DELAYED COKER UNIT

DCU HEATER
SPECIAL OPERATIONS OF DCU HEATERS
DELAYED COKER HEATER
The most important piece of equipment in delayed coker is the fired
heater.


In this demanding service carefully controlled time/temperature
profiles are critical for profitable production.


Furnace residence time must be strictly controlled to avoid
premature coke formation in the tubes resulting in premature
shutdown.


SPECIAL OPERATIONS OF DCU HEATERS
HEATER AT
DELAYED COKER -
PR
8
1
1
8

3250
1250
2664
3250
3250
3250
1250
2064
5
5
0
0

17000
8050

FOUR PASSES

COMMON CONVECTION SECTION

DIFFERENT RADIATION SECTION
TYPICAL PROBLEMS IN FIRED
HEATERS
HIGH EXCESS AIR OPERATION

FOULED CONVECTION SECTIONS

HIGH STACK TEMPERATURES

OVER FIRING

UNEVEN FIRING

FLAME IMPRINGEMENT


COMPARISION OF HEATER EFFICIENCY AT
VARIOUS EXCESS AIR AND STACK
TEMPERATURES
EXCESS AIR
(%)
O2 IN FLUE GAS
%
VARIOUS STACK TEMPERATURES (C)
150 175 200 225 250 280 315 375 425 480 540
15.00 3.00 91.76 90.44 89.11 87.77 86.42 85.06 83.60 80.59 78.11 75.25 72.35
20.00 3.82 91.52 90.15 88.77 87.39 85.98 84.57 83.15 80.28 77.36 74.40 71.39
25.00 4.56 91.29 89.87 88.44 87.01 85.55 84.09 82.62 79.64 76.61 73.55 70.43
30.00 5.24 91.05 89.58 88.10 86.61 85.11 83.62 82.07 78.99 75.87 72.69 69.47
40.00 6.46 90.58 89.01 87.43 85.84 84.24 82.60 81.00 77.71 74.37 70.99 67.55
50.00 7.49 90.10 88.43 86.76 85.06 83.36 81.64 79.92 76.43 72.28 69.28 65.63
HEATER INTERLOCKS
LOW LOW PASS FLOW
78-FZT-1702/3/4/5 A/B < 17.1tph
HIGH HIGH FG KOD LEVEL
78-LZT-1902 A/B/C > 90 %
HIGH HIGH FG PRESSURE
78-PZT-1906A/B/C/D > 2.5kg/cm2
HIGH HIGH PILOT PRESSURE
78-PZT-1904 > 3.1 kg/cm2
HIGH HIGH FO PRESSURE
78-PZT-7740/7741/7742/7743 > 8
(dual mode)/ 7.5 (FO mode)
LOW LOW ATOMISING STEAM / FO
DIFF. PRESSURE
78-PDZT-7713/7714/7715/7716 <
0.5 kg/cm2
HIGH HIGH HEATER OUTLET
PRESSURE
78-PZT-1806
A/BC/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L > 34
KG/CM2
HIGH HIGH COT
78-TZI-1812 A/BC/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L >
520
LOW LOW FG PRESSURE
78-PZT-1906A/B/C/D < 2
kg/cm2
LOW LOW PILOT PRESSURE
78-PZT-1904 < 0.1 kg/cm2
LOW LOW FO PRESSURE
78-PZT-7740/7741/7742/7743 < 7
kg/cm2

TRIP SWITCH A


TRIP SWITCH B


TRIP SWITCH D

TRIP SWITCH C

PROCESS TRIPS:
HEATER INTERLOCKS
TAKE OTHER FD TO 80%
LOAD
ID TIRP
sensed by 78-ST-2101 < 100rpm or 78-YL-
2153
FO/FG CUT OFF
HIGH HIGH ARCH PRESSURE 78-
PT-2110A/B/C = 0mmWC
TRIP ID FAN
HIGH CAST APH TEMP
78-TT-2155A/B/C > 290
OPEN MSD
BOTH FD TRIP sensed by
78ST2102/ST2103 < 100 rpm FD101AS1
(MCC) or 78YL2151A/YL2152B

