Abstract: An apparatus for accumulating coke includes a coke drum having an upper head, a lower section, and a generally cylindrical wall having a height parallel to its longitudinal axis and extending between and joined to the upper head and the lower section. The wall includes an upper ring and a lower ring, each of which has a height parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wall which is in a range of zero percent to 25 percent of the height of the wall. The wall also includes an intermediate ring which extends between and is joined to the upper ring, if present, and the lower ring, if present. The intermediate ring has a length which is equal to a cumulative length of the upper ring and the lower ring subtracted from the length of the wall. The intermediate ring is free of joints which extend in a circumferential direction of the wall.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided reclaiming a useful oil product from waste oil, such as used lubricating oil. The apparatus comprises an oil feed means, a boiler, a heater and a separating means. The heater is used to heat the waste oil in the boiler to a temperature such that lighter hydrocarbons remain unvolatilized, trapping contaminants therewith. The separating means separates the volatilized lighter hydrocarbons from the unvolatilized heavier hydrocarbons and contaminants.

Abstract: A combined process of low degree solvent deasphalting and delayed coking, which comprises feeding a deasphalting stock and a solvent into an extractor and maling the yield of the deasphalted oil 70 wt% - 95 wt%, and introducing a part or all of the deasphaltd oil and optionally a conventional coking stock into a delayed coker. This process increases the yield of liquid products, removes the heavy asphaltene which is prone to coke, extends the run length of the delayed coker, and at the same time, lowers the content of impuinities in coke, enlarges the sources of the stocks for producing the needle coke.

Abstract: A method for lowering the cloud/pour point of a waxy crude oil in locations where size and/or weight of the facility may need to be limited (i.e. arctic zones and offshore). The major components of the system comprise a fractionation/quench tower and a reaction furnace. The furnace has sufficient heat input to initiate thermal cracking of wax and the fractionation tower is operated at a temperature sufficient to flash off light hydrocarbons but also low enough to quench thermal cracking reaction. The feed to the furnace comprises a portion of the bottoms stream from the tower and the furnace output is fed back into the tower bottom to be quenched.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for decreasing the viscosity of crude oils and residuum utilizing a combination of thermal and acidic treatment. Further, the invention describes a method for making a water-in-oil emulsion, or a solids-stabilized water-in-oil emulsion with a reduced viscosity. The emulsion can be used in enhanced oil recovery methods, including using the emulsion as a drive fluid to displace hydrocarbons in a subterranean formation, and using the emulsion as a barrier fluid for diverting flow of fluids in the formation.

Abstract: A system and method to improve the efficiency of delayed coker charge heating by effecting and controlling the temperature of a coker process fluid, prior to its introduction to a coker charge heater. In its preferred embodiment, the instant invention strategically positions and controls a pre-heater to automatically stabilize and minimize delayed coker charge heater firing rates. Said pre-heater's set point is derived by a feed forward control system that allows for the detection of process fluid temperature within a combination tower bottom, and communicates that temperature value to a pre-heater. Based upon the temperature value communicated to the pre-heater, the pre-heater intensifies, maintains, or decreases its firing to effect an operationally consistent combination tower bottoms temperature. By maintaining nearly constant combination tower bottoms temperature, a delayed coker charge heater derives enhanced operational efficiency and increases its life expectancy.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A solvating component for a solvated mesophase pitch. The solvated component includes a mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons having boiling points in the atmospheric equivalent boiling point range of about 285° to about 460° C. (about 550° F.-932° F.). At least 80% of the carbon atoms of the hydrocarbons are aromatic as characterized by carbon 13 NMR. The aromatic hydrocarbons are selected from a group consisting of aromatic compounds having 2 to 5 aromatic rings, substituted aromatic compounds having 2 to 5 aromatic rings wherein said substituents are alkyl groups having 1 to 3 carbons, hydroaromatic compounds having 2 to 5 rings, substituted aromatic compounds having 2 to 5 rings wherein said substituents are alkyl groups having 1 to 3 carbons, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method for lowering the cloud/pour point of a waxy crude oil in locations where size and/or weight of the facility may need to be limited (i.e. arctic zones and offshore). The major components of the system comprise a fractionation/quench tower and a reaction furnace. The furnace has sufficient heat input to initiate thermal cracking of wax and the fractionation tower is operated at a temperature sufficient to flash off light hydrocarbons but also low enough to quench thermal cracking reaction. The feed to the furnace comprises a portion of the bottoms stream from the tower and the furnace output is fed back into the tower bottom to be quenched.

