The skills set around controls is an area which is lacking and needs attention on a national level. Identifying the problem and looking at the need has resulted in ACRA and Danfoss joining forces to present courses in control systems.

Victor Santos from Danfoss, and Grant Laidlaw from ACRA, have set up the training which will take place at ACRA in Edenvale. The training will follow the norms of competency-based training. This requires a full theoretical as well as a practical training element. Danfoss has installed a fully operational unit on one of the training centers units for this purpose. The training curriculum and assessment is linked to unit standards on the national qualifications frame work and as such, has a credit value towards a national certificate.

The courses will be registered with MERSETA as a skills program.

The course curriculum encompasses:

• Basic Control Course

• Basic Temperature Control

• Basic Compressor Control

• Basic evaporator control

• Pressure & Temperature Sensors

• Electronic Expansion Valve

The student should have basic knowledge around the refrigeration system, refrigeration cycle, and basic electrical aspects to enroll in the controls course.

The outcomes are:

• How to control the refrigeration system with an EKC 202D temperature controller.

• How to control a compressor with unloaders and condenser fans with an EKC 331 / 331T compressor capacity controller.

• How to differentiate between Pt, Ptc & Ntc temperature sensors.

• How to differentiate between AKS 32R, AKS 32 & AKS 33 pressure transmitters and their pressure ranges.

• The fundamentals of an injection valve type AKV 10 / 15 / 20

• How to correctly select the injection expansion valve.

• How to correctly place the temperature & pressure sensors in the evaporator and on the suction pipe.

• How to control the evaporator having an injection valve installed with an EKC 414 A1.

• Identify and select an appropriate electronic control for a specific application

For the advanced control course the student needs to have completed the basic control course.

Advanced Control Course

• Communication Installations

• HACCP Reports

• Monitoring and control system

The outcomes are:

• Communication protocols & correct installation of communication cables.

• The fundamentals and importance of HACCP reports as required in the food industry.

• The use of the monitoring system type AK SM 350, to generate HACCP reports and control the refrigeration plant.

• The fundamentals of a variable speed drive.

• How to correctly select a variable speed drive type AKD for compressors and/or condenser fans.

• Correct installation and programming of the variable speed drive. ◊