TRIP SWITCH

HIGH HIGH ARCH PRESSURE 78-PT-
2110A/B/C =2/3/4 mmWC
OPEN MSD then
TRIP BOTH FD FANS
HEATER TRIP
AIR & APH INTERLOCKS:
ONE FD TRIP
78-ST-2102/78-ST-2103
<100rpm

TRIP SWITCH A

FORCE CLOSE FG SDV
FORCE CLOSE FO RETURN SDV
DECREASE HIGH HIGH TRIP
PRESSURE OF FO TO ALL PASSES
FORCE CLOSE ATOMIZING STEAM
CONTROL VALVE OF ALL PASSES
FORCE ZERO OUT ALL PASS FO
CONTROL VALVE
FORCE CLOSE FO SUPPLY SDV
DECREASE HIGH HIGH TRIP
PRESSURE OF FG TO ALL PASSES
FORCE ZERO OUT ALL PASS FG
CONTROL VALVE
HEATER INTERLOCKS

TRIP SWITCH B

FORCE CLOSE FG SDV
FORCE CLOSE FO RETURN SDV
DECREASE HIGH HIGH TRIP
PRESSURE OF FO TO ALL PASSES
FORCE CLOSE ATOMIZING STEAM
CONTROL VALVE OF ALL PASSES
FORCE ZERO OUT ALL PASS FO
CONTROL VALVE
FORCE CLOSE FO SUPPLY SDV
DECREASE HIGH HIGH TRIP
PRESSURE OF FG TO ALL PASSES
FORCE ZERO OUT ALL PASS FG
CONTROL VALVE
OPEN MAIN STACK DAMPER
HEATER INTERLOCKS
DECREASE HIGH HIGH TRIP
PRESSURE OF FG TO ALL
PASSES
FORCE ZERO OUT OF ALL
PASS FG CONTROL VALVE
FORCE CLOSE FG SDV
HEATER INTERLOCKS

TRIP SWITCH C


TRIP SWITCH D

FORCE CLOSE FO RETURN
SDV
DECREASE HIGH HIGH TRIP
PRESSURE OF FO TO ALL
PASSES
FORCE CLOSE ATOMIZING
STEAM CONTROL VALVE OF
ALL PASSES
FORCE ZERO OUT ALL PASS
FO CONTROL VALVE
FORCE CLOSE FO SDV
HEATER INTERLOCKS
HEATER COKING REASONS
HEATER CHARGE PROPERTIES
Sodium content causes rapid fouling
Asphaltene content increases fouling rate
Calcium content
Crude properties API & viscosity higher, higher the rate of fouling

OPERATING PARAMETERS
Higher heater outlet temperatures
Process velocity
Low mass flow velocity increases film temperature
Loss of turbulizing medium
Low flow (6ft/sec) exponentially increases the fouling rate
Uneven heat distribution hotspots or cold spots in heater box
Residence time above cracking threshold
Low flow (Turndown) or poor flow distribution
Feed interruptions

OTHER ISSUES
Burner tip plugging
Uneven firing in heater
DECOKING OPTIONS
OPERATING PROCEDURES
STEAM AIR DECOKING
Performed when heater is offline.
Heater is completely out of service.


MECHANICAL PIGGING
Performed when heater is offline.
Mechanical pigs are sent into the tubes with a hydraulic medium.


ONLINE SPALLING
Performed when heater is in service.
One pass is taken off service and rest of the passes are inline.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS OF DCU HEATERS
STEAM AIR DECOKING
PRINCIPAL MECHANISMS:
Spalling
Coke burning

SPALLING:
The relatively cooler steam 'cools' shocks the hot tube surfaces causing cracking
of coke and breaking away of the coke from tube surface. The broken particles
are picked up by the high velocity steam and scour the remaining surface.

