Back to Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Photo Gallery (click on thumbnails for larger image)
Commercial AC class: students remove the head off a semi-hermetic compressor that has a cylinder unloader to find out which type of unloader it is-suction cutoff or bypass, and figure out how it works. Eventually they figured it out.
Residential AC class: Students try to wire up a condenser section and an air handler unit- each load is a PSC motor,- a fan relay turns on the blower motor and a contactor turns on the compressor and condenser fan. "What are you having for lunch?" "Spaghetti."
Commercial AC class(202): A major focus of this course is the study of rooftop units. No, this student did not just electrocute himself, that is his normal expression.
Students in the 105 class learn, among other things, how to use tools that join copper- brazing, flaring, soldering- in preparation for putting together refrigeration lines, and patching leaks they make when they don't do it right. They usually make a lot of noise and a big mess in this class.
Computer programs simulate a variety of types of systems, -putting faults into the systems for the students to solve. They help students learn the sequence of operation of units, what all the controls and safeties are supposed to do, and help students develop troubleshooting strategies- and when they screw up they just hit "run simulation" again.
Working safely is very important. Notice some students are very concerned about the tops of their heads, and put their safety glasses there to protect it.
Teamwork is a significant part of this residential a/c class. "Hey, I'm not going to touch that wire, you touch it!"
Students in this 100 class are learning to understand electrical circuits, and how to use meters. No one was electrocuted this day.
This Commercial A/C (202) student has been examining the control diagram of a commercial rooftop unit- and finally discovered he was holding it upside down.
Students in this Residential A/C class often have a good time learning- small electrical shocks will often produce similar smiles.
Students learn to have respect for equipment with dangerously high voltage - however, praying to the machines may be taking it a bit too far.
Thanks goes out to Mike McDermott of Environmental Systems Design Inc. and the Chicago area ASHRAE, and Colin Oakley of the Dupage County Government Facility Power Plant for putting together a tour of the powerplant for our students who are studying commercial air conditioning and controls. This facility, and the engineers who made it possible, have won many awards for design and ingenuity.
One of our students immediately made himself at home at the Dupage County Powerplant.
While touring the Dupage County Powerplant students were amazed at the cold water storage tank system, which made chilled water during the off-peak hours (when it's cheaper to run the equipment). And some students were simply in awe of all the different pretty colors in the power plant.
Student tour of the Dupage County Power Plant- "That's one big fan wheel!"
The Dupage County Power Plant is a "district" heating/cooling system,- the power plant pumps chilled water and, for this unique facility, very high temperature hot water(under very high pressure) to all the different buildings of the complex. Students were traveling all around the underground piping tunnels.
Our Dupage County Power Plant tour took us from the depths of the underground piping tunnels to the top of the giant cooling towers. Here the students peer down the giant fans.
