Posted: 7/26/2006 3:07:46 PM EDT
as some of you may know i design the computers that monitor chemical plants. part of that is the field instrumentation. this is a 10 question test based on questions a designer with 8 years seniority over me has asked me. the guy does not know squat.  will post the answers after you have a little fun taking the test. Think about the questions. With a little thought anyone should be able to answer them. 1. Fact. You wish to convert a solenoid operated valve from 120VAC to 24VDC so you need to completely replace it. If you don’t know the elevation of the SOV. The control valve that the existing SOV is mounted on is 102’. What will be the elevation of the new SOV? 2. A transmitter that reads the pressure of a vessel is mounted on a stand at an elevation of 104’-0”. You need to add three more transmitters that are identical to the original. What will be the elevation of the new transmitters and how will you mount them? 3. You are given a list that details pieces of instrumentation. Some are existing and some new. The new ones have not been installed in the field. During the field survey a mistake was made and the new instruments were left on the survey log. Subsequently none of the new instruments were found. Do you need to return to the field and try to find the transmitters that have not been installed? If so Justify your hours. 4. You wish to mount a junction box on a column and have two columns to choose from. The drawing you have been given says to mount it in one location that already has an exiting 120 VAC heat trace panel, fire hose station, steam and water connections as well as an emergency shutdown panel. The second location is clear for 10’ in all directions. Which column do you mount it on and why? 5. You are working in a Class 1 Div 1 group “A” area. (There is a likelihood of explosive levels of acetylene gas present). You have been instructed not to talk on your non-explosion proof cell phone in this area because it may detonate the gas. Is it ok to text message? What if the wife really really needs to “text” you? MC. 6. You are working in a unit adjacent to the area in question 5. The deluge system in that area goes off and the whole area is engulfed in a cloud of water spray, steam and vapor. Do you: a. stand and watch. You may need to report what happened. b. look for rainbows in the clouds of vapor. c. ignore it and go back to work. d. walk quickly away from the whole area. e. all of the above 7. You are standing next to an ammonia compressor that is powered by a steam turbine. Which side is the ammonia compressor side, which side is the steam turbine side? (note: ammonia is used as a refrigerant) a. the ammonia side is the side with ice on it and the steam side is scalding hot. b. the ammonia side is scalding hot and the steam side has ice on it. c. you can’t tell because it’s not marked. d. both sides will be the same temperature. e. all of the above 8. What is that smell? Smells like rotten cantaloupes… a. deadly gas RUN!. b. nothing to worry about. Keep working c. walk quickly away and ask someone who has a clue. d. maybe if you ignore it then it will go away. e. all of the above 9. a small tubing valve is found in the field with it’s tubing connections disconnected and it is hanging from bare electrical wires. It is said to be: a. demolished in place. b. in active service. c. partially installed (who knows, maybe they will come back someday and finish) d. checked out and ready to be put in service. e. all of the above 10. Select the most cost effective and best level transmitter for a 20’ tall sealed water tank. The tank is pressurized and full of liquid a. pressure. (only the weight of the liquid matters) $1500.00 b. differential pressure. (You need to take into account the pressure of the tank as well as the weight of the liquid) $1500.00 c. nuclear level transmitter (a vendor came by and gave you a hat and a catalog so this has to be the right choice) $50,000 d. you don’t need to know what the level is in sealed tanks. e. all of the above |
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You're kidding. THAT'S your test??? I guess I should apply for the job right now. Common sense alone is enough to get half the answers without any specialized knowledge! I'll withhold my answers until you post the answers. But I'll be honest about how many I got right. CJ |
these are questions that i was asked by a guy with a lot more time in my field. yes i think most of them are easy and i just shook my head every time he came up with a new  . we are taught there are no dumb questions but damn. these are bad. so i am venting. |
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I would imagine something more specific, like : Your project requires monitoring of temperature, pressure, and fluid levels in a tank containing a 40 percent mixture of water and sulfuric acid. The tank hold 5000 gallons and max design pressure is 200 PSIG. 1: What material(s) commonly found in sensor elements are suitable for this application? 2: Draw a flowchart for a sensor and control system for this tank which provides fail-safe operation in the event of any one sensor failure. The tank must not be allowed to exceed the design pressure, not be allowed to freeze or exceed 140 degrees Farenheit, or drop below 20 percent of tank capacity or over the rated capacity. 3: Working from available catalogs and manufacturer's data, provide specific examples of the sensor types required for this application. Justify your selection with regard to cost, safety, and suitability for the application. I'd expect the test to look like THAT if it came from an experienced engineer. And I'm not one! CJ |
