Fluidized Bed Coking With Burner Conversion for Higher Coke Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Flexicoking™ systems face challenges in producing a higher quantity of coke particles efficiently and cost-effectively for applications like hydraulic fracturing, as modifying these systems to increase coke production is not straightforward and costly.
Innovation Solution
A new coking process involves converting the heater to a burner with increased air supply, modifying the heater grid and cyclones, reducing cyclone numbers, and adding supplemental gas to the flue gas, combined with a venturi scrubber using caustic dispersion to remove sulfur oxides, producing a larger quantity of coke particles with desired properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If Flexicoking system is modified to increase coke production, then coke particle quantity increases, but modification cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies operational parameters of the Flexicoking system by adjusting air supply to the burner, modifying heater grid configurations, and changing cyclone arrangements to increase coke production. These parameter changes enable the system to produce up to twice the quantity of coke particles without complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the coke production process into distinct zones within the reactor and burner systems, optimizing each segment independently. By dividing the fluidized bed into different operational zones and separately optimizing air supply, heater grids, and cyclone configurations, the system achieves increased coke yield through targeted modifications rather than overall system complexity.
2Quantity of substance
If air supply to burner is increased, then coke production increases, but sulfur oxide emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a venturi scrubber as an intermediary device between the burner and the atmosphere. This scrubber system, equipped with spray nozzles and water circulation, acts as a mediator that captures and removes sulfur oxides from the flue gas stream, allowing increased air supply for coke production while mitigating harmful emissions through active removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful sulfur oxide emissions into a manageable parameter by using the venturi scrubber to capture these emissions. The scrubber system transforms the waste product (sulfur oxides) into a controlled substance that can be removed and disposed of, allowing the process to benefit from increased air supply for coke production while neutralizing the harmful effect through systematic removal.
3Power
If heater grid is converted to burner with smaller diameter holes, then combustion efficiency increases, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes to the heater grid by modifying hole diameter sizes and adjusting grid configurations to convert it into an optimized burner. These parameter adjustments enhance combustion efficiency while remaining within manufacturable parameters, balancing performance improvement with manufacturing feasibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modified process significantly increases coke production, achieving up to twice the quantity of conventional Flexicoking™ systems, while producing a clean fuel gas and reducing capital investment, with coke particles suitable for hydraulic fracturing applications.
Implementation Method 1
passing the flue gas and a caustic dispersion to a venturi scrubber to obtain a scrubbed flue gas
Implementation Method 2
combusting at least a portion of the solid coke in the burner, thereby producing hot coke particles
Implementation Method 3
converting the heavy petroleum feed to light hydrocarbon products and solid coke via a coking operation within the fluidized bed in the reactor
Data Source
AI summary
A method/system, which can be modified from the Flexicoking™ process/system, includes introducing a heavy petroleum feed into a fluidized bed in a reactor and converting the feed via a coking operation within the fluidized bed, producing an overhead stream with entrained coke fines from the reactor overhead and solid coke from the base of the reactor. The method includes injecting the solid coke into a fluidized bed in a burner and combusting the solid coke in the burner, producing hot coke particles. The method includes recirculating a portion of the hot coke particles to the fluidized bed in the reactor, discharging the remainder of the hot coke particles from the base of the burner and a flue gas from the burner overhead, and passing the flue gas and a caustic dispersion to a venturi scrubber to obtain a scrubbed flue gas. More petroleum coke can be produced from the method/system.