Commercial Refrigeration Systems and Ice Machine Service
This advanced course delivers specialized diagnostic and service training on commercial foodservice refrigeration systems and automated ice machines. Adult learners analyze the fundamentals of the vapor-compression cycle across reach-in cabinets, prep tables, walk-in coolers, and rapid-chill units. Instruction emphasizes electro-mechanical control circuits, thermostatic expansion devices, evaporator fan delays, hot gas bypass operations, and the critical influence of incoming water chemistry on machine performance. Technicians evaluate batch and continuous ice makers, including cubers, flakers, and nugget dispensers, focusing on harvest cycle initiation, mechanical bin switches, and optical sensors. Through systematic fault tracing, electrical schematic reading, and preventative maintenance routines, students develop diagnostic proficiency for high-demand commercial kitchen environments. Hands-on laboratory sessions reinforce safe refrigerant recovery, deep evacuation, component replacement, and operational testing under varying ambient thermal loads, culminating in an integrated capstone service project.
InstructorJacob CalhounCourse outline
Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.
Syllabus
["Week 1: Lesson 1: Commercial Refrigeration Fundamentals and System Thermodynamics", "Week 2: Lesson 2: Metering Devices, Evaporators, and Temperature Control Schemes", "Week 3: Lesson 3: Reach-in Cabinets, Prep Tables, and Condensate Management", "Week 4: Hands-on Lab: Refrigerant Recovery, Deep Evacuation, and System Charging", "Week 5: Lesson 5: Walk-in Coolers, Freezers, and Defrost Controls", "Week 6: Lesson 6: Ice Making Principles: Batch Cubers vs. Continuous Flakers", "Week 7: Lesson 7: Water Distribution Systems, Filtration, and Harvest Initiation", "Week 8: Hands-on Lab: Ice Machine Descaling, Sanitation, and Sensor Calibration", "Week 9: Lesson 9: Hot Gas Bypass, Reversing Valves, and Harvest Assist Components", "Week 10: Lesson 10: Blast Chillers, Cold Food Wells, and Temperature Logging", "Week 11: Hands-on Lab: Control Board Troubleshooting and Electrical Tracing", "Week 12: Lesson 12: Airflow Optimization, Condenser Maintenance, and Ambient Thermal Loads", "Week 13: Lesson 13: Preventative Maintenance Protocols and Food Safety Compliance", "Week 14: Capstone Service Project: Comprehensive System Overhaul and Commissioning"]