Abstract: The invention is a process for making anode grade coke which comprises solvent deasphalting a residue feedstock to obtain an essentially asphaltene-free, resin-containing stream and coking the resin-containing stream in a delayed coker to make anode coke. The solvent deasphalting can make a deasphalted oil stream containing resin or separate deasphalted oil and resin streams. There can be hydrotreating of (1) a minor portion of the residue feedstock wherein the hydrotreated residue is fed to the delayed coker with the resin-containing stream, (2) the resin-containing stream wherein the hydrotreated resin stream is fed to the delayed coker, or (3) a major portion of the residue feedstock wherein the hydrotreated residue is fed to the solvent deasphalting unit.

Abstract: Olefins may be produced by thermally steam cracking a crude oil having pentane insolubles less than or equal to 1.2, ASTM D-893, and a weight percent of hydrogen greater than or equal to 12.5.

Abstract: In a delayed coking process, furnace tube fouling is minimized by including a measured amount of full boiling range heavy gas oil as an additive in the furnace feed, preferably by forced recycle from a heavy gas oil stream. An additive is preferably supplied directly to individual furnace tubes by multiple circumferential injection upstream of each tube receiving the additive.

Abstract: A method is provided for cooling coke drum deheading devices, thereby extending the life of same. The method calls for spraying water or other coolant on the devices when they are in operation.

Abstract: A coke drum head is hinged to a coke drum body using a compound joint such as a trammel pivot, and the head is moved between open and closed positions using an actuator. In moving between open and closed positions, the head traces out a non-circular path which reduces the required headroom relative to a head using a standard pivot.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method to improve the efficiency of delayed coker charge heating by effecting and controlling the temperature of a coker process fluid, prior to its introduction to a coker charge heater. In its preferred embodiment, the instant invention strategically positions and controls a pre-heater to automatically stabilize and minimize delayed coker charge heater firing rates. Said pre-heater's set point is derived by a feed forward control system that allows for the detection of process fluid temperature within a combination tower bottom, and communicates that temperature value to a pre-heater. Based upon the temperature value communicated to the pre-heater, the pre-heater intensifies, maintains, or decreases its firing to effect an operationally consistent combination tower bottoms temperature. By maintaining nearly constant combination tower bottoms temperature, a delayed coker charge heater derives enhanced operational efficiency and increases its life expectancy.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for mitigating the fouling from thermally cracked oils by minimizing the residence time at the temperature when the fouling is highest.

Abstract: A method for recycling a waste stream containing water and solids comprises (a) removing water from the waste stream to produce a second stream containing less than 60% by weight water, (b) drying the second stream to produce a waste feed charge containing less than 15% by weight water, and (c) injecting the waste feed charge into a coker during the coking cycle. The water removal can be carried out in one or more steps, and can be carried out in a vertical disk centrifuge if it is also desired to reduce the particle size of the solids fraction. The waste feed charge can be injected into a delayed coker, flexicoker, or fluid coker, and allows the recycle of solid waste into the coke.

Abstract: A heater includes a radiant section having a wall and a roof, the roof having a longitudinal opening. A radiant heat exchange tube is disposed in the radiant section, and the tube has an inlet and outlet through which a process fluid can be carried respectively into and out of the radiant section. The tube between the inlet and outlet is arranged in generally horizontal tube lengths. A plurality of burners is provided, at least two of the burners being disposed on opposing sides of the tube. A plurality of tube supports is releasably positioned at longitudinal intervals along the tube lengths and define tube seats on which the tube lengths rest. The tube and tube supports are liftable as a unit through the longitudinal opening of the roof of the radiant section.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A premium “fuel-grade” petroleum coke is produced by modifying petroleum coking technology. Coking process parameters are controlled to consistently produce petroleum coke within a predetermined range for volatile combustible material (VCM) content. The invention includes a process of producing a coke fuel, the method comprising steps: (a) obtaining a coke precursor material derived from crude oil and having a volatile organic component; and (b) subjecting the coke precursor material to a thermal cracking process for sufficient time and at sufficient temperature and under sufficient pressure so as to produce a coke product having a volatile combustible material (VCM) present in an amount in the range of from about 13% to about 50% by weight. Most preferably, the volatile combustible material in the coke product typically may be in the range of from about 15% to about 30% by weight.

