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Understanding Water Hammer in Steam Systems--This is what steam workers need to know before opening a steam valve in a high-pressure steam system! Over 2000 hours have gone into developing the most comprehensive seminar available anywhere on how to operate and maintain high-pressure steam systems so as to avoid life-threatening steam accidents. (See Program below) The Seminar includes videos of water hammer in the lab, a live demonstration of a rapid steam bubble collapse, and over 200 animated slides that show what's actually going on inside steam lines. This seminar doesn't discuss, for example, how traps work, it discusses how they fail. The second-day covers advanced topics like looped steam systems, the danger of flooded manholes, and start-up accidents where workers have been killed. Examples are based on actual accidents, in most cases, investigated by the presenter, Mr. Kirsner. While this intensive 2-day, 8 hour seminar was designed specifically for steam fitters and operators to enable them to avoid repeating the circumstances found in previous accidents, Engineers have been enthusiastic attendees too. (Read the Feedback from Attendees below). A one-day 6-hour seminar is offered for shift workers that can't be assembled for 2 days. The seminar has been given about 70 times in North America to about 2000 attendees. Their evaluations are available for review.
If you think you understand waterhammer in steam systems,
Take the Waterhammer Quiz!
Permit-Required Confined Space Training. See Confined Space Seminar Program. This program focuses on understanding the dangers which motivated OSHA to design the regulation as well as how to use equipment to detect these dangers. It outlines a step by step pragmatic approach to dealing with the requirements of the Regulation. |
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Understanding Waterhammer in Steam Systems-- the type that kills Operators 1Let's Review what you already "know "about waterhammer in steam systems 2Condensation-Induced Waterhammer-- This is the kind that kills operators!
3. How to find Subcooled Condensate in steam systems--These are the tools you must know how to use.
4. 5. Now Do You Know Enough to Avoid getting Killed?--Let's revisit the Fatal Accident we began with. Part II- Real Accidents Lessons 6
7.
8
NY Recognizing a bad/dangerous Trap Assembly Configuration Hanford U-3 Pit Accident--Recognizing trap Misplacement. Part III-Advanced Topics 9. Looped Steam Systems-- steam coming from two directions makes avoidance of waterhammer more difficult should condensate accumulate.
10. Flooded Manholes and Submerged Steam Piping--the danger of Nucleate Boiling and how this type of accident can be, unlike other accidents, self-initiating 11. A "Start-up Fundamentals" Accident . This accident, which killed an operator during warm-up of a branch steam system, illustrates how less-than-carefully-considered (and enforced) shutdown and start-up procedures for high pressure steam lines can result in a fatal outcome. I believe the error which ultimately was responsible for this accident is at the root of most start-up accidents. 12. Explanation of Your Accident. If you've had a recent waterhammer event, there's no lesson more apt to capture the attention of your steam workers than a Do 2nd Page of Quiz, Discuss All Quiz Answers The program consists of animated slides, photos of actual accidents, slow-motion videotapes of actual waterhammer events in the lab, and demos. The aim of the first day is to provide ordinary steam fitters a gut understanding of what actually causes water hammer in a steam system so they can figure out for themselves what to do when a dangerous situation arises. All theory revolves around an opening slide showing an actual pipe configuration in which an operator was killed and asking ."What would you have done to activate this steam line?". This theme is carried thru-out the first day culminating in the attendees accumulating the knowledge to be able to intelligently assess a dangerous steam situation, and take the correct action. Due to the intensity of the information provided, the 8 hour seminar is conducted in two morning sessions from 8 a.m. to noon. My experience has shown that, after 4 hours of training, fatigue reduces the ability of attendees to absorb the material. Groups consisting of Design Engineers are an exception to this rule--their enthusiasm for the material has sustained them successfully thru a one-day 6-hour seminar. The 6 hour one-day seminar goes from 8 a.m to 2:30 p.m. assuming a half-hour for lunch. Besides groups of engineers, I've given the 6-hour seminar to Canadian oil companies that can't afford to get shift workers together for two consecutive days. The pace varies with the audience. It concludes with the Quiz and a round table discussion of the answers to the quiz. What I Need for the Seminar I need a computer projector and speakers that plug into my computer's audio output, a screen, a demonstration table (I boil water to make steam; at no time does steam pressure exceed atmospheric pressure in the can), and a magic marker blackboard. I generally will arrive a day in advance of the seminar to set up. Before the first seminar, I will send electronic copies of the Quiz, evaluation form, and steam tables to be reproduced for each attendee. The room should be set up conference style (U-shape is good) with attendees as close to me as possible. Provide (or we'll make them with magic markers at the beginning of the seminar) name tags (first name only) for attendees so I can call on them. Attendees will need pencils or pens. Attendees should be motivated to learn, and not coerced to attend. While I like to have fun during the seminar, I'm serious as a heart attack about the material. Before the seminar, provide me information about: the steam pressures at which you distribute steam, if you return condensate, if steam is superheated, if you use inverted bucket traps, if your system is "looped", and if steam lines ever become submerged in water. The presentation is available in American or metric units. Optional Handout--What I Want You To Know Click on the link to see a handout wallet-sized card produced for the Trigen Energy Corporation in February 2008. Feedback about the Seminar from attendees and their supervisors:
To view the verbatim feedback from All attendees at a seminar, follow the link at Evaluation Form.html. Other Lecture Experience
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