Controls heated reaction kettles to process liquid and solid materials into specified chemical products: Turns valves or starts automatic metering pumps that admit specified quantity of liquid materials into kettle.
Weighs and dumps or scoops prescribed solid, granular, or powdered ingredients into kettle, according to production sheet. Starts agitator to mix materials for specified time or stirs mixture with paddle. Observes gauges and recording instruments, and adjusts valves and controls to maintain temperature, vacuum pressure, and speed of reaction in kettle within prescribed limits. Draws sample of product for laboratory analysis. May test product for specified characteristics, such as acidity and composition, using standard litmus paper test and pH meter. May observe reaction through porthole in equipment and adjust controls to regulate speed or degree of reaction, according to knowledge of process. May tend auxiliary equipment, such as quench tanks and filter presses, to process resulting product or ingredients used to sustain reaction. May be designated by degree of pressure maintained in kettle as High-Pressure-Kettle Operator (chemical); Low-Pressure-Kettle Operator (chemical).
