Which Housing Feature Does the Job?¶
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About This MicroSim¶
A customer calls with a request, and you choose the housing feature or opening accessory that does the job. There are twelve requests, always in the same order, each with four options. The wrong options are features that share a location or a word with the right one, such as a bird screen and a safety screen, or an inlet collar and an inlet flange.
| # | Request (short) | Feature that does the job |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Look at the impeller between cleanings without opening a door | Inspection port |
| 2 | Pull the impeller without disconnecting the ducts | Pie split housing |
| 3 | Fit through a doorway smaller than the housing | 3-way split housing |
| 4 | Open the door on an insulated fan | Raised access door |
| 5 | Flexible sleeve slips over the inlet with clamps | Inlet collar |
| 6 | Part for the duct so the bolt holes match the fan inlet | Companion flange |
| 7 | Downstream duct bolts rigidly to the discharge | Outlet flange |
| 8 | Birds nest in the roof exhauster's discharge | Bird screen |
| 9 | Panel fan inlet within reach of people on a ladder | Safety screen |
| 10 | Cold air blows in through the idle wall fan at night | Backdraft damper |
| 11 | Fume exhaust must go straight up, away from the roof | Stack cap |
| 12 | No bolted seams in the scroll | Welded housing |
You get two attempts per request. A correct choice shows "✓ Correct:" and the reason. A wrong first choice does not explain the option you picked; instead a hint names the job of the right feature without naming it (for request 1: "Think of the smallest opening that still lets you see inside."). A second wrong choice reveals the answer with its reason, and the request counts as missed. After request 12, a summary lists every request with your choice, the correct option and the reason. Retry missed runs a practice round over the missed requests; it is not scored, and the first-attempt score is kept. Mastery is 10 of 12 on the first attempt.
How to Use¶
- Read the request in the speech bubble and press one of the four options (or keys 1-4).
- A correct choice turns green with a ✓. A wrong first choice is marked ✗ and a hint appears; choose again. After a second miss the right option is marked ✓.
- Press Next request (or Enter). "Requests correct: n of 12" keeps the running score, and the numbered chips show each request as ✓, ✗ or current.
- After request 12, press See summary. Read the first-attempt score, the mastery line and the list of every request (scroll the list). Press Retry missed to practice the misses, or Start over to begin again.
Keyboard: keys 1-4 choose an option, Enter goes to the next request; Tab reaches every option and button, and the summary list scrolls with the arrow keys once focused.
Data label: "Illustrative job-site requests", at the bottom left of the drawing.
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Lesson Plan¶
Learning Objective¶
The learner will classify 12 job-site requests by the housing feature or opening accessory that meets each one, choosing from four options per request (Bloom: Understand, verb: classify).
Audience¶
Adult professional development: new application engineers, sales staff, representatives and facilities staff who have read Chapter 3 through "Putting It All Together".
Duration¶
10-15 minutes
Prerequisites¶
- Welded, bolted and split housings; access door and inspection port (Chapter 3)
- Inlet collar, inlet flange, outlet flange and companion flange (Chapter 3)
- Bird and safety screens, backdraft and gravity dampers, stack cap and hood (Chapter 3)
Activities¶
- Classification (6-8 min): Answer all twelve requests. Before choosing, say which job the request needs done (view, reach in, connect, protect, close, discharge or seal).
- Review (3 min): Read the summary and the reason for every miss.
- Practice (2-4 min): Press Retry missed and answer the missed requests again.
Common Misconceptions Addressed¶
- Bird screens and safety screens are interchangeable: requests 8 and 9 offer both, and the hints separate "meant for animals" from "meant for people".
- An inspection port allows cleaning and impeller removal: request 1 pairs it with the access door.
- A collar and a flange are the same connection: requests 5 to 7 separate slip-fit from bolted.
- A backdraft damper controls airflow while the fan runs: request 10's hint, "acts only when the fan stops", corrects it.
- A split housing is only for maintenance: request 3 uses a 3-way split for a tight opening.
Assessment¶
- "Requests correct: n of 12" counts requests solved on either attempt. The summary shows "First-attempt score: n of 12" and the mastery line; mastery is 10 of 12 on the first attempt.
- The Retry missed round is practice and does not change the score. Follow up by asking the learner to write one new request for each feature they missed.
References¶
- Damper (flow) - Wikipedia article on dampers, including backdraft (gravity) dampers.
- Flange - Wikipedia article on flanged connections and companion flanges.
- FanPedia: The Fan & Blower Encyclopedia - Twin City Fan's reference on housing construction, access doors, split housings and fan accessories.