Who is the smoker and what does he do?

A smoker is a person responsible for operating central heating boilers, the main function of which is to generate heat, process steam and domestic hot water for various types of buildings and industrial facilities. The main tasks of the smoker include:

• Control of the operation of exhaust gas cleaning and discharging devices,
• Maintaining the constant technical efficiency of boilers and control and measurement, auxiliary and security devices,
• Reading and checking indications of control and measurement equipment,
• Supervising the course of the technological process,
• Control and supervision of the start-up and operation of central heating boilers and the operation of various fuel delivery systems,
• Monitoring of pressure, temperature and air draft meter as well as control and measurement equipment,
• Setting the optimal parameters of the boiler operation,
• Checking the technical condition of the wheel and auxiliary devices,
• Sealing pipes and fittings and checking the tightness of internal installations,
• Replenishment of substances for bed regeneration in water softening installations,
• Operation of central heating boilers,
• Controlling the operation of central heating boilers,
• Documenting the operation of central heating boilers,
• Compliance with health and safety rules.

The main place of work for the stoker of central heating boilers are boiler rooms. There are two basic jobs in the smoker profession, namely:

• Gas central heating boiler stoker - the person in this position is responsible for operating boilers fired with gaseous fuels such as biogas, natural gas, propane-butane.
• Stoker for central heating water grate boilers - the person in this position is responsible for servicing solid fuel fired boilers.

Requirements for future smokers.

A candidate who wants to work as a smoker should: be at least 18 years old and have a very good health, confirmed by a medical certificate. Good health means, first of all, a good sense of smell, good eyesight, an efficient sense of touch and the organ of hearing. The profession and qualifications of a smoker can be obtained through qualification courses available on the market. When it comes to operating gas boilers with a capacity of over 50 kW, it is necessary to have an energy and operating license, i.e. a qualification certificate for the operation of gas-fired water boilers with auxiliary equipment and control and measurement equipment.

Types of boilers used in heating installations.

• Single-function boilers - these are devices intended exclusively for the heating system of the building. Their advantages include the fact that they are one of the cheapest and simplest solutions. This is due to the fact that they focus only on supplying the central heating system.
• Single-function boilers with hot utility water tanks - these are boilers with attached storage heaters. The operation of the boiler is based on the fact that the water in the tank with a coil is heated until the required temperature is reached. Then the boiler switches back to supplying the central heating system only. The temperature of the water in the tank is constantly maintained, so it can be used at any time and simultaneously at several points of consumption. After that, however, you have to wait some time until the water is reheated.
• Combination boilers - their main function is to heat the water in the heating system and domestic water, which is possible when the tap is turned on in a flowing manner. In order to be able to heat a large amount of water in a short time, these devices must have much more power than required for the needs of the central heating system
• Combined boilers with tanks - these are very comfortable devices, as well as cheaper and smaller in size than single-function boilers with hot utility water tanks. The tank is filled with a relatively small amount of water, and when the water consumption is higher, the flow heater is activated. There are boilers with layered tanks which are characterized by a very high speed of water heating. They have small dimensions and much greater efficiency than traditional ones.
• Wall-hung boilers - these are low-power boilers. They are suitable for apartments or small houses. They can be equipped with a hot utility water tank.
• Floor-standing boilers - these are single-function, high-power, cast iron or steel boilers. The methods of air intake for the combustion process may also be different.
• Boilers with an open combustion chamber - they take air from the rooms in which they are located. For example, solid fuel boilers have an open combustion chamber.
• Boilers with a closed combustion chamber - these are devices that take air directly from the atmosphere. The combustion process consists in complete isolation from the residential interior thanks to the special structure of the supply and chimney pipes. Fresh air flows directly into the combustion chamber via the outer part and the exhaust gases are discharged through the center pipe.
• Condensing boilers e- are devices that generate heat in the combustion process and recover part of the energy contained in the escaping flue gas. With the use of an additional coil located above the combustion chamber, the water returning from the central heating installation is heated. In this process, the temperature of hot exhaust gases is lowered to such an extent that the water vapor contained in them condenses.
• Pulse boilers - these are the most modern devices of the type of condensing boilers. These are very durable devices (without a traditional burner), and the way they work is comparable to that of a jet engine. A large number of micro-explosions occur in the combustion chamber located inside the exchanger. The heat energy is transferred directly to the surrounding heating water. The turbulent flow causes the water vapor to condense completely.

CO stove stoker course - operation of water boilers

The conditions that must be met by the candidate are, above all, at least 18 years of age and minimum elementary education. The CO smoker course is an online course, lectures are conducted online. Successful completion of the course is associated with taking an examination held before the qualification committee. After passing the exam, the student receives qualifications for the CO smoker profession, issued in the form of a qualification certificate. Permissions are valid for 5 years from the date of issue and are subject to renewal. During the training, issues such as: general regulations and selected legislative issues, regulations regarding technical supervision, organization of work with thermal devices, responsibilities of a CO stove stoker, selected information on thermal technology, fittings and materials, a diagram of a central heating boiler house, water in heat management , steam and water boilers - general information, operation of boilers, heat networks and installations, industrial steam and hot water equipment, solid fuels, liquid fuels, control and measurement equipment and health and safety at heat equipment and at the CO stoker, fire protection, emergency medical Services.

What qualifications can you get during the course?

After obtaining a positive result during the examination, you are granted the qualifications. They allow you to perform work related to the operation, maintenance, renovation and assembly of devices, installations, and heat networks. Pursuant to the regulations in force, the rights related to supervision are vested in employers and persons responsible for managing employees.