Diploma in Plant Refrigeration Systems and Cold Rooms
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in plant refrigeration systems and cold rooms. 8 modules covering refrigeration thermodynamics, refrigerants and F-gas regulations, plant components, cold room design, safety of refrigeration installations, control and efficiency and commissioning and maintenance, applying Regulation (EU) 2024/573, EN 378 and Royal Decree 552/2019, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Plant Refrigeration Systems and Cold Rooms — studying from the United Kingdom
Naval and offshore engineering is a significant sector in the United Kingdom, with shipbuilding and naval programmes on the Clyde, in Portsmouth, Barrow-in-Furness and Rosyth, and offshore energy activity in Aberdeen and the North Sea. Companies such as BAE Systems Maritime, Babcock and offshore service providers employ engineers in design, construction and maintenance. Sports nautical engineering, including yacht design and marine leisure, is concentrated in the Solent and South Coast. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency regulates shipping safety, and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects supports professional standards.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £1,070 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK bodies relate to naval and marine engineering, and does SEIUM training count towards them?
Key UK bodies include the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Maritime qualifications are often regulated through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for certificates of competency. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by these bodies, so any recognition would be decided by them separately.
Will UK offshore, naval or marine employers value a private online engineering qualification?
Employers in these sectors often prioritise certified competencies, sea-going experience and regulatory certificates. A private qualification may support your application where it shows relevant technical depth, but it does not replace statutory requirements. Acceptance is for each employer to decide, so consider how the qualification complements your existing certifications.
Can I study this online from the UK alongside offshore rotations, and is language support available?
Online study can be flexible, but rotation patterns make scheduling important, so plan around your time at sea or on site. Programmes are taught entirely in English, and each learner is assigned a technical tutor. No visa is required to study from within the UK. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse refrigeration cycles and their performance.
Select refrigerants in line with fluorinated gas regulations.
Size the main components of a refrigeration plant.
Design chilled and frozen storage rooms.
Apply safety requirements to refrigeration installations.
Improve energy efficiency through control and automation.
Plan the commissioning and maintenance of the plant.
Who it's for
- Industrial refrigeration engineers.
- Certified refrigeration technicians.
- Plant maintenance managers.
- Refrigeration installation designers.
- Industrial energy auditors.
- Safety managers for ammonia installations.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into the food industry.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 2024/573 (fluorinated greenhouse gases)
- EN 378 (refrigerating systems and heat pumps, safety and environmental requirements)
- Royal Decree 552/2019 (Spanish safety regulation for refrigeration installations)
- Directive 2014/68/EU (Pressure Equipment Directive)
- ISO 817 (refrigerant designation and safety classification)
- Royal Decree 115/2017 (certification of F-gas personnel)
- Regulation (EC) 852/2004 (hygiene of foodstuffs)
- Danfoss Coolselector2
- CoolPack
- BITZER Software
- EES Engineering Equation Solver
8 modules
1.1Vapour compression cycle1.2Reading pressure-enthalpy diagrams1.3Coefficient of performance (COP)1.4Subcooling and superheat1.5Two-stage and cascade cycles1.6Transcritical CO2 cycles1.7Absorption and ammonia-water refrigeration1.8Pressure drops and their effect1.9Energy balance of the installation1.10Case study: analysis of a cycle on a p-h diagram
2.1Refrigerant classification to ISO 8172.2Natural refrigerants: ammonia, CO2 and hydrocarbons2.3HFOs and low-GWP blends2.4Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on fluorinated gases2.5Phase-down schedule and bans2.6Leak control and records2.7Certification of refrigeration personnel2.8Refrigerant recovery and recycling2.9Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol2.10Workshop: refrigerant selection for a new plant
3.1Reciprocating, screw and scroll compressors3.2Air-cooled and water-cooled condensers3.3Evaporators and flooded evaporators3.4Thermostatic and electronic expansion valves3.5Oil separators and receivers3.6Plate heat exchangers3.7Cooling towers and dry coolers3.8Piping, insulation and supports3.9Safety and relief devices3.10Practical exercise: sizing an evaporator
4.1Calculating cold room heat loads4.2Sandwich panels and vapour barriers4.3Doors, air curtains and anterooms4.4Storage and freezing temperatures4.5Relative humidity and product weight loss4.6Electric, hot-gas and water defrost4.7Heated floors to prevent frost heave4.8Controlled-atmosphere rooms4.9Air distribution and velocities4.10Workshop: load calculation for a frozen-goods room
5.1Safety regulations for refrigeration installations5.2EN 378 safety standard5.3Classification of spaces and maximum charges5.4Leak detection and alarms5.5Ammonia machinery rooms5.6Emergency ventilation5.7Pressure equipment and Directive 2014/68/EU5.8Protection of people trapped in cold rooms5.9Leak emergency plan5.10Case study: safety assessment of a machinery room
6.1Cold room and rack controllers6.2Variable-frequency drives on compressors6.3Floating head pressure control6.4Condensing heat recovery6.5Remote monitoring and alarms6.6Energy management and tariffs6.7Plant efficiency indicators6.8Refrigeration energy audits6.9Digitalisation and thermal digital twins6.10Lab: adjusting floating condensing pressure
7.1Pressure and tightness tests7.2Evacuation and refrigerant charging7.3Commissioning and adjustments7.4Preventive and predictive maintenance7.5Oil and vibration analysis7.6Diagnosing common faults7.7Mandatory periodic inspections7.8Management of critical spares7.9Logging of interventions7.10Practical exercise: diagnosing a plant with low capacity
8.1Defining cooling requirements8.2Calculating heat loads8.3Selecting the refrigerant and system8.4Sizing components8.5Designing the cold rooms8.6Control strategy8.7Safety and regulatory analysis8.8Economic and energy study8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Danfoss Coolselector2, CoolPack, BITZER Software and EES (Engineering Equation Solver), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures: heat load calculation for a cold room, tightness and vacuum testing of an installation and an energy audit of a refrigeration plant. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final project.
Standards covered: Regulation (EU) 2024/573, EN 378, Spanish Royal Decree 552/2019, Directive 2014/68/EU, ISO 817, Royal Decree 115/2017, Regulation (EC) 852/2004.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Danfoss Coolselector2, CoolPack, BITZER Software and EES, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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