Module Outline
Date retreived
22/07/2026 7:37 PM AWST
22/07/2026 7:37 PM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Operate furnaces
Operate furnaces
Module
National Code
PMAOPS303A
PMAOPS303A
State Code
C5964
C5964
DTWD Status
Approved
Approved
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
09/11/2005
Field of Education
030717 - Plant And Machine Operations
Nominal Hours
40
Description
In a typical scenario, an operating technician in a plant looks after the operation of a furnace, which may be used to cause and control the cracking of oil or gas, the smelting of ore or other process function. The furnace is not used primarily to generate heat or raise steam, but rather to cause a chemical change, which requires high temperatures (and which may or may not be assisted by other means). It includes the operation of equipment ancillary to the main furnace.
This competency unit covers items of equipment such as:
thermal cracking furnaces
catalytic cracking furnaces
reduction furnaces
cabin type
cylindrical or vertical.
It does NOT include packaged furnaces, which are covered by PMAOPS100A - Operate equipment, or furnaces used for the production of steam, which is covered by UTPNEG162A - Operate boiler steam/water cycle.
The plant technician would:
identify and rectify operational problems
predict the potential impact of furnace output on the operation of the whole plant
facilitate output changes.
Generally the plant technician would be part of a team during startup and shutdown procedures and may be expected to be capable of performing all parts of this unit. At all times they would be liaising and cooperating with other members of the team.
This unit does NOT require the operation of a central control panel.
Prerequisites
This unit has the prerequisites of:
PMAOPS201A - Operate fluid flow equipment, OR
PMAOPS204A - Use utilities and services.
This competency unit covers items of equipment such as:
thermal cracking furnaces
catalytic cracking furnaces
reduction furnaces
cabin type
cylindrical or vertical.
It does NOT include packaged furnaces, which are covered by PMAOPS100A - Operate equipment, or furnaces used for the production of steam, which is covered by UTPNEG162A - Operate boiler steam/water cycle.
The plant technician would:
identify and rectify operational problems
predict the potential impact of furnace output on the operation of the whole plant
facilitate output changes.
Generally the plant technician would be part of a team during startup and shutdown procedures and may be expected to be capable of performing all parts of this unit. At all times they would be liaising and cooperating with other members of the team.
This unit does NOT require the operation of a central control panel.
Prerequisites
This unit has the prerequisites of:
PMAOPS201A - Operate fluid flow equipment, OR
PMAOPS204A - Use utilities and services.
Range of Variables
Context
This competency unit includes all such items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the furnace system. Typically this may include:
pumps
valves
utilities and services
heat exchangers and/or scrubbers
fuel systems
tapping systems,
and may also include other equipment as well as the furnace itself.
Typical problems include:
soot blowing
control of draft, fuel and air
variations in catalyst activity (where appropriate)
control of temperature and cracking/product rate/quality
variations in feed rates/quality.
HSE
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.
This competency unit includes all such items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the furnace system. Typically this may include:
pumps
valves
utilities and services
heat exchangers and/or scrubbers
fuel systems
tapping systems,
and may also include other equipment as well as the furnace itself.
Typical problems include:
soot blowing
control of draft, fuel and air
variations in catalyst activity (where appropriate)
control of temperature and cracking/product rate/quality
variations in feed rates/quality.
HSE
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.
Evidence Guide
Assessment context and methods
Assessment for this unit of competency will be on an operating plant. The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency. Assessment will occur over a range of situations, which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation may be required to allow for timely assessment of parts of this unit of competency (e.g. elements 1 and 5). Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include walk throughs of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/scenarios and role plays.
This unit of competency requires a significant body of knowledge, which will be assessed through questioning and the use of what if scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant.
Critical aspects
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate corrective action. The emphasis should be on the ability to stay out of trouble rather than on recovery from a disaster.
Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:
early warning signs of equipment/processes needing attention or with potential problems are recognised
the range of possible causes can be identified and analysed and the most likely cause determined
appropriate action is taken to ensure a timely return to full performance
obvious problems in related plant areas are recognised and an appropriate contribution made to their solution.
