistral does not publish proprietary data without first gaining prior agreement and approval by the owners of that data or by their officially appointed agents.
Comparison Chart
Expanded explanations below table
Features/Compendium | Sponsored Excerpts | Corporate System | |
1 | All Programs | No. Various collections | Yes - all 12 programs |
2 | All saved project file opening (auto calculation file reactivation) | Sponsor's project files only | Yes |
3 | Multiple Rooms and Room Zoning | No | Yes, unlimited |
4 | Any room floor plan shape | Yes | Yes |
5 | Maximum Room Length | 10 to 50 metres | 100 metres |
6 | Maximum Room Width | 34 metres | 100 metres |
7 | Maximum Room Height | 6 metres | 25 metres (optional 50m*) |
8 | Maximum Room Volume | 10,000 metres³ | 250,000 metres³ (optional+) |
9 | External & internal dimensions | External coldroom dimensions | Both dimensioning methods |
10 | All RAC proprietary databases | Sponsor's RAC databases only | Yes |
11 | Refrigerant pipe sizing | Single load circuits only | Simple and complex circuits |
12 | Multiple Refrigerant databases | Yes | Yes |
13 | User Editable databases | Some | All, except proprietary |
14 | Electrical power cost estimator | No | Yes |
15 | World Meteorological databases, graphically driven | Yes | Yes |
16 | 'Grid Size' Quick Selections (pre-engineered solutions) | Yes, 4.7 million+ selections | Yes, 4.7 million+ selections |
17 | SI (metric)/Imperial instantaneous switching | Yes | Yes |
18 | Special Feature Codes (dynamic error trap relaxation etc.) | No | Yes |
19 | Presentation quality printouts | Yes | Yes |
20 | Print to file (editable printout text) feature | Yes | Yes |
21 | Dynamically linked & focused, illustrated Help pages | Yes | Yes |
22 | Dynamically Error Trapped | Yes | Yes |
23 | Switchable multi-lingual | Generally no but exceptions | Yes |
24 | Annual updates and upgrades | Yes | Update and/or upgrade at any time without charge |
25 | Global program installations | Single Region specific | World-wide installation by region |
26 | Networked program installations | No | Yes |
27 | 24/7 Pre & Post installation support | Yes | Yes |
28 | Programs auto link to advertising | No - passive links only | No - passive links only |
29 | Permanent access duration | No - 6 month or 12 month 'Rolling Contract' | Yes - Subject to paid Annually renewable or Lifetime Access Licence |
30 | Refrigeration and A/C project, interactive, user customizable, customer price quotation generator. Output to doc, odt, pdf, rtf etc. | No | Yes |
31 | RAC equipment, interactive, user customizable, customer price quotation generator, with optional colour images. Output to doc, odt, pdf, rtf etc. | No | Yes |
32 | Coldroom construction, user customizable, cost estimation and customer price quotation generator. With automatic Bill of Materials generator. Output to doc, odt, pdf, rtf etc. | No | Yes |
33 | Single and multiple evaporator to single and multiple condensing unit automatic balancing feature. | Yes | Yes |
34 | Automatic interactive RAC equipment purchase order generator. Output to doc, odt, pdf, rtf etc. | No | Yes |
35 | Supermarket Retail Floor Area Design, graphically driven program | No | Yes | 36 | Beer and Wine Cellar load calculation program | Included in some versions | Yes | 37 | Instant load Refrigerated Container selections | No | Yes | 38 | Instant load Refrigerated Eurotainer (aircraft) selections | No | Yes | 39 | Interactive Psychrometrics Calculator | No | Yes |
40 | Licence fees 'Fixed in Perpetuity' | Not applicable, licence fees paid by others | Yes - Subject only to inflation |
Notes
1. Mistral Corporate and Subscription compendium both include all 12 published interactive programs*.
Sponsored compendium include a selection from these 12 programs.
* With the exception of 'CELLWIND Pro' in regions where it may be prohibited.
2. Mistral full program access versions can universally open all saved project calculation files and allow further editing and re-saving if desired, including #.awc, #.clw, #.cwc and #.lwc files. The reverse, that is a sponsored program version opening a project calculation file created using a full program version is not always possible. Due to the greater operating scope of full program versions.
