District Energy Systems

About

Description A new book by a power plant supervisor at the University of Oregon (UO) aims to provide an introduction to basic power plant topics and terminology. “A Power Plant Primer for District Energy Systems” by Randal Collins serves as an easy-to-follow instructional manual for supervisors, owners, managers, facility engineers, building managers, power plant administrative assistants, energy assistants and other professionals.   In writing the book, Collins applied his own lessons as operations supervisor of the UO’s Department of Campus Operations to the book. In addition to being responsible for training new hires and young professionals, he oversees the UO’s Central Power Station. The station serves as the distribution point for campus utilities, including electricity, heat, cooling, 60-pound steam, compressed air and natural gas. The plant also oversees a waterway and an intake-and-output operation from the Willamette River.   “A Power Plant Primer” fills a need for instruction among early professionals. Decades ago, co-generation power plants were staffed by Navy veterans who had training in propulsion boilers, turbines and support equipment. Over the years professionals in the field have become more specialized in gas turbines instead of boilers. These workers were trained to use those systems as nuclear power technicians and many chose placements in large utility companies at nuclear plants.As a result, many co-generation power plants – which focused primarily on providing heating and cooling on a smaller scale – could no longer compete to attract the necessary workers. New hires required training and plants were forced to develop their own instructional tools and on-the-job learning opportunities.