Influence of acoustic energy on coke morphology and foaming in delayed coking

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for controlling coke morphology and. foaming in delayed coking. More particularly, acoustic energy is used to control coke morphology and foaming in a delayed coking process.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 658,046 filed Mar. 2, 2005.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to a process for controlling coke morphology and foaming in delayed coking. More particularly, acoustic energy is used to control coke morphology and foaming in a delayed coking process. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Delayed coking involves thermal decomposition of petroleum residua (resids) to produce gas, liquid streams of various boiling ranges, and coke. Delayed coking of resids from heavy and heavy sour (high sulfur) crude oils is carried out primarily as a means of disposing of these low value feedstocks by converting part of the resids to more valuable liquid and gaseous products. Although the resulting coke is generally thought of as a low value by-product, it may have some value, depending on its grade, as a fuel (fuel grade coke), electrodes for aluminum manufact...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] Another embodiment relates to a method for controlling foam formation in a delayed coking process that comprises: (a) heating a coker feedstock in a heater to produce a heated feedstock, (b) conducting the heated feedstock to a coker vessel, (c) maintaining the coker vessel at delayed coking temperatures at effective delayed coking conditions to produce foam, vapor products and coke, and (d) subjecting the coker vessel in step (c) to acoustic energy at an energy level and for a time sufficient to reduce the amount of foam.

Problems solved by technology

Foam-overs in a coke drum are generally highly detrimental to the coking process.

Coke morphology is difficult to proactively control as coke formation is not an exact science.

However, it is difficult to predict in advance exactly what influence the make-up of any give crude will have on the morphology of coke produced.

Other process variables may be adjusted, but it is still very difficult to control the coking process to make a certain type of coke while excluding other types of coke.