Engineers join worldwide competition

By Mike Mellon

mell0032@algonquincollege.com

Third-year mechanical engineering students will be representing Algonquin College while competing against schools from around the world at the American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineer’s (ASHRAE) annual design competition.

Norm Sargant, Jon Bloomquist and Matt Desjardins, who will all be graduating at the end of this semester, are in the process of designing an innovative, sustainable and energy efficient heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system capable of servicing a 15,000+ sq. ft. building, set in Nashville, Tenn. as part of their end of the year project. This is the first time students from Algonquin have participated in the competition.

 “Everything we’ve been doing so far has been self- taught,” Bloomquist says. The students have never before done anything quite like this when it comes to HVAC system design and they are learning as they go.

Both Desjardins and Bloomquist will be traveling to Chicago, Ill. on Jan. 22, to an International Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration expo.  More than 1,700 presenters, including companies like Siemens and Carrier, will be present to showcase new equipment and trade techniques. The expo will give the students an opportunity to get a feel for what they’re doing and to ask the industry’s leading professionals their expert opinions.

To help cover the costs of the project, the Ontario Centers for Excellence (OCE) have given the group an opportunity to present a business proposal on their design. Depending on the quality of their proposal the OCE is prepared to give the students a grant of up to $3,500 to cover their design expenses.

Desjardins, the project lead, is responsible for presenting the business proposal and is the group’s official liaison to the different Ottawa area companies they’re working with.

Bloomquist says that they have had a hard time getting the proper books and software but that next year’s students who wish to enter in the competition will have a much easier time. “They’ll have the same amount of money with no setup,” he said.

The class groups must be finished their end of the year projects by April 9, which is the same day they will be presenting in the cafeteria.

First place receives $1,500 plus a representative of the team will receive free transportation, two nights stay and $100 in expenses for attendance at ASHRAE’s 2010 winter meeting in Orlando, Fla., where the award will be presented.

 “We’re looking to get the most out of this as we can, we’re looking at this as a learning experience,” Bloomquist says. “We’re looking to get it done, do it well and place.”