Perform a power boiler day shift with an opacity watch

You are a trainee Boiler Operator working under the supervision of the licensed operator.

Simulated workplaceIntermediate missionCAQA Riverside Pulp and Paper

What is going on

The power boiler is supplying steam to the paper machine and the turbine on a normal production day. Yesterday's opacity peaked at 18 per cent during sootblowing against a licence limit of 20 per cent, and the supervisor wants the sootblowing sequence staggered. A steam leak on a drain valve gland at the turbine end was repaired under permit last week and the work order is complete. During your shift the low water alarm test is due, the water chemistry tests are due, and the feed pump 2 bearing is on the lubrication schedule. Part way through the shift the drum level drops and a low water alarm sounds.

Anke Visser, Utilities and Maintenance Manager
Subject: Boiler shift with Deepak, opacity watch

You are shadowing Deepak on the power boiler on day shift and I want you to run the routine yourself under his supervision. Complete the handover, the walk-down, the hourly readings, the low water alarm test and the water chemistry tests, and record all of it in the shift log and the environmental log. Opacity peaked at 18 per cent during sootblowing yesterday against a limit of 20, so stagger the sootblowing sequence and record the readings. Raise a work order for any defect you find.

Your brief

Complete the full shift routine under the Power Boiler Operations and Monitoring Procedure, manage combustion to keep opacity within limits during sootblowing, respond correctly to the low water alarm, complete operator preventative maintenance, and record every reading, test and event in the Production Shift Log and the Environmental Discharge and Emissions Log.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

Read the Power Boiler Operations and Monitoring Procedure and list the shift routine, the abnormal condition responses and the handover requirements.
Write the handover and walk-down record for the start of shift, noting the alarm summary, live permits, the repaired drain valve and any housekeeping issue.
Record hourly drum level, steam pressure, feedwater flow, excess oxygen and opacity readings for the shift as a table, including the staggered sootblowing periods.
Describe your response to the low water alarm step by step, including how you confirmed the level, what you did with feedwater and the point at which you would trip the boiler, and record the event.
Record the low water alarm test and the water chemistry test results in the shift log and state what each result means for boiler operation.
Complete the operator preventative maintenance checklist including feed pump 2 bearing lubrication, and raise a maintenance work order for any defect found during the walk-down.
Create Environmental Discharge and Emissions Log records for opacity during the two sootblowing periods and state the action you took to keep readings under the limit.
Write the end of shift handover to the incoming operator, including the abnormal event and its status.

My notes: what did I enjoy, and what surprised me?

What someone in this role would produce

Start of shift handover and walk-down record
Hourly readings table
Written response to the low water alarm
Operator preventative maintenance checklist and any work order
Environmental log records and end of shift handover

Printing this is a record of what you explored. It is not a certificate or a qualification.