Application

This unit of competency defines the skills and knowledge required to perform maintenance procedures and/or repairs on cooling towers or evaporative condensers, associated equipment and controls to ensure performance to relevant Australian Standards, regulations and codes.

Cooling towers and evaporative condensers form an integral part of the refrigeration system in commercial, industrial and air conditioning fields. The towers, condensers, centrifugal water pumps, fans, valves and controls comprise the maintenance/repair work skills relevant to this field and must be assessed in this context.

Where the refitting or repair/replacement of components involves the fabrication and installation of pipework and assemblies then unit MEM10010 Install pipework and pipework assemblies should also be selected.

Where water treatment only is required then unit MEM13007 Maintain water treatment systems for cooling towers should be selected.

Where rectification, modification involving electrical disconnection and reconnection is required unit MEM18049 Disconnect/reconnect fixed wired equipment up to 1000 volts a.c./1500 volts d.c. should also be selected.

There is legislation, regulation and codes of practice for cooling towers in each jurisdiction. Relevant material should be referenced.

What You'll Learn

Assessment Requirements

Performance Evidence

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least two (2) occasions and include:

following work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and safe work practices

identifying and interpreting charts, lists, catalogues, specifications, drawings and relevant legislation with respect to maintaining and repairing cooling towers/evaporative condensers and associated equipment

selecting and using appropriate tools, techniques and test equipment necessary to check and assess components for correct operation and conformance against specifications

carrying out preventative maintenance according to manufacturers’ specifications using refrigeration techniques/practices

identifying and localising faulty components and confirming malfunction by inspection/testing, and making required adjustments to achieve specifications

removing the refrigerant from the system and containing in accordance with procedures and regulatory requirements, where required

removing/dismantling and reassembling faulty components and selecting replacement parts from manufacturers’ catalogues to meet the required specifications

undertaking calculations and numerical operations associated with maintaining and repairing cooling towers/evaporative condensers and associated equipment

charging the system and verifying correct operation of the equipment to meet specifications, where required

completing all maintenance records/reports in accordance with SOPs.

Knowledge Evidence

Evidence required to demonstrate the required knowledge for this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

safe work practices and procedures and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

terminology of cooling towers

psychrometrics

measuring instruments/equipment, specifications and procedures for checking temperature/humidity/air flow

operation of centrifugal water pumps

terminology of centrifugal water pumps

field testing centrifugal pumps

operation of water valves including bypass valve either mechanical or electrical operation

procedures for testing of fan motors and operation of controls

tools, techniques, equipment and procedures for performing preventative maintenance on cooling towers/evaporative condensers and sequence of implementation

procedures for safely removing the refrigerant and charging the system, including all legislative and regulatory requirements

tools, techniques, test equipment and procedures for dismantling, repairing, reassembling and testing components

V belts

measuring instruments/equipment, specifications and procedures for checking component noise and vibration levels

process to select replacement parts

specifications, operational characteristics and process for identifying system components

process for localising and confirming faulty components

procedures for reporting non-conformances and completing maintenance records/service reports.

Assessment Conditions

Assessors must:

have vocational competency in maintaining and repairing cooling towers/evaporative condensers and associated equipment at least to the level being assessed with relevant industry knowledge and experience

satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015 or its replacement and comply with the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011, its replacement or equivalent legislation covering VET regulation in a non-referring state/territory as the case requires

Where possible assessment must occur in operational workplace situations. Where this is not possible or where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors, assessment must occur in a sufficiently rigorous simulated environment that reflects realistic operational workplace conditions. This must cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills

Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Foundation Skills

• text: This section describes those required skills (reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy) that are essential to workplace performance in this unit of competency. Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Prerequisite Units

• {'code': 'MEM05006', 'title': 'Perform brazing and/or silver soldering'}
• {'code': 'MEM09002', 'title': 'Interpret technical drawing'}
• {'code': 'MEM11011', 'title': 'Undertake manual handling'}
• {'code': 'MEM12002', 'title': 'Perform electrical/electronic measurement'}
• {'code': 'MEM12023', 'title': 'Perform engineering measurements'}
• {'code': 'MEM12024', 'title': 'Perform computations'}
• {'code': 'MEM13015', 'title': 'Work safely and effectively in manufacturing and engineering'}
• {'code': 'MEM14006', 'title': 'Plan work activities'}
• {'code': 'MEM16006', 'title': 'Organise and communicate information'}
• {'code': 'MEM18001', 'title': 'Use hand tools'}
• {'code': 'MEM18002', 'title': 'Use power tools/hand held operations'}
• {'code': 'MEM18055', 'title': 'Dismantle, replace and assemble engineering components'}
• {'code': 'MEM18086', 'title': 'Test, recover, evacuate and charge refrigeration systems'}
• {'code': 'MEM18088', 'title': 'Maintain and repair commercial air conditioning systems and components'}
• {'code': 'MEM18094', 'title': 'Service and repair commercial refrigeration'}

Parent Qualifications

• MEM40119 — Certificate IV in Engineering
  MEM

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• MEM04030 — Develop and manufacture propeller patterns
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• MEM03002 — Perform precision assembly
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• MEM18090 — Maintain and repair industrial refrigeration systems and components
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• MEM16008 — Interact with computing technology
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