AIRAH has taken over responsibility for the Australian Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning (ARAC) Manuals Volumes 1 and 2, which were first released in 1988 as the country’s primary resource for training the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) industry.
Authored by Graham Boyle, the Australian Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Manual (Volumes 1 and 2) covers everything from the basic principles of refrigeration through to equipment, tools, principles, systems, testing, load estimating, installation, maintenance and commissioning.
Now published by AIRAH, the Manual combines coverage of both new trends and industry fundamentals. Adopting a new full-colour format for its latest edition.AIRAH CEO, Tony Gleeson, said it also includes helpful images that make for easier reading and understanding.
“Providing quality technical resources and access to knowledge is one of AIRAH’s most important reasons for being,” he said.
“The ARAC Manual represents possibly the most complete TAFE training resource available for our industry. So it makes sense to include it as part of our already comprehensive library of technical manuals and guides.
"The ARAC Manual will doubtless continue to help improve the industry’s skills and capability into the future.”
The revised fifth edition of the ARAC Manual reflects the industry’s increased focus on efficiency and sustainability, as well as including updates on technologies.
“With refrigeration and air conditioning so widely integrated into our lives, it would be unthinkable to significantly reduce – let alone remove – society’s reliance on it,” according to the manual’s author, and a long-time AIRAH member of influence Graham Boyle.
“So, the industry has no option but to seek greater efficiency and overall sustainability. Sustainability has become a key measure in so many things society does, and our industry must reflect this concern in the way we go about our work.”
Volume 1 provides an in-depth coverage of industry basics in terms of principles and equipment.
According to Boyle, the requirement for technicians and the designers to apply these basic HVAC&R principles to achieve a more efficient and sustainable outcome has never been greater.
In Volume 2, the factors that affect the efficient operation of refrigeration and air conditioning plant and equipment are investigated.
This covers the explanation of the pressure-enthalpy diagram and psychrometric chart as key diagnostic tools to help maintain peak efficiency. It also explains service and maintenance techniques, as well as heat-load calculations and the selection of equipment based on those calculations.
Also included is an overview of air conditioning systems, and a detailed look at piping design. With its focus on sustainability and energy efficiency, as well being a powerful educational tool, AIRAH's executive manager of government relations and technical services, Phil Wilkinson, said taking ownership of the ARAC Manual aligns well with AIRAH’s own strategic aims and focus areas.
“We are delighted to bring one of Australia’s foremost resources for training in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry into the AIRAH fold," he said.
The fifth edition of the Australian Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning (ARAC) Manual is available for purchase at www.airah.org/ARAC