17431 version 3

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Operate condensers and vacuum raising equipment from a thermal electricity generation control room

Level / 5
Credits / 6

PurposePeople credited with this standard are able to: demonstrate knowledge of condensers and vacuum raising systems; operate and monitor condensers and vacuum raising systems; and identify and respond to deviations in condensers and vacuum raising equipment operations.

Subfield / Electricity Supply
Domain / Electricity Supply - Thermal Operations and Control
Status / Registered
Status date / 23 October 2001
Date version published / 25 June 2007
Planned review date / 31 December 2008
Entry information / Recommended: National Certificate in Energy and Chemical Plant (Process Operation) (Level 4) with optional strands in Refrigeration, Steam Generation, Ancillary Operations, Geothermal, Waste Treatment, and Co-generation [Ref:0141]; National Certificate in Electricity Supply (Thermal Plant Operator) (Level 4) with strands in Thermal Operations, Combined Cycle Operations, and Co-generation Operations [Ref: 0894]; Unit 17434, Operate circulated cooling water systems from a thermal electricity generation control room; and Unit 17428, Operate steam raising equipment from a thermal electricity generation control room; or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB) / Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0120

This AMAP can be accessed at

Special notes

1This unit standard is intended for, but not restricted to, workplace assessment. The range statements within the unit standard can be applied according to industry specific equipment, procedures and processes.

2Safety of personnel and plant must be a priority throughout the assessment. If the safety requirements are not met the assessment must stop and the candidate will be assessed as not yet competent.

3Performance and work practices in relation to the elements and performance criteria must comply with all current legislation, especially the Electricity Act 1992, and any regulations and codes of practice recognised under that statute; the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992; and the Resource Management Act 1991. Electricity supply industry codes of practice and documented industry procedures include the Safety Manual – Electricity Industry (SM-EI) (2004) Wellington: Electricity Engineers’ Association. A full list of current legislation and industry codes is available from the Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation, PO Box 1245, Hamilton.

4‘Industry requirements’ include all the documented workplace policies, procedures, specifications, business and quality management requirements relevant to the workplace in which assessment is carried out.

5The term ‘operate’ is defined as the remote operation, testing and commissioning of main and auxiliary thermal plant systems associated with large steam/electrical generation plant from a control room environment.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Demonstrate knowledge of condensers and vacuum raising systems.

Performance criteria

1.1Fundamentals of pressure and vacuum are described in accordance with industry requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – atmospheric pressure, perfect vacuum, absolute pressure, gauge pressure.

1.2Condenser and associated equipment are described in accordance with industry requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – types of condensers, latent heat, condenser design, condenser cleaning, leak indication and detection, extraction pumps, cooling water system.

1.3Vacuum and vacuum raising are described in accordance with industry requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – air ejectors, vacuum breaker, vacuum trip, vacuum raising and breaking sequences, efficiency.

1.4Operating parameters are identified in accordance with industry requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – vacuum, pressures, levels, temperatures.

Element 2

Operate and monitor condensers and vacuum raising systems.

Performance criteria

2.1Current status of systems is identified in accordance with industry requirements.

2.2Routine operations are carried out in accordance with industry requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – air ejector operations, vacuum raising, vacuum breaking, extraction pump operations, condenser isolations.

2.3Actions are logged in accordance with industry requirements.

2.4Operating decisions are determined in accordance with plant status and industry requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – plant availability and service condition, resource consent and loading limits, impact on operations, options.

2.5Plant and equipment are monitored in accordance with industry requirements.

Element 3

Identify and respond to deviations in condensers and vacuum raising equipment operations.

Performance criteria

3.1Deviations from normal operating conditions are identified, logged and acted upon in accordance with industry requirements.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – air ingress, loss of vacuum, air removal.

3.2Plant safety procedures are followed in accordance with industry requirements.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact the Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018