These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarios/case studies/what ifs as the stimulus with a walk through forming part of the response. These assessment activities should include a range of problems, including new, unusual and improbable situations, which may have been generated from the past incident history of the plant, incidents on similar plants around the world, hazard analysis activities and similar sources.
Resource implications
Assessment will require access to an operating plant over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what ifs will be required as will a bank of questions, which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.
Other assessment advice
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units.
In a major hazard facility, it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with:
PMAOHS200 - Participate in workplace safety procedures.
Essential knowledge
Competence includes an understanding of the compressor system and its integral equipment to the level needed to control the system and recognise and resolve problems. In particular it includes the ability to:
identify all items on a schematic of the furnace system and describe the function of each, including furnace components such as:
burner
convection section
radiation section
floor/walls including insulation (refractory)
stack/damper (flue type)
describe the nature/condition of materials entering and leaving each stage of the process, the changes which have occurred in that stage and why they have occurred
describe the principles of operation of the furnace, including: combustion principles, draft, burner design, excess air/flue CO/CO2
describe the importance of flame patterns/flame impingement
describe the causes and remedies of common problems such as those selected in the range of variables
describe methods of changing rate and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Competence also includes the ability to isolate the causes of problems to an item of equipment within the furnace system and to be able to distinguish between causes of problems/alarm/fault indications such as:
process materials variations
chemical processes (including combustion)
instrument failure/wrong reading
equipment (mechanical/electrical problems)
operational problem,
as is relevant to the practical operation of equipment at that job level.
This knowledge is required of all major items of equipment, which comprise the furnace system.
Assessment for this unit of competency will be on an operating plant. The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency. Assessment will occur over a range of situations, which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation may be required to allow for timely assessment of parts of this unit of competency (e.g. elements 1 and 5). Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include walk throughs of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/scenarios and role plays.
This unit of competency requires a significant body of knowledge, which will be assessed through questioning and the use of what if scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant.
Critical aspects
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate corrective action. The emphasis should be on the ability to stay out of trouble rather than on recovery from a disaster.
Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:
early warning signs of equipment/processes needing attention or with potential problems are recognised
the range of possible causes can be identified and analysed and the most likely cause determined
appropriate action is taken to ensure a timely return to full performance
obvious problems in related plant areas are recognised and an appropriate contribution made to their solution.
These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarios/case studies/what ifs as the stimulus with a walk through forming part of the response. These assessment activities should include a range of problems, including new, unusual and improbable situations, which may have been generated from the past incident history of the plant, incidents on similar plants around the world, hazard analysis activities and similar sources.
Resource implications
Assessment will require access to an operating plant over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what ifs will be required as will a bank of questions, which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.
Other assessment advice
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units.
In a major hazard facility, it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with:
PMAOHS200 - Participate in workplace safety procedures.
Essential knowledge
Competence includes an understanding of the compressor system and its integral equipment to the level needed to control the system and recognise and resolve problems. In particular it includes the ability to:
identify all items on a schematic of the furnace system and describe the function of each, including furnace components such as:
burner
convection section
radiation section
floor/walls including insulation (refractory)
stack/damper (flue type)
describe the nature/condition of materials entering and leaving each stage of the process, the changes which have occurred in that stage and why they have occurred
describe the principles of operation of the furnace, including: combustion principles, draft, burner design, excess air/flue CO/CO2
describe the importance of flame patterns/flame impingement
describe the causes and remedies of common problems such as those selected in the range of variables
describe methods of changing rate and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Competence also includes the ability to isolate the causes of problems to an item of equipment within the furnace system and to be able to distinguish between causes of problems/alarm/fault indications such as:
process materials variations
chemical processes (including combustion)
instrument failure/wrong reading
equipment (mechanical/electrical problems)
operational problem,
as is relevant to the practical operation of equipment at that job level.
This knowledge is required of all major items of equipment, which comprise the furnace system.
Elements and Performance Criteria
No information
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| W8867 | PMAOPS303B | Operate furnaces to induce reaction | Unit of competency |
Associated Qual/Courses