Events and Exhibitions
WORLDSKILLS SA
CHOOSES NATIONAL
REFRIGERATION CHAMPION
By Ilana Koegelenberg
The 2019 national WorldSkills SA (WSSA) competition took place in
Durban from 23-25 February, where among all the other skills, six
refrigeration artisans battled it out for the opportunity to represent their
country at the 2019 Kazan, Russia international competition in August.
T
David La Grange
of Airvent
working on
what would be
crowned the
winning project.
he WSSA competition is about celebrating the talent
of young artisans in the country; and showcasing
how key the artisanal sector is to the country’s economy.
Approximately 120 participants from public Technical and
Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges, Private
Colleges, Universities of Technology and industry competed
in 21 skill areas.
In addition, the competition will attract over 4 000 high
school learners from schools around the KwaZulu-Natal
province for the National Artisan Career Festival, which was
held at the same time.
This was the third WSSA competition hosted by the
Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and
deputy minister Buti Manamela officially opened the event.
Hennie Basson of
Coldfact Projects
(one of the judges)
congratulating
David La Grange
(left) for his win.
26
PROJECT
RACA Journal I June 2019
This year, the project was a novel innovation to produce
potable water. The contestants in the refrigeration
category had to assemble and commission a small water
harvesting unit which extracts water vapour from ambient
air. Designed by Kovco, the unit with a 7.33kWR rotary
compressor has a 24-hour output of approximately 100ℓ of
water collected in a stainless steel drip pan.
For compliance with food safety regulations, the
direct expansion evaporator coil has copper fins while
the condenser coil and preheat coil has aluminium fins,
manufactured by Thermocoil.
Unlike the unit at the competition, the mass-produced
unit has a filtration system and UV sterilisation to render
the water fit for human consumption.
After piping up and connecting the electrics, the
contestants had to charge the system with R407C.
Electric panel was preassembled by Kovco.
www.hvacronline.co.za