Abstract: A process for the production of aromatic hydrocarbons. The process involves heating gas oil while under pressure, and maintaining the gas oil at temperature and pressure to break the substantially aliphatic chains from the gas oil core structure of two or more aromatic rings, as well as to break the aliphatic chains to smaller molecules. The process yields products which include lighter aliphatic material, as well as aromatic hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for at least reducing foam formation and expansion in a coking drum and for preventing foamovers. In the invention, a fluid is injected into the upper portion of the coking drum during the coking drum fill cycle in a manner effective for at least reducing pressure swings in the coking drum. The fluid is preferably of a type which provides sufficient vapor in the coking drum when added in accordance with the present invention such that the fluid acts to increase the internal pressure of the coking drum and thus counteracts pressure losses which typically occur in the live drum during the fill cycle. In another aspect of the invention, while vapor from the live drum is used to warm an empty drum operating on a different cycle, the pressure of a condensate drum which receives the vapor from the second drum is maintained in a manner effective for reducing pressure losses in the live drum during the warming operation.

Abstract: A process for upgrading petroleum residua to more valuable products by visbreaking or otherwise thermally cracking a petroleum residuum to produce a thermally cracked bottoms stream, vacuum distilling at least a portion of the thermally cracked bottoms stream to produce a vacuum distilled thermally cracked pitch, blending a portion of the pitch with a hydrocarbon residuum that is not a vacuum distilled thermally cracked pitch to produce a delayed coker feed component, producing a delayed coker heater charge having a recycle ratio, by weight, of less than about 1.27:1, and introducing the coker heater charge into a delayed coker.

Abstract: Certain physical properties, chemical composition and a content of volatile carbonaceous materials define the limits of the use of coke by-products of crude oil refining as green cokes for use in the manufacture of calcined cokes suitable in the production of anodes for the reduction processes in the aluminum industry. These limits render large quantities of green coke unusable for the purpose set forth above. The invention shows a way to overcome these limits by rendering up to now unusable cokes usable as green cokes for the manufacture of calcined cokes for the production of anodes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of petroleum coke for the manufacture of carbonaceous anodes for the aluminum smelting industry. The inclusion of Group 4 and/or Group 13 metal compounds as additives to the petroleum coker feedstock diminish the oxidizing tendencies of the metal impurities inherent in the petroleum coke.

Abstract: The viscosity of hydrocarbon feeds in reduced from crudes or crude by thermal treatment.

Abstract: A method is described for making a high purity coke fuel or anode grade coke from a heavy petroleum residuum by contacting a molten anhydrous alkali metal hydroxide with the heavy petroleum residuum at a temperature and for a time sufficient to extract substantially all sulfur and heavy metals contained in the petroleum residuum to the alkali metal hydroxide and recovering the coke product.

Abstract: A method is provided for cooling prior to decoking a petroleum coke drum having a substantially solidified mass of petroleum coke by initiating the injection of water into the coke drum while the average temperature of the coke within the coke drum is greater than about 500.degree. F., wherein the average flow rate of water injected into the coke drum over the initial 10 minute period of water injection is from about 0.0033 to about 0.01 gpm per cubic foot of coke in the coke drum; and thereafter continuing the injection of water into the drum for a total injection time of at least about 60 minutes, at a flow rate during the 50 minute period immediately following the initial 10 minute period less than about 0.0036 to about 0.011 gpm per cubic foot of coke in the coke drum.

Abstract: In a process and apparatus for visbreaking a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in the liquid state, whereby the feedstock is brought to an appropriate temperature to cause cracking of at least part of the hydrocarbons present, and is then introduced into the bottom of a soaker (3) wherein it travels from bottom to top, and is then discharged from the top of said soaker (3) and directed to a fractionation unit, the improvement wherein a preferably inert gas is injected into the hydrocarbon feedstock inside the soaker (3), in the vicinity of the soaker side walls, at least at the bottom of the soaker (3) and the gas is injected upward along the side walls of the soaker (3) and flows from bottom to top along said walls co-currently with the hydrocarbon feedstock.

