HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning Basics

The environment in which people work, and in particular given the diverse climates occurring within most global operations present day, mandates providing site efficiency, cost rationalization, optimum energy consumption, and employee comfort in every factory, office, logistics center, and laboratory setting. Properly managing HVAC controls and building facilities well suited to the existing climate go a log way in improving an organization’s balance sheet – not to mention employee productivity and turnover. We examine typical problems and whether they are actually mechanical, electrical, or air distribution issues.

The class spans electrical applications in HVAC systems, reading ladder diagrams, wiring diagrams, troubleshooting concerns, a/c and heat pump systems, as well as the proper equipment for handling a specific job in a facility. Duct sizing, CFM (cubic feet per minute) distribution, noise, drafts, testing all become part of the course. In addition, we engage the student in understanding the basic fundamentals of heat transfer, the refrigeration cycle principles, and system components as related to their purpose. Our instruction discusses the various refrigerant classifications and how to properly use the new blended refrigerants, as well as coming to grips with the necessity of maintaining system oil quality and the hazards of working with refrigerants.