COKE BURNING:
The BURNING period consist of injection of Steam & air simultaneously while
the furnace is being fired at a higher rate. The Air ignites and consumes any
coke remaining on the tube after spalling. The burning effectively removes all
hard coke deposits on the tubes.
STEAM AIR DECOKING
OPERATING PROCEDURES
FURNACE
CONVECTION INLET
RADIATION OUTLET
STEAM INLET FOR
SPALLING
TO DECOKING POT

Heater is taken out of service
Steam line / decoking pot connections are
made
Steam is charged
Heater firing is gradually increased
Water coming out of decoking pot is
observed


COIL
STEAM FLOW
SPALLING OF TUBES
STEAM AIR DECOKING
OPERATING PROCEDURES
FURNACE FURNACE
FLOW DIRECTION - NORMAL FLOW DIRECTION - REVERSAL
REVERSAL OF FLOW DURING SPALLING
CONVECTION INLET
CONVECTION INLET
RADIATION OUTLET
RADIATION OUTLET
TO DECOKING POT
TO DECOKING POT
STEAM INLET
STEAM INLET
STEAM AIR DECOKING
OPERATING PROCEDURES
FURNACE
CONVECTION INLET
RADIATION OUTLET
STEAM INLET
TO DECOKING POT
AIR INLET
SAMPLING
COKE BURNING
MECHANICAL DECOKING - PIGGING
Coke is removed from the heater tube by pumping a metal studded foam or plastic
pig with water. The metal studded pig rotates such that it scrapes the coke off the
inside of the heater tube.

Different size abrasiveness pigs are used in the decoking process. Pigs are slightly
smaller than the inside diameter of the heater tube

Usually pigs are pumped through heater several times forward and backward until
overall differential pressure across the heater tube (inlet to outlet) is restored to the
original SOR condition.

Typical decoking time varies from 18 to 24 hours per pass depending on the set-up
type.
ONLINE SPALLING
OPERATING PROCEDURES
TYPICAL
FOR
OTHER
PASSES
TYPICAL
FOR
OTHER
PASSES
HP BFW
HP STEAM
CONVECTION
ZONE
RADIATION
ZONE
CONVECTION INLET
RADIATION OUTLET
CONVECTION OUTLET
HEATER CHARGE
ONLINE SPALLING
Coke is removed from the heater tube by varying the steam and condensate
flowrate in the fouled tube such that a thermal shock is created that breaks off coke
from the tube.

The spalling medium will transfer the coke particles into the heater effluent (as
other passes are in line) and into the coke drum.

One pass is spalled while the other coils of the heater remain in normal
hydrocarbon mode.

