Coke drum discharge system

• US 20040238408A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foster Wheeler USA Corporation (John Wood Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Foster Wheeler USA Corporation (John Wood Group PLC)
• Inventors: Malsbury, Allen S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,438,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 208/131
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00761 Discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/003 in a downward flow
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 33/00 Discharging devices; Coke guides
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 33/12 Discharge valves
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 55/00 Coking mineral oils, bitumen, tar, and the like or mixtures thereof with solid carbonaceous material cracking oils C10G

Abstract

An apparatus including a coke drum for coking hydrocarbon substances, a valve disposed near the bottom of the coke drum, and a discharge conduit for removing coke from the coke drum, wherein the discharge conduit is connected to the valve such that when the valve is open, the coke may be removed via the discharge conduit.

Claims

1-17. -17. (Cancelled)

18. A process for repetitively producing and removing coke from a delayed coker vessel, wherein the coker vessel has a bottom portion defining an aperture through which coke is released, comprising:

(a) sealing an aperture closure housing to the bottom portion of the coker vessel;

(b) moving a closure member within the closure housing to close the aperture;

(c) feeding a heavy hydrocarbon feed into the coker vessel through a feed line attached to the coker vessel;

(d) coking the heavy hydrocarbon in the coker vessel;

(e) moving the closure member within the closure housing to open the aperture to allow coke removal from the coker vessel;

(f) releasing coke through the aperture; and

(g) repeating steps c through f successively.

19. The process of claim 18 wherein step (c) further comprises attaching the feed line at a side entry position.

20. The process of claim 18, wherein step (a) further comprises sealing a funnel to the coker vessel bottom and attaching the feed line to the funnel at a side entry position.

21. The process of claim 18 wherein step (a) further comprises forming a seal between the aperture closure housing and the bottom portion of the vessel wherein the seal withstands pressures within the vessel within operating pressures.

22. The process of claim 21 wherein step (a) further comprises forming a seal between the aperture closure housing and the bottom portion of the vessel wherein the seal withstands vessel temperatures through repetitive coking/decoking cycles within operating ranges.

23. The process of claim 18, wherein step (a) further comprises sealing a coke chute to a bottom portion of the aperture closure housing.

24. The process of claim 18 wherein step (a) further comprises placing a gasket between the bottom portion of the vessel and closure unit and pressure-tightly joining the vessel bottom, the gasket and the closure unit.

25. The process of claim 19, wherein step (a) further comprises placing a gasket between the bottom of the closure unit and the coke chute and pressure-tightly joining the closure unit, the gasket, and the coke chute.

26. The process of claim 24 wherein the gasket comprises an annular corrugated metal bonded to a graphite material.

27. The process of claim 25 wherein the gasket comprises an annular corrugated metal bonded to a graphite material.

28. A process in accordance with claim 23, wherein the process further comprises using the chute to assist in directing coke removed from the coker vessel.

29. A process in accordance with claim 18 wherein steps (b) and (e) further comprise moving the closure member automatically.

30. The process of claim 29 wherein the automatic movement of the closure member is remotely controlled.

31. A process in accordance with claim 18 wherein the coking step (d) is carried out within an operating temperature range, the opening step (e) is done at another operating temperature range, and the valve is selected to withstand repeated operation at temperatures cycling between step (d) and step (e).

32. A process in accordance with claim 18, wherein the closure member of steps (b) and (e) is a valve.

33. A process in accordance with claim 32, wherein the valve is selected from a gate valve, a ball valve, a slide valve, a knife valve or a wedge plug valve.

34. A process in accordance with claim 18 wherein the aperture opens to a specified diameter.

35. A process in accordance with claim 18 wherein the closure housing and closure member are mounted together.

36. The process of claim 35 wherein the closure unit is removable from the coker vessel.

37. A coker vessel comprising:

(a) a vessel having a side aperture and a flanged bottom aperture;

(b) a feed pipe fitted to said side aperture;

(c) an aperture closure unit fitted and sealed to said bottom aperture;

(d) a closure member moveable within said closure unit; and

(e) a coke chute sealed to the bottom portion of said closure unit for directing coke from the vessel.

38. The coker vessel of claim 37 wherein the closure member comprises a valve.

39. The coker vessel of claim 38, wherein the valve is a gate valve, a ball valve, a slide valve, a knife valve or a wedge plug valve.

40. The coker vessel of claim 38 wherein the valve further comprises an automatic valve.

41. The coker vessel of claim 38 wherein the bottom aperture has a specified opening.