Retractable Center Feed Injection Nozzle for Delayed Coking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing center feed systems for injecting heated residual oil into a coke drum are costly and require frequent maintenance due to the harsh environment, necessitating components to withstand high temperatures and pressures, leading to downtime in the delayed coking process.
Innovation Solution
A retractable center feed injection device with a housing that does not form part of the feed inlet, featuring an injection nozzle that slides between retracted and extended positions, allowing residual oil to flow directly through the nozzle within the coke drum, avoiding external components that would otherwise face harsh conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all components including inlet sleeve and injection nozzle are configured to withstand high temperature and pressure, then the system can operate in harsh environment, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two distinct segments: a feed inlet assembly that remains outside the coke drum and does not require high-temperature resistance, and an injection nozzle that enters the drum and handles the harsh environment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet sleeve and feed inlet components are extracted from the high-temperature zone by positioning them outside the coke drum. Only the essential injection nozzle remains inside to perform the injection function, removing unnecessary components from the harsh environment.
2Reliability
If components are designed to withstand high temperature and pressure, then operational reliability improves, but maintenance frequency increases due to harsh environment
Solution Approach 1:
The feed inlet and inlet sleeve are extracted from the high-temperature zone inside the coke drum and positioned outside. This allows these components to be maintained or replaced without exposing personnel to harsh conditions, significantly improving ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection nozzle serves as an intermediary component that can be easily inserted and removed through the coke drum opening. This design allows for quick replacement of the nozzle without disassembling the entire system or exposing workers to high temperatures, balancing reliability with maintenance ease.
3Strength
If the housing forms part of the feed inlet, then structural integrity is improved, but the need for high-temperature resistant external components increases cost
Solution Approach 1:
The feed inlet system is segmented into an external inlet sleeve and an internal injection nozzle. The inlet sleeve can be made from standard, lower-cost materials since it does not withstand high temperatures, while only the injection nozzle requires expensive high-temperature resistant materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed inlet components are extracted from the high-temperature zone, allowing them to be manufactured from standard materials at lower cost. Only the essential injection function remains inside the drum, minimizing the use of expensive materials.
Data Source
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AI summary
A retractable center feed injection device can be employed to feed residual oil into a coke drum as part of a delayed coking process. The retractable center feed injection device can include a housing within which the injection nozzle slides between an extended and a retracted position. A feed inlet is positioned on an opposite side of the coke drum from the retractable center feed injection device. When in the extended position, the injection nozzle can couple with the feed inlet and thereby form an extension of the feed inlet into the center of the coke drum. In this way, the residual oil never flows through the housing.