Systems and methods for remotely determining and changing cutting modes during decoking

• US 7,117,959 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Corporation (Curtiss-Wright Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Corporation (Curtiss-Wright Corporation)
• Inventors: Lah, Ruben F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stephenson, Daniel P
• Application Number:
  US10/997,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20050236188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 175/424, 175/67, 175/70, 166/222, 166/223, 134/95.3
• US Class Current: 175/67
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 33/006 Decoking tools, e.g. hydraulic coke removing tools with boring or cutting nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 41/02 for discharging coke

Abstract

A decoking system that not only enables an operator to remotely switch the coke-cutting process from boring to cutting mode without removing the drill stem from the coke drum, but also to remotely determine the drill stem'"'"'s mode so that efficiency, safety and convenience are not compromised, is provided.

Claims

1. A system for removing coke from a coking vessel comprising:

a cutting head with a plurality of nozzles separated into two groups, one group for boring and one for cutting;

a pipe fluidly connected to the boring nozzles; and

a pipe fluidly connected the cutting nozzles, wherein the pipe connected to the cutting nozzles concentrically encompasses the pipe fluidly connected to the boring nozzles.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cutting head is controlled by a central processing unit.

3. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a switch valve, wherein said switch valve segregates high-pressure fluid into separate delivery pipes, wherein said delivery pipes consist of at least one delivery pipe for boring and at least one delivery pipe for cutting, wherein said delivery pipes deliver fluid to a cutting head.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the switch valve is a three way ball joint.

5. The system as in claim 3, further comprising one or more visual markers that indicate whether high pressure fluid is flowing, and into which delivery pipe the fluid is flowing.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said switch valve is controlled by a central processing unit.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said switch valve and cutting head are controlled remotely from a control room.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the switch valve is manually actuated by an operator.

9. A system as in claim 1, further comprising an integrated boring and cutting water delivery pipe, which begins where said boring water delivery pipe and said cutting water delivery pipe connect and integrate.

10. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a rotatable integrated boring and cutting drill stem having a cutting head and a motor.

11. A system as in claim 10, further comprising a union, wherein said union connects said integrated boring and water delivery pipe to said rotatable integrated boring and cutting drill stem.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said fluid is water.

13. A system for removing coke from a coking vessel comprising:

a cutting head with plurality of nozzles separated into two groups, one group for boring and one for cutting, each independently supplied by fluid;

a switch valve, wherein said switch valve segregates high-pressure fluid into separate delivery pipes, wherein said delivery pipes consist of at least one delivery pipe for boring and at least one delivery pipe for cutting, wherein said delivery pipes deliver fluid to a cutting head;

an intergrated boring and cutting water delivery pipe, which begins where said boring water delivery pipe and said cutting water delivery pipe connect and intergrate;

wherein said cutting water delivery pipe concentrically encompasses the boring water delivery pipe;

a rotatable intergrated boring and cutting drill stem having a cutting head and a motor;

a union, wherein said union connects said intergrated boring and water delivery pipe to said rotatable intergrated boring and cutting drill stem.

14. A method for removing coke from a coking vessel comprising:

ejecting high pressure fluid from a cutting head with plurality of nozzles separated into two groups, one group for boring and one for cutting, each independently supplied by fluid;

wherein said fluid is supplied by a pipe system comprising;

a pipe fluidly connected to the boring nozzles; and

a pipe fluidly connected to the cutting nozzles, wherein the pipe connected to the cutting nozzles concentrically encompasses the pipe fluidly connected to the boring nozzles.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cutting head is controlled by a central processing unit.

16. A method as in claim 14, further comprising the step of segregating high-pressure fluid into separate delivery pipes with a switch valve, wherein said delivery pipes consist of at least one delivery pipe for boring and at least one delivery pipe for cutting, wherein said delivery pipes deliver fluid to a cutting head.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said switch valve is a three way ball joint.

18. The method as in claim 16, further comprising one or more visual markers that indicate whether high pressure fluid is flowing, and into which delivery pipe the fluid is flowing.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said switch valve is controlled by a central processing unit.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said switch valve and cutting head are controlled remotely from a control room.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the switch valve is manually actuated by an operator.

22. A method as in claim 14, further comprising the step of enabling high pressure fluid to flow into an integrated boring and cutting water delivery pipe, which begins where said boring water delivery pipe and said cutting water delivery pipe connect and integrate.

23. A method as in claim 14, further comprising the step enabling high pressure fluid to flow into a rotatable integrated boring and cutting drill stem having a cutting head and a motor.

24. A method as in claim 23, further comprising the step of enabling high pressure fluid to flow into a union, wherein said union connects said integrated boring and water delivery pipe to said rotatable integrated boring and cutting drill stem.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein said fluid is water.

26. A method for removing coke from a coke vessel, comprising the steps of:

pressurizing liquid;

enabling, via a switch valve said pressurized liquid to enter into a boring water delivery pipe and into a cutting water delivery pipe alternatively,

enabling said boring water delivery pipe and said cutting water delivery pipe to connectably form into an integrated boring and cutting water delivery pipe having an inner pipe and an outer pipe;

connecting said integrated boring and cutting water delivery pipe to an upper end of a union, which also has a lower end;

connecting a rotatable integrated boring and cutting drill stem having an inner and outer pipe, to said lower end of said union;

wherein said cutting water delivery pipe concentrically encompasses the boring water delivery ripe;

lowering said rotatable integrated boring and cutting drill stem into a coke drum containing coke;

switching said switch valve to allow said pressurized liquid to enter into said boring water delivery pipe, then into said inner pipe of said integrated boring and cutting water delivery pipe, through said union, and finally, into said inner pipe of said rotatable boring and cutting water drill stem, to a cutting head;

ejecting high pressure fluid from nozzles dedicated to boring on a cutting head to begin boring a hole through said coke, wherein said cutting head is comprised of a plurality of nozzles separated into two groups, one group for boring and one for cutting, each independently supplied by fluid

switching said switch valve to allow said pressurized liquid to enter into said cutting water delivery pipe, then into said outer pipe of said integrated boring and cutting water delivery pipe, through said union, into said outer pipe of said rotatable boring and cutting water drill stem, and finally through said cutting head;

ejecting high pressure fluid from nozzles dedicated to cutting coke on a cutting head to begin cutting said coke within said coke vessel;

wherein said cutting head is comprised of a plurality of nozzles separated into two groups, one group for boring and one for cutting, each independently supplied by fluid;

symbolizing to an operator when said pressurized liquid is in said boring water delivery pipe and when said pressurized liquid is in said cutting water delivery pipe, and therefore, in said boring mode or cutting mode, respectively.