Coke Drum Skirt
First Claim
1. A coke drum skirt that provides a secure connection between a coke drum and a support base while simultaneously providing for reduced-stress thermal expansion and contraction of the coke drum comprising:
- a coke druma support structure for the coke drum attached to a support base;
a substantially-horizontal center plate with an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the center plate is attached to the coke drum;
a lower plate having a substantially-horizontal upper surface, the lower plate being attached to the support structure; and
an upper plate having a substantially-horizontal lower surface, the upper plate being attached to the support structure, wherein the lower surface of the upper plate is separated from the upper surface of the lower plate, wherein the center plate may be located in the space defined between the upper surface of the lower plate and the lower surface of the upper plate so as to slidingly engage the lower plate and upper plate.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A coke drum skirt to minimize the stresses experienced by the coke drum and the supporting structure of the coke drum is described. The skirt includes one circumferential horizontal plate attached to the coke drum, and the circumferential horizontal plate is slidingly sandwiched between a lower supporting plate that supports the weight of the drum through the circumferential horizontal plate and an upper retaining plate that prevents the coke drum from tipping or falling over. The upper retaining plate may be embodied as a series of retaining clips that also keep the coke drum centered and prevent rotation of the coke drum. The upper and lower plates are anchored to a concrete support base. The sliding connection of the plates allows the coke drum to thermally expand and contract while reducing stresses and metal fatigue from the typical fixed securing of the coke drum to the support base.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A coke drum skirt that provides a secure connection between a coke drum and a support base while simultaneously providing for reduced-stress thermal expansion and contraction of the coke drum comprising:
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a coke drum a support structure for the coke drum attached to a support base; a substantially-horizontal center plate with an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the center plate is attached to the coke drum; a lower plate having a substantially-horizontal upper surface, the lower plate being attached to the support structure; and an upper plate having a substantially-horizontal lower surface, the upper plate being attached to the support structure, wherein the lower surface of the upper plate is separated from the upper surface of the lower plate, wherein the center plate may be located in the space defined between the upper surface of the lower plate and the lower surface of the upper plate so as to slidingly engage the lower plate and upper plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A coke drum skirt that provides a secure connection between a coke drum and a support base while simultaneously providing for reduced-stress thermal expansion and contraction of the coke drum comprising:
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a coke drum a support structure for the coke drum attached to a support base; a substantially-horizontal center plate with an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the center plate is attached to the support structure; a lower plate having a substantially-horizontal upper surface, the lower plate being attached to the coke drum; and an upper plate having a substantially-horizontal lower surface, the upper plate being attached to the coke drum, wherein the lower surface of the upper plate is separated from the upper surface of the lower plate, wherein the center plate may be located in the space defined between the upper surface of the lower plate and the lower surface of the upper plate so as to slidingly engage the lower plate and upper plate. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A coke drum skirt that provides a secure connection between a coke drum and a support base while simultaneously providing for reduced-stress thermal expansion and contraction of the coke drum comprising:
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a coke drum a support structure for the coke drum attached to a support base, the support structure providing a secure fixed connection to the support base and substantially encircling the coke drum; a substantially-horizontal center plate attached to the coke drum near a junction in the coke drum between a substantially-cylindrical upper portion and a substantially-conical lower portion, the center plate having an upper surface having a low coefficient of friction and a lower surface having a low coefficient of friction, and the center plate completely encircling the coke drum, the center plate further comprising; a series of pads attached to the coke drum; and a series of struts providing support from the center plate to the pads; a lower plate having a substantially-horizontal upper surface having a low coefficient of friction, the lower plate being attached to the support structure and completely encircling the coke drum, the lower plate having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the center plate when the center plate is at the lowest temperature normally reached by the center plate, wherein the upper surface of the lower plate serves as a resting surface for the center plate; a spacer attached to the upper surface of the lower plate, the spacer completely encircling the coke drum and having an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the center plate when the center plate is at the highest temperature normally reached by the center plate in operation of the coke drum; and a series of retaining clips having a substantially-horizontal lower surface having a low coefficient of friction, the retaining clips being attached to the spacer, wherein the retaining clips extend over the center plate a distance greater than the outer diameter of the center plate when the center plate is at the lowest temperature normally reached by the center plate, and wherein the lower surface of the retaining clips retains the center plate under the retaining clips; wherein the center plate is located in the space defined between the upper surface of the lower plate and the lower surface of the retaining clips so as to slidingly engage the lower plate and retaining clips so that as the coke drum thermally expands and contracts the center plate is always at least partially contained between the lower plate and the retaining clips. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification