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'''Delayed coking''' is a process that heats the [[residual oil]] from the [[Petroleum refining processes#The crude oil distillation unit|crude oil distillation unit]] in a [[petroleum refinery]] to its [[thermal cracking]] temperature in the [[heat transfer]] tubes of a [[furnace]]. This cracks the long chain [[hydrocarbon]] [[molecule]]s of the residual oil into coker [[gas oil]] and [[petroleum coke]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Gary, J.H. and Handwerk, G.E.|title=Petroleum Refining Technology and Economics|edition=2nd Edition|publisher=Marcel Dekker, Inc|year=1984|id=ISBN 0-8247-7150-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Leffler, W.L. |title=Petroleum refining for the nontechnical person|edition=2nd Edition|publisher=PennWell Books|year=1985|id=ISBN 0-87814-280-0}}</ref><ref>[http://www.petcokeconsulting.com/glossary/index.html Petroleum Coke Glossary]</ref> Delayed coking is one of the [[chemical engineering]][[unit processes]] used in many petroleum refineries.
'''Delayed coking''' is one of the [[chemical engineering]] [[unit process]]es used in many [[Petroleum refining processes|petroleum refineries]]. In brief, the process heats the [[residual oil]] from the [[Petroleum refining processes#The crude oil distillation unit|crude oil distillation unit]] in a petroleum refinery to its [[thermal cracking]] temperature in the [[heat transfer]] tubes of a [[furnace]]. This cracks the long chain [[hydrocarbon]] [[molecule]]s of the residual oil into coker [[gas oil]] and [[petroleum coke]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Gary, J.H. and Handwerk, G.E.|title=Petroleum Refining Technology and Economics|edition=2nd Edition|publisher=Marcel Dekker, Inc|year=1984|id=ISBN 0-8247-7150-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Leffler, W.L. |title=Petroleum refining for the nontechnical person|edition=2nd Edition|publisher=PennWell Books|year=1985|id=ISBN 0-87814-280-0}}</ref><ref>[http://www.petcokeconsulting.com/glossary/index.html Petroleum Coke Glossary]</ref>.
 
Some delayed coking units produce as much as 5,000 tons of coke per day.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Staff |year=2002 |month=November |title=2002 Refining Processes |journal=Hydrocarbon Processing |volume= |issue= |pages=pp. 85-147 |issn=0887-0284}}</ref>


== Flow diagram and process description ==
== Flow diagram and process description ==
The diagram and description in this section are based on typical delayed coking unit with two coke drums. However, some petroleum refineries have delayed coking units with as many as 6 drums, each of which may have diameters of up to 10 meters and overall heights of up to 45 meters.<ref>[http://www.fwc.com/publications/tech_papers/oil_gas/elliot2.cfm Delayed coking innovations and new design trends]</ref>


=== Typical schematic flow diagram ===
=== Typical schematic flow diagram ===

Revision as of 19:54, 13 February 2008

Delayed coking is one of the chemical engineering unit processes used in many petroleum refineries. In brief, the process heats the residual oil from the crude oil distillation unit in a petroleum refinery to its thermal cracking temperature in the heat transfer tubes of a furnace. This cracks the long chain hydrocarbon molecules of the residual oil into coker gas oil and petroleum coke.[1][2][3].

Some delayed coking units produce as much as 5,000 tons of coke per day.[4]

Flow diagram and process description

The diagram and description in this section are based on typical delayed coking unit with two coke drums. However, some petroleum refineries have delayed coking units with as many as 6 drums, each of which may have diameters of up to 10 meters and overall heights of up to 45 meters.[5]

Typical schematic flow diagram

A typical schematic flow diagram of a delayed coking unit

Process description

The above flow diagram depicts a delayed coking unit with two coke drums. However, many coking units have more than two drums and with one or more drums on stream while

Thermal cracking begins in the furnace, continues in the transfer line between the furnace and the coke drums, and finishes in the coke drum.

As cracking continues in the drum, gas oil and lighter components are generated in vapor phase and separate from the liquid and solids. The drum effluent is vapor only except for any liquid or solids entrainment, and is directed to a fractionation column where it is separated into the desirable boiling point fractions. Solid coke is deposited in the drum in a porous structure that allows flow through the pores. All solids and uncracked residual liquid produced from the vapor and liquid feed are intended to remain in the drum.

After the drum is full of the solidified coke, the hot mixture from the furnace is switched to a second drum. While the second drum is filling, the full drum is steamed to further reduce hydrocarbon content of the petroleum coke, and then water quenched to cool it. The top and bottom heads of the full coke drum are removed, and the solid petroleum coke is then cut from the coke drum with a high pressure water nozzle, where it falls into a pit, pad, or sluiceway for reclamation to storage.

Larger cokers have several pairs of tandem drums.

Composition of coke

The table below illustrates the wide range of compositions for raw petroleum coke (referred to as green coke[6]) produced in a delayed coker and the corresponding compositions after the green coke has been calcined at 2375 °F (1302 °C):

Composition Of Coke From A Delayed Coker
Component Green coke
as produced
Coke calcined
at 2375 °F
Fixed carbon, wt % 80 − 95 98.0 − 99.5
Hydrogen, wt % 3.0 − 4.5 0.1
Nitrogen, wt % 0.1 − 0.5  
Sulfur, wt % 0.2 − 6.0  
Volatile matter, wt % 5 − 15 0.2 − 0.8
Moisture, wt % 0.5 − 10 0.1
Ash, wt % 0.1 − 1.0 0.02 − 0.7
Density, g/cc 1.2 − 1.6 1.9 − 2.1
Metals, ppm weight:
     Aluminum 15 − 100 15 − 100
     Boron 0.1 − 15 0.1 − 15
     Calcium 25 − 500 25 − 500
     Chromium 5 − 50 5 − 50
     Cobalt 10 − 60 10 − 60
     Iron 50 − 5000 50 − 5000
     Manganese 2 − 100 2 − 100
     Magnesium 10 − 250 10 − 250
     Molybdenum 10 − 20 10 − 20
     Nickel 10 − 500 10 − 500
     Potassium 20 − 50 20 − 50
     Silicon 50 − 600 50 − 600
     Sodium 40 − 70 40 − 70
     Titanium 2 − 60 2 − 60
     Vanadium 5 − 500 5 − 500


References

  1. Gary, J.H. and Handwerk, G.E. (1984). Petroleum Refining Technology and Economics, 2nd Edition. Marcel Dekker, Inc. ISBN 0-8247-7150-8. 
  2. Leffler, W.L. (1985). Petroleum refining for the nontechnical person, 2nd Edition. PennWell Books. ISBN 0-87814-280-0. 
  3. Petroleum Coke Glossary
  4. Staff (November 2002). "2002 Refining Processes". Hydrocarbon Processing: pp. 85-147. ISSN 0887-0284.
  5. Delayed coking innovations and new design trends
  6. Petroleum coke on the website of the IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology

External links