Cold Systems LLC Vertical ammonia reciprocating compressor driven by a steam engine circa 1890. Atmospheric Condenser Ice sheet production facility circa 1900.

Training

book Facilities using refrigeration systems are dependent on the uninterrupted availability of these critical utilities. Highly trained system operators can provide significant benefits through involvement in the daily operation.

Their function and purpose should be seen not only as a means to keep the system running, but more as a way to maintain the effectiveness and safe operation of the refrigeration system.

The responsible operator will try to meet the cooling requirements at the most optimum condition. In determining the proper actions to take, the operator is responding to the situation based on his experience, teachings and perhaps anecdotal rules of thumb.

Through continuing education, the operators are exposed to a learning environment that can expand their knowledge. This provides the facility with an increased foundation of information from which decisions can be made.

In addition, the process of continuing education promotes a certain ownership for the refrigeration system. This can be tied into the daily operations by awareness of various potential fault finding technologies to assist in predictive maintenance. These technologies can be utilized as means to benchmark the decision process for equipment repairs and/or replacements.

At the core of this is the basic foundation in theory of operation for refrigeration systems. We can assist you in developing a training process based on current personnel qualifications by the use of what is becoming the standard in refrigeration systems training material.

RETA (Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association) provides a complete list of topics that can be used for operator education. In addition, they have provided a clear path for operator certification in individual levels of proficiency.

The certification path can be used as documentation of the training programs and provides a means to address specific topics for future considerations. The continued emphasis on training can provide dividends in personnel safety, efficient operations, and maximum availability of the refrigeration system.