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