Essential Boiler Operator Interview Questions
Q – 1 Tell me about a difficult project and how did you manage to overcome it?
Ans- Give an example about the toughest project of yours and tell all the positive things about it and explain how that helped you to overcome the difficulties.
Q – 2 Tell us what was your greatest accomplishment as a Power Plant Operator?
Ans- It gave me a chance to use my knowledge from the level of education purpose into implementing for a practical use.
Q – 3 Do you know how to handle the work pressure?
Ans- Say them that you think positive under stress which fills some energy in you and that’s how you face problems.
Q – 4 Explain why are you the best power plant operator for us?
Ans- Say them about your skills and the experience you have in this field. Say them that your resourceful knowledge can prove as an asset for the company.
Q – 5 Explain during a manual start, when are fuel and ignition introduced?
Ans- As soon as the fuel control switch is positioned to RUN. FCOM 1 70.20.7
Q – 6 Tell me why did you decide the career as a power plant operator?
Ans- Being a mechanical engineer I always wanted to work in an environment that provided me with some big opportunities. The career of a power plant operator needs skills as well as experience which I feel I have in me and hence I decided to take a career as a power plant operator.
Q – 7 Do you know in flight, how many attempts will the autostart perform?
Ans- The autostart will make continuous start attemps until the engine either starts or the pilot aborts the start attempt. FCOM 1 70.20.7
Q – 8 Tell me who is a power plant operator?
Ans- A power plant operator is a person who operates a power plant. He has got to be good at the technical skills of using the power plant and must be equally talented in distributing the work to the other workers who are working with the power plant.
Q – 9 Tell me when is the auto-relight function activated?
Ans- Whenever an engine is at or below idle with the fuel control switch in RUN. FCOM 1 70.20.8
Q – 10 Tell me what can you do to drive the blades of the turbine faster and preventing the damage of the blades?
Ans- Steam should be heated to the temperature it is before making it to enter the turbine because superheated steam produces a lot of energy and also prevents the blades from rusting or damaging.
Q – 11 Tell me what things are missing from a natural gas power plant to a coal power plant?
Ans- CHP & stock yard, crushers, coal conveyors, wet or dry ash disposal, ash slurry disposal units, ash pond, LDO HFO oil elevations.
Q – 12 Explain what are the primary engine parameters displayed on EICAS?
Ans- EPR, N1 and EGT. FCOM 1 70.20.1
Q – 13 Explain when is a crossbleed start indication displayed next to the N3 indication?
Ans- If the airspeed is below that recommended for a windmilling start. FCOM 1 70.20.7
Q – 14 Why should we hire you as Boiler Operator?
Ans- I’m a good worker, fast learner, easy to work with and I’m an experience boiler operator.
Q – 15 Do you know what are the secondary engine parameters?
Ans- N2, N3, fuel flow, oil pressure, oil temperature, oil quantity and engine vibration. FCOM 1 70.20.1
Q – 16 Do you know how many ignitors are used for in flight starting?
Ans- Dual ignitors are always used for in flight starts. FCOM 1 70.20.8
Q – 17 Tell me have you ever come across a situation when the plant went into some technical issues, how did you manage that?
Ans- Technical issues are very common in a plant, give an example from your past experience where you successfully managed to overcome a technical issue.
Q – 18 Tell me after the production of electricity, why do we increase the voltage before sending it to the grid?
Ans- To avoid the transmission losses.
Q – 19 Tell me which EICAS message indicates that actual thrust is significantly less than the commanded thrust?
Ans- ENG THRUST (L or R). FCOM 1 70.20.16
Q – 20 Tell me what is the amount of energy out of the total energy produced that is taken away by the boiler feed pump?
Ans- A boiler feed pump takes away one third part of the energy generated by the power plant.
Q – 21 Which of the following statement is wrong ?
A. Locomotive boiler is a water tube boiler.
B. Water tube boilers are internally fired.
C. La-mont boiler is a low pressure water tube boiler.
D. all of the above
Ans- D. all of the above
Q – 22 Tell me why do you like to work as a Boiler Operator?
Ans- Because it is pretty interesting.
Q – 23 A grate, in a boiler, is a place in the combustion chamber upon which fuel (wood or coal) is burnt.
A. True
B. False
Ans- A. True
Q – 24 Tell me are you efficient with your time?
Ans- If everything goes as planned.
Q – 25 In a glass tube type water indicator for a boiler, one end of the tube is connected to water space and the other end is connected to
A. water space also
B. chimney
C. steam space
D. superheater
Ans- C. steam space
Q – 26 Explain what will you do when your timed schedule or jobs assigned to the plant fail to meet due to some unforeseen forecast conditions?
Ans- This happens generally on every other day in this profession, but the key is not to stay back but move on. I will take some preventive measures to avoid loss of resources.