those are engineering questions. not design questions. engineers deal with issues like what do i specify and will it work. designers work from "how do i make the crap the engineer specified work in the real world" |
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ok, i will play. 1. Fact. You wish to convert a solenoid operated valve from 120VAC to 24VDC so you need to completely replace it. If you don’t know the elevation of the SOV. The control valve that the existing SOV is mounted on is 102’. What will be the elevation of the new SOV? 102' kind of a dumb question. 2. A transmitter that reads the pressure of a vessel is mounted on a stand at an elevation of 104’-0”. You need to add three more transmitters that are identical to the original. What will be the elevation of the new transmitters and how will you mount them? 104' also obvious 3. You are given a list that details pieces of instrumentation. Some are existing and some new. The new ones have not been installed in the field. During the field survey a mistake was made and the new instruments were left on the survey log. Subsequently none of the new instruments were found. Do you need to return to the field and try to find the transmitters that have not been installed? If so Justify your hours. um, no?  4. You wish to mount a junction box on a column and have two columns to choose from. The drawing you have been given says to mount it in one location that already has an exiting 120 VAC heat trace panel, fire hose station, steam and water connections as well as an emergency shutdown panel. The second location is clear for 10’ in all directions. Which column do you mount it on and why? 5. You are working in a Class 1 Div 1 group “A” area. (There is a likelihood of explosive levels of acetylene gas present). You have been instructed not to talk on your non-explosion proof cell phone in this area because it may detonate the gas. Is it ok to text message? What if the wife really really needs to “text” you? hell no MC. 6. You are working in a unit adjacent to the area in question 5. The deluge system in that area goes off and the whole area is engulfed in a cloud of water spray, steam and vapor. Do you: a. stand and watch. You may need to report what happened. b. look for rainbows in the clouds of vapor. c. ignore it and go back to work. d. walk quickly away from the whole area. e. all of the above how about run like hell! 7. You are standing next to an ammonia compressor that is powered by a steam turbine. Which side is the ammonia compressor side, which side is the steam turbine side? (note: ammonia is used as a refrigerant) a. the ammonia side is the side with ice on it and the steam side is scalding hot. b. the ammonia side is scalding hot and the steam side has ice on it. c. you can’t tell because it’s not marked. d. both sides will be the same temperature. e. all of the above 8. What is that smell? Smells like rotten cantaloupes… a. deadly gas RUN!. b. nothing to worry about. Keep working c. walk quickly away and ask someone who has a clue. d. maybe if you ignore it then it will go away. e. all of the above 9. a small tubing valve is found in the field with it’s tubing connections disconnected and it is hanging from bare electrical wires. It is said to be: a. demolished in place. b. in active service. c. partially installed (who knows, maybe they will come back someday and finish) d. checked out and ready to be put in service. e. all of the above A or C may be right but i am leaning toward A. 10. Select the most cost effective and best level transmitter for a 20’ tall sealed water tank. The tank is pressurized and full of liquid a. pressure. (only the weight of the liquid matters) $1500.00 b. differential pressure. (You need to take into account the pressure of the tank as well as the weight of the liquid) $1500.00 c. nuclear level transmitter (a vendor came by and gave you a hat and a catalog so this has to be the right choice) $50,000 d. you don’t need to know what the level is in sealed tanks. e. all of the above this is kind of a dumb test. but i see your venting yea i hate working with guys who don't know their business. |
Same as the old one. I'll figure that one when I get there.
104'-0" for all three. I'll use the fasteners recommended by the transmitter manufacturer.
Nope. They ain't there, and if they were there, they have been "removed" since.
Mount it where the drawing says. There's a good chance that the j-box is needed there.
No. Tough. If it's that important, then an upgrade won't be a problem. MC.
D - walk quickly away (though I will probably look for rainbows along the way).
A - so don't touch either of them.
A - rotten anything is never good. I'll also choose "C" - what is it?
C - who knows?
This is ARFCOM - get both! |