Will “Plant Operator” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔
Unknown Chance of Automation
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Job Description
Perform technical activities at power plants or individual installations necessary for the generation of power from geothermal energy sources. Monitor and control operating activities at geothermal power generation facilities and perform maintenance and repairs as necessary. Install, test, and maintain residential and commercial geothermal heat pumps.
Job Details
- The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 49-9099.01
☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Geothermal Technicians”.
Also Known As…
- Geothermal Technicians
- Operator Technician
- Operations Technician
- Mechanical Technician
- Maintenance Technician
- Maintenance Mechanic
- Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical Technician (I C & E Technician)
- Instrumentation and Electrical Technician (I & E Technician)
- Instrument and Controls Technician (I & C Technician)
- Control Room Operator (CRO)
- Control Operator
- Pump Technician
- PPO (Power Plant Operator)
- Plant Technician
- Plant Mechanic
- Plant Control Operator
- Operator
- Operations and Maintenance Technician
- Mechanic
- Ground Source Heat Pump Technician (GSHP Technician)
- Geothermal Technician
- Geothermal System Installer
- Geothermal Installer
- Geothermal HVAC Technician (Geothermal Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Technician)
- Geothermal Field Technician
- Distribution Field Technician
- Corrosion Technician
Tasks for “Plant Operator”
- Determine the type of geothermal loop system most suitable to a specific property and its heating and cooling needs.
- Design and lay out geothermal heat systems according to property characteristics, heating and cooling requirements, piping and equipment requirements, applicable regulations, or other factors.
- Operate equipment such as excavators, backhoes, rock hammers, trench compactors, pavement saws, grout mixers or pumps, geothermal loop reels, and coil tubing units (CTU).
- Apply coatings or operate systems to mitigate corrosion of geothermal plant equipment or structures.
- Adjust power production systems to meet load and distribution demands.
- Identify equipment options, such as compressors, and make appropriate selections.
- Prepare and maintain logs, reports, or other documentation of work performed.
- Install and maintain geothermal plant electrical protection equipment.
- Install and maintain geothermal system instrumentation or controls.
- Monitor and adjust operations of geothermal power plant equipment or systems.
- Collect and record data associated with operating geothermal power plants or well fields.
- Weld piping, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) piping, using techniques such as butt, socket, side-wall, and electro-fusion welding.
- Identify and correct malfunctions of geothermal plant equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation, or controls.
- Perform pre- and post-installation pressure, flow, and related tests of vertical and horizontal geothermal loop piping.
- Maintain electrical switchgear, process controls, transmitters, gauges, and control equipment in accordance with geothermal plant procedures.
- Prepare newly installed geothermal heat systems for operation by flushing, purging, or other actions.
- Determine whether emergency or auxiliary systems will be needed to keep properties heated or cooled in extreme weather conditions.
- Integrate hot water heater systems with geothermal heat exchange systems.
- Dig trenches for system piping to appropriate depths and lay piping in trenches.
- Calculate heat loss and heat gain factors for residential properties to determine heating and cooling required by installed geothermal systems.
- Maintain, calibrate, or repair plant instrumentation, control, and electronic devices in geothermal plants.
- Backfill piping trenches to protect pipes from damage.
- Test water sources for factors such as flow volume and contaminant presence.
- Install, maintain, or repair ground or water source-coupled heat pumps to heat and cool residential or commercial building air or water.
Related Technology & Tools
- Well drilling rigs
- Channel lock pliers
- Claw hammers
- Pipe squeeze off tools
- Laptop computers
- Phillips head screwdrivers
- Coil tubing units
- Grout pumps
- Depth meters
- Butt fusion machines
- Pipe cutters
- Tracked excavators
- Air wrenches
- Straight screwdrivers
- Pavement saws
- Valve wrenches
- Adjustable pipe wrenches
- Programmable logic controllers PLC
- Protective respirators
- Desktop computers
- Safety gloves
- Grout mixers
- Portable welding equipment
- Pyrometers
- Deburring tools
- Alignment clamps
- Safety glasses
- Wire cutters
- Air monitoring equipment
- Personal computers
- Socket wrench sets
- Trench compacters
- Wire strippers
- Adjustable hand wrenches
- Ratchet sets
- Microsoft Word
- WaterFurnace International Ground Loop Design PREMIER
- Thermal Dynamics Ground Loop Design GLD
- SAP
- Distributed control system DCS
- Microsoft Office
- ClimateMaster GeoDesigner
- Geothermal Properties Measurement Tool
- Microsoft Excel
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Email software