Certification for the Qualification of Operators of High Capacity Fossil Fuel Fired Plants

Applicant Information

ASME QFOCertification ProgramASME QFOCertification Program

Table of Contents

Overview QFO Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Overview The American Society of Mechanical Engineers . . 1

QFO Certification Classes and Qualification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Class A

Class B

Class C

Class D

Class E

Class F

Qualification Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Education and Experience

Testing Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Examination Structure

Examination Guidelines

Examination Results

Examination References

Application and Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Application Process

Application for Additional Class Designation

Fees

Certificate and Term. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Issuance

Recertification

Renewal

Appendix I & II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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Overview

QFO Certification

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, at the request of the U. S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) and, in recognition of the needs and benefits associated with standardqualifications of operators of high capacity fossil fuel fired plants, established the Qualificationsof High Capacity Fossil Fuel Fired Operator (QFO) Committee in 1994. This committee devel-oped and maintains the Standard for the Qualification and Certification of High Capacity FossilFuel Fired Plants. The QFO Certification Program is based on this standard.

The QFO-1 Standard includes qualifications, duties, responsibilities, and the certification require-ments for operators as appropriate to The Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 for fossil fuel firedplants with inputs equal to or greater than 10E +06 Btu/hr (10,550 E +06 J/ hr). This Standarddoes not cover the certification or validation of fossil plant operating procedures, operating prac-tices, facility performance, nor compliance with any particular permit requirement.

The QFO-1 Standard recognizes the titles or positions to which any particular fossil plant opera-tor may apply, will vary within a facility. Therefore, this Standard does not attempt to identify theindividual who is required to obtain certification in any class designation. The fossil plant owneris urged to contact the applicable jurisdiction in which the fossil plant is located in this regard.

The QFO-1 Standard does not in itself require certification but rather it serves as a means forcomplying with federal, state, and local regulations which may require operators of fossil fuelfired boilers with inputs equal to or greater than IOE +06 Btu/hr (10,550 E +06 J/ hr) to be certi-fied. The requirements of the QFO-1 Standard should be taken into consideration when draftingand enforcing such regulations; e.g., if modifications are made to any fossil fuel fired plant, a cer-tain grace period should be allowed to let the existing certified operator be redesignated.

The American Society of Mechanical EngineersCodes, Standards, and Conformity Assessment

ASME is a not-for-profit educational and technical organization with 125,000 members world-wide. ASME published its first national standard in 1884 and now has more than 600 codes andstandards which are continually updated by committees composed of over 3000 engineering pro-fessionals from academia, industry, and government.

In addition to the QFO certification program, ASME certifies operators of resource recovery facil-ities (QRO), hazardous waste incinerators (QHO), and medical waste incinerators (QMO); andgeometric dimensioning and tolerancing professionals (GDTP).

ASME accredits manufacturers to certify that their equipment or services comply with an ASMEcode or standard. There are now eight programs, covering boilers and pressure vessels, fastenermanufacturers and distributors, nuclear power plant components and materials, elevator inspectorcertifying organizations, reinforced thermoset plastic corrosion resistant vessel fabricators, andsafety and pollution prevention equipment for off shore oil and gas operations.

ASME is also an accredited ISO 9000 quality system registrar in the industries and sectors associ-ated with the art, science, and practice of mechanical engineering.

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QFO Certification Classes and Qualifications

Certification Classes

Certification is based on three components; recommended education, experience, and passing awritten examination. There are six classes of available certification, which depend on the typeof fossil fuel being fired and on the firing method(s):

Class A certification applies to operators of fossil plants burning pulverized fuel (including cyclone)

Class B applies to operators (of fossil plants burning oil or gas or a combination of oil and gas in a single burner

Class C applies to operators of fossil plants that bum oil or gas or a combination of oil and gas in a multiple burner

Class D applies to operators of stoker fired fossil plants Class E applies to operators of fluidized bed fossil plants Class F applies to operators of auxiliary fired heat recovery steam

generators (HRSG)

The certification is not site specific and may be applicable to the operation of a different facilityprovided the class of the certification is appropriate for the equipment to be operated.

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Qualification RequirementsEducation and Experience

In order to obtain certification, an applicant must pass the written exam and meet one of the fol-lowing requirements:

High school diploma or equivalent and two years experience in general industry or industrialprocess. Some of the experience must include boiler operations.