3. Mistral full program access versions include many additional interactively linking programs performing additional engineering functions. For example: Multiple circuit and multiple load refrigerant pipe sizing. Coldroom costing and customer quotation generation. Refrigeration Transport applications for Lighters (container transport), trucks, marine and aircraft. Dedicated Beer and Wine Cellar heat load calculation. Dedicated Food Preparation Room load calculation. Simultaneous, unlimited multiple room calculations for both Air Conditioning and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration. Agricultural refrigerated produce store load calculations involving specifically suited insulation types. With multiple room facilities groups of rooms may be segregated into individual zones and their individual zone cumulative loads automatically directed to the RAC equipment selection programs for appropriate multiple cooler, compressor, condenser and condensing unit selections. See also:- Room Zones
4. Mistral air conditioning and refrigeration load calculation programs feature graphical room plan designers which allow unlimited input of wall surfaces and which can be arranged at any angles to one another and contain any mix of building construction and insulation materials.
5. See:- Entering room dimensions
6. See:- Entering room dimensions
7. Sponsored versions will generally only permit project maximum space volumes up to 10,000 cubic metres (and 6 metres in height). Mistral full program access versions cope with space volumes up to 250,000 cubic metres (and 25* metres in height. *Can be further increased via application of 'Special Feature Code').
8. Maximum Room Volume. See:- Special Feature Codes
9. Mistral full program access versions will allow switching coldroom and freezer design studies working in either internal or external dimensions. User switchable even after program installation. See:- room shapes
10. Sponsored versions will generally only feature audited RAC application equipment product databases featuring products manufactured or distributed by the sponsor. Whereas full program versions will feature all available product selection data, with the permission and verification of the supplying manufacturer and/or their officially authorised distributor.
11. Mistral Corporate and Subscription compendium both include refrigerant pipesizing programs that will deal with both single cooling load circuits and also multiple loads on multiple circuits. Ring mains for example.
12. See:- Pipewind
13. Mistral full program access versions include tools for user database editing along with user support for database creation and editing.
14. Project electrical power cost estimator for single rooms, multiple rooms or selected zones in load calculation programs. Standard kW/Hr and Off Peak tariffs can be entered and running times set. Multi-lingual. Multi-currency.
15. See:- World interactive meteorology
16. See:- Grid Size Cold Rooms
17. All Mistral programs can be switched between SI (Metric) and Imperial operation at any time, even while programs are operating and without incurring any significant cumulative rounding errors.
18. Mistral full program access versions include 'Special Feature Code' access for purposes of over-riding or extending scope of program dynamic error trapping limits, along with appropriate user support. Only advised for use by experienced or qualified engineers.
19. See:- Print
20. See:- Rich Text File (RTF)
21. See:- Help Pages
22. See:- Dynamic Error Trapping
23. Mistral full program access versions generally all allow simultaneous multi-lingual operation in ten world dominant languages. Meaning a project can be completed and saved in one language and subsequently opened, edited and re-saved in another language.
24. All Mistral programs are subject to a constant, daily process of research and upgrading. Both to ensure their compatibility with unrelenting advances in computing technology and also to add to and improve program scope and features. Similarly, both the thousands of fundamental along with proprietary interactive databases are subject to processes of daily updating so as to reflect current industry product availability and also engineering practices. Both Corporate Licensees and Sponsored program users are welcome to upgrade and update their installations at any time during the duration of their active licenced access periods and without incurring any additional charges.
25. See:- Where in the world are you?
26. See:- Local Area Network (LAN) installation
27. See:- Quick site guide Plus Help
28. Mistral programs include databases which contain proprietary and interactive data, with the permission of the owners of such data. However there is no intrusive advertising as such. Familiar trade logos provided as 'hyperlinks' to supplier or manufacturer contact details are frequently provided throughout the system. However these are all 'passive'. Meaning they require a clearly intentional, simple and reversible action by program users in all cases in order to activate. Mistral does not use 'Cookies' in either its Expert System Software or its Internet website pages.
29. See:- Mistral Corporate program access
See:- Mistral Subscription program access
See:- Price List
Some sponsored program compendium excerpts provide 12 months access, all others provide 6 months.
All Mistral Expert System Software is subject to both daily upgrading and daily updating.
40. Mistral Expert System Annual Licence fees are 'Fixed in Perpetuity', subject only to inflation as measured by the UK Retail Price Index (RPI). Rules however dictate that annual licence fees must be paid within agreed credit terms (normally 30 days from receipt of invoice), otherwise mutually binding contracts are automatically terminated, without further notice, and can only be renewed at prevailing current terms and prices.