Expert steam and boiler operations and maintenance service provider AES is very focused on safety, quality, technology advancement and the development of human capital. As such, the company invests heavily in training and the promotion of talented people on an equal opportunity basis into the industrial operations environment.
An AES training supervisor responsible for developing capacity from within.
“Essentially, retaining skilled people is the main mechanism through which we deliver value to our clients. For this reason – and notwithstanding ensuring that all the right systems and technology are in place - it is ultimately our human resources which make a significant daily difference on site,” says Dennis Williams, AES Commercial Director.
Further to this, throughout manufacturing and in many vertical industry sectors, boiler operators are typically in short supply - and different skills are needed for specific boiler technologies.
Specific skills for boiler technologies
Less intervention is required for gas- or liquid fuel-fired boilers, as the fuel has a very narrow range of specification variability. However, using coal or biomass as a fuel source is a completely different scenario, Williams emphasises: “That is because one is dealing with a non-uniform fuel. One minute, moisture is low, and particle size is large. The next, moisture is high, and particle size is smaller. Even with modern boiler control systems, manual interventions that go beyond an automated fuel feed system are required.”
Operators must ensure that, after delivery, fuel is moved to a bunker, that the fuel transfer system, whether it is a coal screw or a conveyor, is constantly loaded, and that there are no interruptions on transfer to the boiler. Operators must also see that fuel gets into the hopper, that there is no bridging in the hopper and that it reaches the furnace for combustion.
However, the real skill kicks in when optimising operations, and Williams notes that tweaks are necessary: “Operators must continually check operating parameters visually and with instrumentation, ensuring that combustion is optimised, and thus ensuring steam pressure is maintained efficiently.”
Automatic settings cannot always ensure optimal boiler efficiency, especially in response to rapid changes in steam demand. “However, a skilled operator knows when to alter the bed depth, adjust the furnace draught or whether the distribution of air throughout the furnace needs to be adjusted,” Williams adds.
Developing capacity from within
He says that AES focuses on developing capacity from within, by selecting employees with the right attributes to be good boiler operators. Exceptional employees become ‘float operators’, moving from site to site, operating different boilers and even becoming training officers, sharing both theoretical and practical knowledge across the business.
“Typically, we use boiler operator assistants to help our operators on site, with a view to elevating them to become boiler operators-in-training. When an opportunity arises, they can then be promoted. That way, we have a constant flow of semi-skilled and skilled boiler staff being developed across our many operational sites.”
Boosting boiler operations
AES has a strong skills pool, and an advanced, in-depth knowledge of most boiler configurations. “There are common principles when it comes to control systems, operation, thermodynamics and effective combustion principles. We therefore ensure that our management team and our operations and maintenance teams are up to speed with these, and with new boiler technology,” says Williams.
However, AES’s commitment to supporting clients’ boiler operations does not stop there, as a recent boiler installation in Johannesburg recently demonstrated. When the company tasked with commissioning the boilers failed to do so, AES’s technical and projects teams spent three weeks on site to assist. With a thorough understanding of boiler operations, AES could provide skilled resources required to get the commissioning done successfully.
The company also retains organisational knowledge by ensuring this is documented in detailed training manuals. Training on boiler technologies, occupational safety and other statutory requirements is ongoing, and includes annual evaluation and three yearly re-certification of operators across different tiers – all while the company is continuously developing new boiler skills.
In this way, Williams says that AES strives to remain abreast of the latest in global boiler technology, and also to remain ahead of market demands. Often, this means partnering with clients - as was the case recently, with a company in the food sector.
Over the past six years, on behalf of this client, AES has investigated various boiler technologies and fuel sources, travelling globally to amass information and expertise. “As and when the above require local implementation, AES can manage this process, ensuring it translates into operational and productivity improvements for our client.
The high-level resources within the client’s own technical and project teams are assured of a partner in AES that can deliver on the client’s needs,” Williams concludes.
AES is ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certified, ensuring that the company maintains a focus on achieving, benchmarking and optimising its processes and activities.
