This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to determine energy transfer loads. It applies to activities which aim to resolve identified plant or process problems, such as ensuring that systems are adequate for the load, improving heat/cooling efficiency or specification of new or modified equipment.

This unit of competency applies to any heat transfer mode, including conduction, convection (forced and natural), radiation, and combined conduction/convection/ radiation. It applies to sources of heating/cooling, such as:

chemical reaction (including combustion)

water cooling

air cooling

steam heating (calculations for saturated steam only)

evaporative cooling

hot fluid (e.g. oil) heating.

This unit of competency applies to senior technicians or those in similar roles who are required to calculate heat transfer and temperature change for a plant item/plant area in order to determine heating/cooling load or efficiency or losses from/gains to the system. This may be done as a step to improve efficiency, for plant/process design/improvement or other reasons.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include the ability to:

determine the boundaries of the system to be studied

collect the required plant data from measurements, readings or calculated quantities

calculate the energy transfer loads

calculate change in heat content from exothermic/endothermic reactions relevant to the plant

conduct energy balances

report the results as required by the purpose of the energy balance.

Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:

conduction, convection and radiation

thermal properties of materials, particularly process materials

methods of heating process materials

cooling systems

energy balances

relevant process specific science.

The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.

The collection of performance evidence is best done from a report and/or folio of evidence drawn from:

a single project which provides sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria

multiple smaller projects which together provide sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria.

A third-party report, or similar, may be needed to testify to the work done by the individual, particularly when the project has been done as part of a project team.

Assessment should use a real project in an operational workplace. Where this is not possible or practical, assessment must occur using a sufficiently rigorous simulated environment reflecting 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.

Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).

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.

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

The regulatory framework will be reflected in workplace policies and procedures and is not required to be independently assessed.

Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.

Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.

In addition, the assessor or anyone acting in subject matter expert role in assessment must demonstrate both technical competency and currency. If the assessor cannot demonstrate technical competency and currency they must assess with a subject matter expert who does meet these requirements.

Technical competence can be demonstrated through one or more of:

relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment

appropriate workplace experience undertaking the type of work being assessed under routine and non-routine conditions

appropriate workplace experience supervising/evaluating the type of work being assessed under routine and non-routine conditions

Currency can be demonstrated through one or more of:

being currently employed undertaking the type of work being assessed

being employed by the organisation undertaking the type of work being assessed and having maintained currency in accordance with that organisation’s policies and procedures

having consulted/had contact with an organisation undertaking the type of work being assessed within the last twelve months, the consultation/contact being related to assessment

conducting on-the-job training/assessments of the type of work being assessed

being an active member of a relevant professional body and participating in activities relevant to the assessment of this type of work.

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Operations