Q – 27 In water tube boilers
A. water passes through the tubes which are surrounded by flames and hot gases
B. the flames and hot gases pass through the tubes which are surrounded by water
C. forced circulation takes place
D. none of these
Ans- A. water passes through the tubes which are surrounded by flames and hot gases
Q – 28 Explain and convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations and environments?
Ans- Swithching from oil to propane.
Q – 29 Loeffler boiler is a water tube boiler using a forced circulation of water.
A. True
B. False
Ans- A. True
Q – 30 Do you know and can you comment why some cooling towers are 300 feet tall and others are like 30×30 cubicle on top of a building?
Ans- It depends on the type of plant and the application the tower has to deal with it.
Q – 31 Give us a specific example of a time when you used good judgement and logic in solving a problem?
Ans- When the boss wants to rebuilt a motor instead of buying a new one.
Q – 32 La-mont boiler, is a high pressure water tube steam boiler working on forced circulation.
A. Agree
B. Disagree
Ans- A. Agree
Q – 33 Tell me are you a detail oriented person?
Ans- Please share your answers.
Q – 34 The function of a connecting rod is not to convert reciprocating motion of the piston into rotary motion.
A. True
B. False
Ans- B. False
Q – 35 Tell me which rotor vibration is most likely to cause tactile vibration?
Ans- N1. FCOM 1 70.2016
Q – 36 Explain why is a block of coal crushed into powder before burn?
Ans- A block of coal takes a lot of time to burn and give out the energy, but the powdered coal burns uniformly faster and since it is in its powdered form the entire coal burns and there is no waste of coal which leads in achieving greater calorific value.
Q – 38 Which of the following statement is correct for a compound steam engine?
A. The cost of the engine, for the same power and economy, is more than that of a simple steam engine.
B. The forces in the working parts are increased as the forces are distributed over more parts.
C. The ratio of expansion is reduced, thus reducing the length of stroke.
D. The temperature range per cylinder is increased, with corresponding increase in condensation
Ans- C. The ratio of expansion is reduced, thus reducing the length of stroke.
Q – 39 Explain a time when you made a suggestion to improve the work in your organization?
Ans- I came up with an idea to make our water sampling station more ergonomically friendly.
Q – 40 Do you know what is lock out tag out?
Ans- It is a procedure that is used for the protection of the workers and the equipments during the maintenance or repair of the power plant.
Q – 41 Explain when will the ENGINE FAIL message appear on the PFD?
Ans- If actual thrust is less than commanded thrust during takeoff with airspeed between 65kts and V1-6kts. FCOM 1 70.20.16
Q – 42 When the speed of the crankshaft is between 100 r.p.m. and 250 r.p.m., the engine said to be a
A. slow speed engine
B. medium speed steam engine
C. high speed steam engine
D. none of these
Ans- B. medium speed steam engine
Q – 43 Explain how independently can you work with the power plant?
Ans- Tell that you have proper knowledge about using the power plant and you can also fix almost majority of the technical issues related to it which helps you work independently inside the power plant.
Q – 44 Tell me do you remember you steam tables?
Ans- Say yes only if you are confident enough with them, they will surely ask you some cross questions on this topic.
Q – 45 Tell me where do you see yourself in 5 years as Boiler Operator?
Ans- I hope to be working for a company that I can count on to be stable and provides me with challenging opportunities so that I can continue to improve on my skills.
Q – 46 Tell me what do you feel is an acceptable work attendance record?
Ans- Safety driven and self directed, I can and do work with minimal supervision and always put my plant and co- workers safety above all else.
Q – 47 The object of producing draught in a boiler is
A. to provide an adequate supply of air for the fuel combustion
B. to exhaust the gases of combustion from the combustion chamber
C. to discharge the gases of combustion to the atmosphere through the chimney
D. all of the above
Ans- D. all of the above
Q – 48 Explain what is the difference between an induced draft and forced draft?
Ans- Forced draft installed to force the air inside the plant while the induced draft fetches and pulls the air inside the air.
Q – 49 Explain how important is safety to you?
Ans- Safety in this profession is very important for every worker working inside the plant. A small mistake can lead to a big hazard and hence every minor chance of a mistake should be taken seriously.
Q – 50 Explain the abilities you have in order to work with us as a Boiler Operator?
Ans- I’m familiar with the boiler operation, I was trained to fix and install boiler. I am a good trouble shooter and a good operator.
Q – 51 Do you have any questions for us, then plz ask?
Ans- Your job with them will be to play a role leading from the front. Ask them about what all opportunities will you get with this job. Also ask them about what safety measures the company take does for an employer such as insurances, medical expenses, etc. incase if there is a hazard in the power plant.