Bottom-unheading device and method for vertical vessels

• US 4,960,358 A
• Filed: 08/04/1989
• Issued: 10/02/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Foster Wheeler USA Corporation (John Wood Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Foster Wheeler USA Corporation (John Wood Group PLC)
• Inventors: Myszka, Ronald T., DiGiacomo, Frank A., Malsbury, Alan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US07/390,423
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 202/241, 202/248, 29/402.03, 29/402.06, 29/402.08, 414/684.3, 414/589, 414/590, 222/512, 222/526, 222/559, 222/560
• US Class Current: 414/684.3
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 25/10 for ovens with vertical chambers
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 25/14 Devices for lifting doors
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 33/00 Discharging devices; Coke guides
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49721 with disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49726 Removing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4973 Replacing of defective part

Abstract

A bottom unheading device adapted for unheading vertical vessels such as coking drums. The unheading device includes a cover unit adapted for attachment to a lower flange of a coking drum and which is fastened by a plurality of swing bolts which are disconnected by remotely operated detensioning equipment, and a frame which can lower the cover unit and a carriage which moves it laterally to one side. A chute attached to the frame can be raised into engagement with the coking drum lower flange for removal of coke from the drum. Following such coke removal, the chute is lowered and the cover unit is moved laterally and remotely reconnected to the coking drum lower flange. The invention also discloses a method for remotely operating the unheading device.

Claims

1. An improved unheading device adapted for removal and replacement of a lower cover unit for a vertical vessel, comprising:

(a) a cover unit adapted for being sealably attached by bolts to a lower flange of a lower flanged opening in a vertical vessel, said cover unit including a supporting cradle means;

(b) at least eight pivotable clamping means each including a detensioning means said clamping means being substantially equally spaced around the perimeter of said cover unit and adapted for detensioning and pivotably removing the bolts located in said cover unit and the lower flange of the vessel so as to unfasten said cover unit from the vessel;

(c) a lifting frame means located below said cover unit and said cradle means, said lifting frame being supported from said vessel and vertically movable by four equally-spaced vertically-oriented piston actuator means; and

(d) carriage means adapted for providing lateral movement of the cover unit relative to the lifting frame means by dual horizontal piston actuator means, said carriage means being at least partly supported by said lifting frame during lateral movement of the cover unit, whereby the cover unit can be lowered from the vessel lower flange and moved aside laterally to permit material removal through the lower opening in the vessel, and then reconnected to the vessel lower flange.

2. The unheading device of claim 1, wherein each clamping means is pivotally attached to said vessel lower flange and multiple sets of two adjacent clamping means which are attached to s single hydraulic piston actuator, whereby the clamping means bolts can be swung radially outwardly and upwardly to unfasten the flanged joint from the vessel.

3. The unheading device of claim 1, wherein said lifting frame when lowered is retained in a horizontal position directly below said lower flange by a plurality of vertically-oriented pegs which interfit with openings in the frame.

4. The unheading device of claim 1, wherein said cradle means is at least partially supported by slide plates located at the cradle means forward end.

5. The unheading device of claim 4, wherein said cradle means slide plates slide on dual rails located below a deck surface.

6. The unheading device of claim 1, including a chute attached to said lifting frame means and adapted for contact with the vessel lower head flange for removing material from the vessel.

7. An improved unheading device adapted for removal and replacement of a lower cover unit for flanged openings in a vertically oriented coking drum, comprising:

(a) a cover unit adapted for being sealably attached by bolts to a flange of a lower flanged opening in a coking drum, said cover unit being attached to a supporting cradle means;

(b) at least eight pivotable clamping means each pivotably attached to the vessel lower flange and including a detensioning means, said clamping means being substantially equally spaced around the perimeter of said cover unit, each detensioning means being adapted for connecting onto a lower nut for detensioning and removing the fastening bolts pivotably outward and upward so as to unfasten said cover unit from the coking drum lower flange;

(c) a lifting frame means located below said cover unit and said cradle means, said lifting frame being supported from said coking drum and vertically movable by four equally-spaced vertically-oriented piston actuator means; and

(d) carriage means supported partially by said lifting frame, said carriage means being adapted for lateral movement relative to the lifting frame by dual horizontally oriented piston actuators which are each attached to the carriage means forward end, said carriage means being supported at its forward end by a guide surface sliding on a support rail, whereby said cover unit can be lowered from the coking drum lower flange and moved laterally aside to permit coke removal through the lower opening in the coking drum, and then reconnected to the coking drum lower flange.