An associate degree in technical studies or 60 credits of course work from an accredited insti-tution, plus one year experience in general industry or industrial process. Some of the experi-ence must include boiler operations. The coursework must be in the following subjects:

advanced mathematics chemistry fluid dynamics thermodynamics materials science combustion theory environmental, mechanical, civil, chemical, or electrical engineering

A baccalaureate degree in physical science or engineering and one year experience in generalindustry or industrial process. Some of the experience must include boiler operations.

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Testing InformationExamination Structure

There are separate examinations for each of the class designations listed in "CertificationClasses". The examinations are structured as closed book, multiple choice, written examinations.Each examination consists of two parts.

Part 1. Addresses general knowledge and includes no less than 75 nor more than 125 questions.Part 1 is a two-hour examination. The general knowledge examination shall include the categoriesas listed in the Examination Guidelines (Appendix I).

Part 2. Addresses the specific fossil combustion operator class designation(s); one examination foreach classification. Each specific class designation examination includes no less than 50 nor morethan 75 questions. A one-hour time period is allotted for each specific class designation.

To achieve certification, an applicant must correctly answer at least 70% of the questions in Part 1and at least 70% of the questions in each Part 2 taken.

Examination Guidelines

Each specific class designation examination includes applicable questions on the various cate-gories listed in the Examination Guidelines (Appendix I.).

Examination Results

Notification of the results of the examination, including the percentage of correct answers withineach part, will be mailed to the applicant within (30) days after the exam. Grades will not begiven over the telephone.

In the event you do not pass the examination, you may take it a maximum of two times during asix-month period.

Examination References

The QFO-1 standard provides an examination guideline regarding the body of knowledge that anapplicant should expect to be tested for on the Examination. A bank of questions that addressesthat body of knowledge has been developed and validated by ASME.

A listing of references that were used to develop the items is provided in Appendix II. These ref-erences may assist the applicant in preparing for the examination. The references are listed forthe convenience of the applicant. The references are not an official study guide and should not beconsidered the only sources of information.

Applicants are advised that the QFO Certification Program was developed and administered inde-pendently from activities that assist applicants in test preparation. ASME Conformity Assessmentdoes not approve, rate or endorse the listed materials. Please see Appendix II.

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Application and Fees

Application Process

Each applicant for high capacity fuel fired operator certification must complete the application,and return it to ASME with payment. It should be returned at least 30 days prior to the date youwish to take the test.

All information supplied on this application is subject to verification. Certification may berevoked by ASME for reasons of falsifying or providing inaccurate information in the certifica-tion process.

Upon receipt of the application and payment, ASME will provide the applicant (via mail) with anidentification number. The identification number will serve as a confirmation of payment andacceptance of application by ASME.

The test will be given at Prometric test centers around the country. In order to find a locationconvenient to you, log on to http://www.prometric.com or call 1 (800) 967-1100, or contactASME for a printed list. Further information will be provided to you upon acceptance of yourapplication.

Application for Additional Class Designation

Applicants are allowed to apply for a maximum of two class designations per application. The application for additional class designation is for applicants who are currently certified in one or more of the class designations outlined in "Certification Classes". A currently certifiedindividual is exempt from retaking Part I of the examination.

Fees

A fee of $550 must accompany the completed application. Purchase orders are not accepted aspayment. This consists of a $50 non-refundable application fee, a $250 examination fee and $250certification fee. The examination fee is refundable if you decide not to take the examination andnotify ASME 16 days prior to the date of the examination. The certification fee is refundable ifyou do not take or pass the examination. An additional $25 must be included if you wish toapply for an additional class designation.

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Certificate and Term

Issuance

An applicant meeting the certification qualifications for the class designations, and who passesthe written examination will be issued a certificate which will identify the specific edition ofQFO-1 on which the certification is based.

The certificate shall expire five years after its issuance, and may be renewed.

Recertification & Renewal

A certificate holder must submit an application for recertification prior to the expiration of theexisting certification.

A written examination for recertification is not required provided the certificate holder submitsnotarized documentation showing that experience has been maintained in the class designation(s)for a minimum of three of the previous five years. A certificate holder must take a written examination for recertification if unable to document operational experience in the applicableclass designation(s).

If the recertification experience requirement is not met, the existing certification will expire. Toregain certification, the individual must complete the requirements stated in "Qualifications".

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Appendix IExamination Guidelines

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Appendix IIExamination List of References

The following is a partial list of references that were used to develop the QFO examination. Thesereferences are made available for the convenience of the applicant, and may aid in preparing forthe examination. The references are not an official study guide and should not be considered theonly sources of information.

American Boiler Manufacturers Association, Handbook of Power, Utility and Boiler Termsand Phrases. Oklahoma: Penn Well Books, 1992.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Controls and Safety Devices for AutomaticallyFired Boilers, CSD-1-1998.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fired Steam Generators, Performance Test Code4-1998 (a revision of Performance Test Code 4.1-1964).

American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Flue and Exhaust Gas Analysis, Performance TestCode 19.10-1981.

Arco Editorial Board. Stationary Engineer and Fireman. New York: Arco Publishing Co.,1967.

Black and Veatch, Power Plant Engineering. New York: Chapman and Hall, 1996.

Dukelow, Sam G., The Control of Boilers. North Carolina: Instrument Society of America,1991.

Jackson, James. Steam Boiler Operation. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1980.

Kohan, Anthony Lawrence and Spring, Harry Mortimer. Boiler Operators Guide. New York:McGraw-Hill, 1991.

Kuo, K.K. Principles of Combustion. New York: Wiley, 1986.

Lammers, Herbert B., Lammers Thomas F., and Woodruff, Everett B. Steam Plant Operation,New York, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1992.

LaRocque, Lionel Edward, Boilers Simplified. Michigan: Business News PublishingCompany, 1987.

Marks, Lionel S. Marks Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978

Martin, A.E., ed. Emission Control Technology for Industrial Boilers. New Jersey: Noyes DataCorp., 1981.

National Fire Protection Association. Standard for Pulverized Fuel Systems NFPA 8503. 1997Edition.

National Fire Protection Association. Standard for Single Burner Boiler Operation-NFPA8501. 1997 Edition.

National Fire Protection Association. Standard for Stoker Operation NFPA 8505. 1998Edition.

National Fire Protection Association. Standard for the Prevention of FurnaceExplosions/Implosions in Multiple Burner Boilers NFPA 8502. 1995 Edition.

National Fire Protection Association. Standard on Atmospheric Fluidized-Bed BoilerOperation NFPA 8504. 1996 Edition.

National Fire Protection Association. Standard on Heat Recovery Steam Generator SystemsNFPA 8506. 1998 edition.

Oliver, K.G. Industrial Boiler Management: An Operators Guide. New York: Industrial Press,1989.

Potter, Philip J. Power Plant Theory and Design. New York: The Ronald Press Company,1959.

Rosaler, Robert C. Standard Handbook of Plant Engineering. New York : McGraw-Hill, 1995.

Sauselein, T. Stationary Engineering. Michigan: Business News Publishing Co., 1990.

Singer, Joseph G., Combustion, Fossil Power Systems: a reference book on fuel burning andsteam generation. Connecticut: Combustion Engineering, 1981.

Singer, Joseph G., ed. Combustion, fossil power systems: a Reference Book on Fuel Burningand Steam Generation. Connecticut: Combustion Engineering, Inc., 1991.

Steingress, F. M., Low Pressure Boilers. Illinois: American Technical Publishers, 1986.

Steingress, F.M., High Pressure Boilers. Illinois: American Technical Publishers, 1986.

Stultz, Steven C. & John B. Kitto, eds. Steam: Its Generation and Use. Ohio: The Babcockand Wilcox Co., 1992.

United States Environmental Protection Agency, Air Pollution Training Institute, Air PollutionControl Orientation Course, Self-Instructional Manual, Course SI: 422. September 1992.

United States Environmental Protection Agency, Air Pollution Training Institute, Introductionto Permitting, Self-Instructional Course Guide, Course SI: 460. March 1995.

United States Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Operating Permits Program UnderTitle V of the Clean Air Act, EPA-456/R-96-004. August 1996.

United States Environmental Protection Agency, High Capacity Fossil Fuel Fired PlantOperator Training Program, Student Handbook, EPA-453/B-94-056. September 1994.

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