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”
- Calculate heat loss and heat gain factors for residential properties to determine heating and cooling required by installed geothermal systems.
- Integrate hot water heater systems with geothermal heat exchange systems.
- Install, maintain, or repair ground or water source-coupled heat pumps to heat and cool residential or commercial building air or water.
- Determine the type of geothermal loop system most suitable to a specific property and its heating and cooling needs.
- Collect and record data associated with operating geothermal power plants or well fields.
- Adjust power production systems to meet load and distribution demands.
- Determine whether emergency or auxiliary systems will be needed to keep properties heated or cooled in extreme weather conditions.
- Prepare and maintain logs, reports, or other documentation of work performed.
- Weld piping, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) piping, using techniques such as butt, socket, side-wall, and electro-fusion welding.
- Maintain, calibrate, or repair plant instrumentation, control, and electronic devices in geothermal plants.
- Apply coatings or operate systems to mitigate corrosion of geothermal plant equipment or structures.
- 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).
- Dig trenches for system piping to appropriate depths and lay piping in trenches.
- Backfill piping trenches to protect pipes from damage.
- Identify and correct malfunctions of geothermal plant equipment, electrical systems, instrumentation, or controls.
- Install and maintain geothermal system instrumentation or controls.
- Prepare newly installed geothermal heat systems for operation by flushing, purging, or other actions.
- Identify equipment options, such as compressors, and make appropriate selections.
- Test water sources for factors such as flow volume and contaminant presence.
- Install and maintain geothermal plant electrical protection equipment.
- Monitor and adjust operations of geothermal power plant equipment or systems.
- 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.
Related Technology & Tools
- Portable welding equipment
- Socket wrench sets
- Programmable logic controllers PLC
- Pipe cutters
- Butt fusion machines
- Coil tubing units
- Wire cutters
- Wire strippers
- Laptop computers
- Trench compacters
- Pipe squeeze off tools
- Desktop computers
- Grout pumps
- Air monitoring equipment
- Phillips head screwdrivers
- Valve wrenches
- Tracked excavators
- Air wrenches
- Grout mixers
- Pyrometers
- Deburring tools
- Alignment clamps
- Protective respirators
- Safety glasses
- Ratchet sets
- Depth meters
- Pavement saws
- Adjustable pipe wrenches
- Adjustable hand wrenches
- Safety gloves
- Well drilling rigs
- Straight screwdrivers
- Personal computers
- Claw hammers
- Channel lock pliers
- WaterFurnace International Ground Loop Design PREMIER
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- ClimateMaster GeoDesigner
- Geothermal Properties Measurement Tool
- Thermal Dynamics Ground Loop Design GLD
- Distributed control system DCS
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Email software
- Microsoft Excel
- SAP