Industrial Drying Systems, Steam Ironers, and Combustion Utilities

This course prepares commercial laundry technicians to service, diagnose, and optimize industrial drying and flatwork finishing systems. Students examine the mechanical, electrical, and thermal fundamentals of large-scale tumble dryers, flatwork ironers, and associated heating utilities. Core topics include atmospheric and forced-draft gas burners, flame rectification systems, gas valve trains, and combustion efficiency tuning. The curriculum addresses high-pressure steam distribution, thermal fluid heating, roll chest clearances, padding replacement, and steam trap diagnostics. Technicians study airflow dynamics, lint containment networks, and safety interlocks, learning to calculate exhaust velocity and heat transfer rates using fluid flow principles. Through practical diagnostics, students calibrate safety limit devices, analyze flue gas metrics, and resolve mechanical tracking faults in heavy-duty commercial environments. Emphasis is placed on industrial workplace safety, thermal efficiency, preventative maintenance routines, and diagnostic troubleshooting methodologies without reliance on proprietary manufacturer tooling.

InstructorJacob Calhoun

Prerequisites

LND 101

Course outline

Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.

01Lesson 1: Industrial Tumble Dryer Principles and Airflow Dynamicslecture

02Lesson 2: Gas Burner Train Configurations and Safety Interlockslecture

03Lesson 3: Ignition Systems, Flame Rectification, and Combustion Controlslecture

04Hands-on Lab: Gas Burner Setup, Manometer Pressure Checks, and Flue Gas Analysislab

05Lesson 5: Dryer Mechanical Drive Systems, Trunnions, and Blower Assemblieslecture

06Lesson 6: Lint Collection Systems, Exhaust Duct Sizing, and Static Pressure Balancelecture

07Lesson 7: Steam-Heated Drying Coils, Traps, and Condensate Return Lineslecture

08Hands-on Lab: Steam Trap Inspection, Coil Testing, and Thermal Imaging Diagnosticslab

09Lesson 9: Commercial Flatwork Ironer Mechanics and Chest Heating Fundamentalslecture

10Lesson 10: Ironer Roll Pressure, Gap Alignment, and Padding Maintenancelecture

11Hands-on Lab: Ironer Chest Cleaning, Waxing, and Feed Ribbon Replacementlab

12Lesson 12: Thermal Fluid and Direct-Gas Heated Ironer Systemslecture

13Lesson 13: Emergency Stops, Thermal Overload Limits, and Preventative Maintenance Routineslecture

14Capstone Service Project: Multi-Equipment Thermal and Mechanical Overhaulassignment

Syllabus

["Week 1: Lesson 1: Industrial Tumble Dryer Principles and Airflow Dynamics", "Week 2: Lesson 2: Gas Burner Train Configurations and Safety Interlocks", "Week 3: Lesson 3: Ignition Systems, Flame Rectification, and Combustion Controls", "Week 4: Hands-on Lab: Gas Burner Setup, Manometer Pressure Checks, and Flue Gas Analysis", "Week 5: Lesson 5: Dryer Mechanical Drive Systems, Trunnions, and Blower Assemblies", "Week 6: Lesson 6: Lint Collection Systems, Exhaust Duct Sizing, and Static Pressure Balance", "Week 7: Lesson 7: Steam-Heated Drying Coils, Traps, and Condensate Return Lines", "Week 8: Hands-on Lab: Steam Trap Inspection, Coil Testing, and Thermal Imaging Diagnostics", "Week 9: Lesson 9: Commercial Flatwork Ironer Mechanics and Chest Heating Fundamentals", "Week 10: Lesson 10: Ironer Roll Pressure, Gap Alignment, and Padding Maintenance", "Week 11: Hands-on Lab: Ironer Chest Cleaning, Waxing, and Feed Ribbon Replacement", "Week 12: Lesson 12: Thermal Fluid and Direct-Gas Heated Ironer Systems", "Week 13: Lesson 13: Emergency Stops, Thermal Overload Limits, and Preventative Maintenance Routines", "Week 14: Capstone Service Project: Multi-Equipment Thermal and Mechanical Overhaul"]