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.

Abstract: A method for conditioning delayed coke includes allowing coke to form in a first chamber or coke drum, while simultaneously conditioning coke in a second coke drum by flowing through it a hydrocarbon conditioning fluid recirculated from another portion of the coking apparatus, said conditioning fluid having a temperature of more than 750.degree. F. and less than 1000.degree. F., and decoking a third coke drum. The coking, conditioning and decoding operations are sequentially switched among the coke drums.