One of the working experiences that I have gained in the past is working at a power station. Before my appointment, I undertook a two-year course on electrical power at a college in the city of Juail. My specialization was mainly the startup and shutdown processes of desalination and production, as well as the boot partition. The electrical program lasted for two years, after which I applied for the job at the power station.
My initial appointment was as a local thermal operator, a position I held for three years. I was involved in the operation of steam turbines in the production of electricity. My responsibilities included operating a boiler and steam turbine systems. This work requires one to have the technical know-how on how to operate various systems with complicated sequences such as the Instrument Air System, the Air System, the Feed Water System, Dust Collector System, and the Fuel Oil System.
I spent the next three years at the power station working as a steam turbine unit system operator. This system consists of the Cooling Air System, the Lubricating Oil System, and the Hydraulic Oil System. My duties entailed coordinating the operations of the various systems and making the necessary diagnostics tests to avoid system malfunctions (Flynn 9).
In 2009, I was promoted to work at the thermal control room. My key responsibilities included overseeing the boiler and steam startup and shutdown procedures. During startups, I had to ensure that all the valves, super vents, and drains were open. I also ensured that all pumps had been started and that there was sufficient de-aeration. Also, I ensured that the boiler heated up to the recommended degree of hold and that the drum vents were shut to the recommended pressure.
My other key role was to ensure that proper procedure was followed while shutting down the boiler to avoid settling of suspended matter on tubes and drums, forming dry deposits. This calls for extensive mechanical and chemical cleaning.
One of the key requirements for a thermal control operator room is that he or she should possess good reaction and action time to solve power station problems (Employment Ontario 3). In the control room, it is the responsibility of the operator to monitor alarms from local sensors and transmitters using computer applications. As such, an operator should always be alert in case an alarm registers on the screen. I worked in the control room for nearly four years and during this time, I gained valuable experience as a thermal control operator.
Due to my constant hunger for more knowledge in my area of training, I enrolled in various training programs and workshops where I earned several certificates and valuable experience. Consequently, I was promoted to the position of the shift supervisor, a position I held for three years. Again, this proved to be a chance for me to gain important experience in power station operating systems.
My responsibility was to oversee all the operations of the units in both the local area and the control room. I was also charged with the responsibility of giving instructions to local operators and control room operators, in addition to ensuring that they were followed correctly. This position calls for an individual with good reaction time, especially in case of an emergency.
Works Cited
Employment Ontario 2009, Power Systems and Power Station Operators. 2013. Web.
Flynn, Damian. Thermal Power Plant Simulation and Control, London, IET. Print.