Abstract: A heat exchange surface in reactors and/or heat exchangers of installations for the conversion of hydrocarbons and other organic compounds at high temperatures in the gaseous phase. According to the invention, the metallic surfaces coming into contact with the organic substances are treated at a temperature of 300 to 1000.degree. C. over a period of 0.5 to 12 hours with a mixture of a silicon- and sulfur-containing product and a dry gas flow which is inert with respect to the silicon- and sulfur-containing product. The invention is further directed to a process for producing a catalytically inactivated metallic surface in chemical reactors and/or heat exchangers.

Abstract: The cycle time for a delayed coker unit is reduced by externally heating the coke drum near the junction of the drum shell and the supporting skirt thereof prior to beginning the hot coker feed fill step. This reduces the thermal stresses at the area around the welds of the drum skirt.

Abstract: A process for thermally cracking waste motor oil into a diesel fuel product is provided. The thermal cracking process uses low temperature cracking temperatures from 625.degree. F. to 725.degree. F. with ambient pressure to generate a column distilled fraction of diesel fuel mixed with light ends, the light ends being flashed off to produce a high quality #2 diesel fuel. The process further provides for removal from the cracking vessel an additional product stream which, when filtered, is suitable for use as a #3 fuel oil and that can be further blended with a bunker oil to yield a #5 fuel product.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling the relative proportion of products produced from a petroleum residuum by thermal coking. Coke yield promoting compounds are identified, and effective attenuating agents are specified. The method can mitigate a coke promoting effect induced by certain surfactants, antifoulants, or fugitive catalysts in thermal coking units. Mitigating the coke yield promoting effect of molybdenum, for example, in a thermal coker permits recovery of a greater proportion of distillate boiling range products.

Abstract: A method for reducing the viscosity of a liquid heavy hydrocarbon feedstock comprising the steps of bringing said feedstock to a temperature capable of cracking of at least a portion of the hydrocarbons present in said feedstock and introducing said feedstock into a bottom portion of a maturation device (i.e. a "soaker"), where the feedstock is displaced from the bottom upwards, to get evacuated from a top portion of the soaker towards a fractioning unit. The invention also relates to an apparatus comprising a soaker in which are located, transversely to the direction of displacement of the feedstock to be treated, a plurality of annular discs spaced apart from one another, each disc comprising a circular central passage substantially coaxial to the soaker, the treated feedstock circulating from the bottom portion upwards in the soaker through the central passages of the various annular discs.

Abstract: The invention relates to the protection of tubular reactors or heat exchangers against coke formation in plants for converting hydrocarbons and other organic compounds at high temperatures in the gaseous phase. The problem in such plants is that the usual steam/air cleaning processes for removing coke deposits lead to an increase in the catalytic activity of the material surfaces, which in turn shortens the service life of the plants. The object of the invention is to substantially reduce coking and to maintain the long-term passivity of steels for long operational periods.

Abstract: A selenium-containing aqueous stream may be used as a quenching water stream and optionally a cutting water stream in a delayed coking process to effectuate the removal of selenium from the selenium-containing aqueous stream resulting in the formation of a selenium-coke product. In addition, selenium may be concentrated in selenium-containing stripped sour water streams by recycling the stream in one or more hydroprocessing units and one or more sour water stripper units and subsequently removed by using a portion of the selenium-containing stripped sour water stream as a quenching water stream and optionally a cutting water stream in a delayed coking process.

Abstract: An improved coker fractionator system which permits withdrawing, from selected ports in the fractionator, streams of selected boiling point ranges for recovery of thermal energy and for altering the liquid vapor loading within the column for more efficient fractionation within the column. The system includes the provision of one or more ports in a fractionation column between the light coker gas oil draw and the heavy coker gas oil draw connected to either a thermal energy recovery pump-around system or a recycle system for returning a stream to the coker furnace feed stream.

