PE Mechanical HVAC study plan
PE Mechanical HVAC · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Thermodynamics & Psychrometrics
Define and apply the first law for open and closed systems, including steady-flow energy equations, to at least 15 practice problems.
Compute sensible and latent heat loads using enthalpy differences and mass flow rates.
Read psychrometric charts accurately to determine dry-bulb, wet-bulb, dew point, humidity ratio, and enthalpy for 10 specified state points.
Set up and solve 8 mixing and coil-process psychrometric problems using mass and energy balances.
Your checkpoint
A 20-problem thermodynamics and psychrometrics problem set scored at 80% or higher, with corrected worked solutions for every missed item.
Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems & Refrigeration Systems
Identify and compare constant-volume, variable-air-volume, and fan-coil HVAC system configurations by component and control sequence.
Calculate supply airflow, coil loads, and outdoor-air fractions for 8 air-handling unit scenarios.
Trace the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle on a pressure-enthalpy diagram and calculate evaporator load, condenser load, compressor work, and COP for 6 cycles.
Explain the function of expansion devices, compressors, and evaporators in refrigeration systems.
Your checkpoint
A one-page HVAC and refrigeration system comparison table plus 10 solved cycle/airflow problems with a scored accuracy of at least 75%.
Fluid Mechanics & Heat Transfer
Apply the Darcy-Weisbach and Hazen-Williams methods to size piping and calculate pressure drop in 8 water and duct systems.
Select pump and fan operating points from system curves and affinity laws.
Calculate conduction, convection, and radiation heat transfer rates for 10 building-envelope and equipment problems.
Compute overall heat-transfer coefficients and log-mean temperature difference for 4 heat-exchanger cases.
Your checkpoint
A formula sheet covering fluid mechanics and heat transfer with 12 fully solved representative problems, each checked against unit consistency.
Basic Engineering Practice & Refrigeration Systems
Convert units and apply engineering economics, statistics, and instrumentation concepts to 15 basic-practice questions.
Review codes, standards, and professional-practice concepts commonly tested in HVAC design.
Solve 8 refrigeration-system problems involving part-load performance, staging, and refrigerant properties.
Analyze economizer and heat-recovery refrigeration arrangements for energy performance.
Your checkpoint
A timed 40-question mixed quiz covering Domains 1 and 7, completed in 60 minutes with a score of at least 75%.
Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems & Psychrometrics
Design a complete outdoor-air, return-air, and supply-air psychrometric process for a commercial building.
Calculate coil bypass factor, apparatus dew point, and ventilation load for 6 air-handling systems.
Size ducts and select terminal devices using equal-friction and velocity methods.
Compare VAV and constant-volume system energy use under part-load conditions.
Your checkpoint
A complete HVAC air-side design calculation package for one sample commercial space, including psychrometric plot description, airflow, coil load, and duct sizing.
Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer
Calculate boiler, chiller, and heat-pump performance using thermodynamic cycles and energy balances.
Solve 10 combined heat-transfer and thermodynamics problems involving building loads and equipment.
Apply psychrometric and thermodynamic properties to estimate annual energy consumption.
Identify and correct common unit-conversion and sign-convention errors in energy calculations.
Your checkpoint
A scored 30-problem set covering Domains 2 and 5 with at least 80% accuracy and a written error log of recurring mistakes.
Fluid Mechanics & Basic Engineering Practice
Solve 15 mixed fluid-mechanics problems involving ducts, pipes, fittings, and fans.
Practice code-based and basic-engineering-practice questions under timed conditions.
Review previously missed problems from Weeks 1 through 6 and rework each to full correctness.
Build a personal quick-reference sheet limited to the most frequently used equations and unit conversions.
Your checkpoint
A timed 50-question practice exam spanning all seven domains, completed in 75 minutes with a score of at least 70%.
Thermodynamics & Psychrometrics & Fluid Mechanics & Heat Transfer & Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems & Refrigeration Systems
Complete two full-length timed practice exams under exam-like conditions.
Review every missed question and classify errors as conceptual, calculation, or unit-conversion mistakes.
Rehearse psychrometric chart use, refrigeration cycle calculations, and HVAC airflow calculations daily for 20 minutes.
Finalize a one-page exam-day reference sheet and a 10-item list of highest-risk topics.
Your checkpoint
Two completed timed practice exams with a score improvement of at least 10 percentage points between attempts and a finalized error-review log.
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 75% on the Week 2 HVAC and refrigeration deliverable, and correctly complete 8 of 10 airflow/cycle calculations.
Week 4: Pass the timed 40-question mixed quiz at 75% or higher and have a working equation sheet for Domains 1 through 7.
Week 6: Achieve at least 80% on the combined thermodynamics and heat-transfer problem set and reduce repeated error types by half.
Week 8: Score at least 75% on the final full-length practice exam and demonstrate improvement across all seven domains.