Thanks Mark! Each of these projects forces me to learn new stuff that goes way beyond the model being produced. I did spend 6 years working as the training manager at a process instrument company, Fischer & Porter (long gone, absorbed by other companies). All of the controls surrounding the boiler I have a pretty good understand, albeit needing some refreshing. In 1983, I sponsored a project in ARCO Chemical (another company that was absorbed), in creating a mini-computer driver automated power boiler simulator. These were old manual boilers that ran a fully equipped steam turbine power house. They were completely manual. There were investing in a mega-buck modernization which included full digital control. We were able to get management to spring for the simulation which gave all the operators something to do and learn while the construction was going on. The new system started and ran perfectly. Notice I said "mini-computer", Varian to be exact. The PC was around for another couple of years.
In the same company, they were building an 85 million dollar catalytic reformer at the Lyondell Petrochemical Plant. Incidentally, Lyondell was owned by ARCO Chemical (which was a division of Atlantic Richfield). After Atlantic Richfield spun off Lyondell, Lyondell ending up buying ARCO Chemical. Anyway, there was several million dollars worth of platinum catalyst in this very large unit (about 80X80X80 feet). I suggested and fought for a simulator to train operators on heat balancing the unit. If hot spots developed the catalyst would be burned and ruined. The project team rejected the idea and didn't want to spend the $100k it would have cost. Two months after start up they overheated the reformer and destroyed the entire catalyst load. In retrospect, the VP of operations remarked to me after I explained that a simulator was available to have trained them prior to start up, that for 100 grand I could have forestalled a 2.5 million lost? He wasn't happy. All these experiences create the people we are today.