Abstract: A steam cracking process and facility is described which comprises injection of erosive powder to effect at least partial decoking of transfer line exchangers without interrupting the steam cracking stream. The powder, preferably injected just upstream of the transfer line exchangers (TLE) (4), is separated from the cracked gases in primary gas/solid separators (5), temporarily stored in receiving drums at a controlled temperature and evacuated to a common powder storage and/or treatment module by pneumatic transfer by means of a relatively low flow of uncondensable gas. The process and facility can be used to collect solid fragments generated by injection of chemical compounds which are catalysts for the gasification of coke by steam.

Abstract: The metal stresses in a delayed coke drum are reduced by externally cooling the coke drum near the junction of the drum shell and the supporting skirt thereof during the quench step. This reduces the metal stresses at the area around the welds of the drum skirt.

Abstract: A process for the thermal conversion of the organic component associated with tar sands to lower boiling, higher value products. The conversion is achieved by subjecting the organic component containing from about 1 to 20 wt. % native solids to elevated temperatures and pressures. Compared to conventional thermal conversion processes, such as visbreaking, much higher conversion of the organic component can be achieved owing to the presence of native solids on which coke is deposited instead of fouling the process equipment. This higher conversion is also associated with enhanced removal of sulfur and metals.

Abstract: A coke drum head is hinged to a coke drum body using a compound joint such as a trammel pivot, and the head is moved between open and closed positions using an actuator. In moving between open and closed positions, the head traces out a non-circular path which reduces the required headroom relative to a head using a standard pivot.

Abstract: A residual oil feedstock comprises carbon residue measured according to ASTM D-4530. The feedstock is admixed with water/steam in an amount of 10 wt % to 30 wt % and optionally a hydrogen donor, such as methane and/or gas oil derived from recycle. The resulting admixture is subjected to delayed coking reaction conditions. The process yields hydrocarbon liquids in an increased amount. Coke make and gas make are thereby reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a process for producing needle coke, which comprises reducing the ash content in a heavy oil obtained from fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum or in a hydrocarbon material mainly composed of said heavy oil to not more than 0.01 wt % by means of (1) filtration, (2) centrifugation, (3) electrostatic aggregation or (4) a combination thereof, and coking the thus treated heavy oil or hydrocarbon material with an ash content of not more than 0.01 wt %; and a needle coke produced by coking a heavy oil obtained from fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum or a hydrocarbon material mainly composed of said heavy oil.

Abstract: Methods for inhibiting the carryover of foam in a delayed coker unit processing hydrocarbon liquids are disclosed. A non-silicone defoamer compound is added to the hydrocarbon until the foam height surpasses a predetermined value. A silicone defoamer compound is then added to the hydrocarbon to knock down the foam head and inhibit carryover of the foam.

Abstract: In a delayed coking process the temperature of the liquid in the coke drum is increased by the addition of a heated non-coking hydrocarbon diluent. The heated non-coking diluent can be added to either a delayed coker furnace effluent prior to entering the coke drum, directly into the coke drum, or both. The resulting increase in coke drum temperature results in increased liquid yields and a decrease in coke yields.

Abstract: A delayed coking process in which a flash zone gas oil stream from the bottom of the coker fractionator is upgraded by removing suspended solids and then hydroprocessing the stream to make it more attractive as a feed to a fluidized bed catalytic cracking unit or other processing unit. Removal of the solids allows the stream to be processed in a fixed bed catalytic hydrotreater without plugging of the catalyst bed.

Abstract: A process for disposing of industrial waste or petroleum sludge in a delayed coking process wherein said waste or sludge is introduced into the hot coke in combination with steam in the steam cooling phase of the delayed coking process is provided.

Abstract: Aqueous sulfur and caustic component-containing waste streams are disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner employing a process featuring integrated coking and gasification operations.

Abstract: A used lubricant oil recycling process is disclosed in which a used lubricating oil is injected to a delayed coker downstream of the coker furnace whereby the used oil is thermally cracked into hydrocarbon fuel products which are low in metal contaminants, sulfur and nitrogen. The used lubricant can be preheated in an independent heater to avoid a quenching effect of the process stream when added in an amount greater than about 3% by volume based on the entire volume of the feed.