Papers and Publications

Coke Drum Best Practices: Real World Improvements for Delayed Coker Safety and Reliability

Author: Brian Doerksen, Senior Mechanical Specialist
Publication: 2012 AFPM Annual Meeting, San Diego, California, USA

abstract

BHTS has developed a unique program of mechanical safety and reliability features, which significantly enhance delayed coker performance.  Collectively, our Best Coke Drum (BCD) practices include advanced dual feed inlet system, coke drum metallurgy & insulation specifications, robust uniform wall thickness, trouble free skirt-to-shell attachment, very low vibration support structure, and safe, ergonomic, operator friendly piping / valve layout.

Coker Furnace On-Line Spalling – Safe, Clean, Proven, & Profitable

Authors: Jack Adams, Adams Project Managers, Inc.; Gary Hughes, BHTS

Presentation:  American Fuels & Petroleum

Abstract:

On-Line Spalling (OLS) is an operation implemented in a Delayed Coker Unit (DCU) to remove coke deposits from the inside of the coker furnace tubes. Today’s competitive refinery industry forces each refiner to seek technology to maximize profitability.  The primary benefit of OLS is that OLS allows the delayed coker to remain in operation while one or more of the tube passes of the coker furnace(s) is being decoked, thereby improving stream factor and profitability.  The number of decokes required annually, depend on many things, including coker furnace operating severity, crude oil type and quality, furnace design, etc.  On-Line Spalling is proven, environmentally friendly, and in use at many delayed coker units.

OLS, if used in-lieu of steam-air decoking or pigging, can improve refinery revenues by:

• Reducing the number of shutdown days for decoking the furnace to two - four days per year or more in some cases from 10 – 20 days per year, dependent on the number of decokes required yearly.  Thus, the annual through put production increases by around 8 to 16 days per year.

• Improving the safety on the unit by reducing the number of shutdowns and startups.

The primary objectives of this paper are:

(1)  To outline the economic and environmental benefits, issues, and steps of on-line spalling, and

(2)  To identify the need for a good design of the spalling system, and a detailed and carefully developed procedure for each on-line spalling application, i.e., no generic OLS procedure is appropriate.