Typical spalling time is around 16-24hrs per pass.
GAIN IN SKIN TEMPERATURE AFTER
ONLINE SPALLING
OPERATING PROCEDURES
OVERALL GAIN OF SKIN TEMPERATURES AFTER APRIL'10 ONLINE SPALLING
H101
DESCRIPTION PASS A PASS B PASS C PASS D
BEFORE AFTER GAIN BEFORE AFTER GAIN BEFORE AFTER GAIN BEFORE AFTER GAIN
10th tube East 537.51 523.09 14.43 536.39 525.88 10.51 524.50 515.34 9.16 545.00 521.85 23.15
10th tube West 533.86 506.34 27.52 580.75 575.15 5.59 577.11 544.70 32.41 OUT OUT OUT
8th tube East 557.02 526.83 30.19 570.87 553.05 17.82 538.51 528.36 10.15 532.24 507.27 24.97
8th tube West 557.01 536.15 20.86 601.43 590.29 11.13 591.04 547.35 43.70 542.83 521.58 21.25
6th tube East 566.33 538.06 28.27 584.52 532.81 51.71 547.99 528.68 19.32 569.66 531.58 38.08
6th tube West 562.12 524.79 37.33 610.54 558.79 51.75 OUT OUT OUT 555.62 526.83 28.78
4th tube East 569.05 531.19 37.86 616.79 551.65 65.14 564.33 540.23 24.10 573.80 529.50 44.30
4th tube West 571.94 534.36 37.58 617.33 544.13 73.19 603.74 558.93 44.81 574.81 534.55 40.26
2nd tube West 588.09 547.84 40.25 602.17 531.75 70.42 573.92 552.45 21.47 583.01 533.99 49.03
2nd tube West 610.18 580.03 30.15 616.27 545.87 70.40 607.55 559.21 48.33 585.19 541.86 43.33
Middle Skin 609.68 588.78 20.90 615.02 600.58 14.44 614.63 564.90 49.73 OUT OUT OUT
H102
DESCRIPTION PASS A PASS B PASS C PASS D
BEFORE AFTER GAIN BEFORE AFTER GAIN BEFORE AFTER GAIN BEFORE AFTER GAIN
10th tube East 555.36 525.49 29.87 572.84 545.67 27.17 OUT OUT OUT 560.76 536.17 24.58
10th tube West 590.18 557.85 32.33 557.42 535.05 22.37 528.75 517.12 11.63 560.25 529.26 30.99
8th tube East 598.48 556.46 42.02 588.52 554.58 33.94 554.08 528.43 25.65 583.50 535.32 48.18
8th tube West 576.00 553.42 22.58 576.98 539.28 37.70 562.04 548.73 13.31 603.75 553.32 50.43
6th tube East 615.59 560.93 54.66 577.52 536.14 41.39 576.68 543.90 32.78 611.27 546.18 65.09
6th tube West 594.10 543.10 51.00 570.52 526.59 43.93 541.55 518.92 22.63 596.41 535.63 60.79
4th tube East 605.34 536.60 68.74 605.48 552.67 52.81 590.54 550.53 40.01 OUT OUT OUT
4th tube West 576.59 529.07 47.52 613.64 561.18 52.46 545.41 519.48 25.93 610.91 540.04 70.87
2nd tube West 605.11 539.15 65.96 589.12 530.93 58.20 588.08 541.53 46.55 607.93 538.67 69.26
2nd tube West 583.99 537.03 46.96 OUT OUT OUT 564.74 533.83 30.91 606.22 535.36 70.87
Middle Skin 655.57 603.48 52.10 602.33 563.74 38.59 616.56 571.10 45.46 OUT OUT OUT
H101 BEFORE Vs AFTER SKIN COMPARISION
H102 BEFORE Vs AFTER SKIN COMPARISION
STEAM AIR DECOKING PROS & CONS
ADVANTAGES

Fool proof method.
Best method for complete removal of coke and restore SOR condition


DISADVANTAGES

Time & Cost (Maintenance and unit production loss)
Potential tube erosion and tube thinning
Testing is a little difficult, GC of the sample is to be done for satisfied
results.
Entire heater need to be taken out of service, hydro-test of coil need to be
done after decoking.

PIGGING PROS & CONS
ADVANTAGES
Usually performed faster than SADC
Heater box can be opened during pigging and other maintenance jobs can
be done
Post pigging checks are easy open the header plug and check for coke and
repeat pigging if not satisfactory
Lesser metal loss and erosion than SADC
Dedicated operational manpower not required as it is done by external
agency.
No sudden expansions or contraction i.e. no thermal shock so potential
tube damage is minimal

DISADVANTAGES
Pigging quality entirely depends on the external agency.
Huge risk, if pigging is not successful the time lost and money lost would
be huge.
Could cause scratches on the inside of the tube which could become
potential coking sites.
Not a fool proof method, as internal inspection of the tubes is not
possible.
Entire heater need to be taken out of service and hydro-test of coil is
necessary.
ONLINE SPALLING PROS & CONS
ADVANTAGES
Heater need not be taken out of service as one pass would be in spall
mode and the other passes would have hydrocarbon
Immediate feed back on the effectiveness once pass is back in service, as
running conditions in the pass are immediately restored
Extends heater length without a shutdown
Takes less time 16-24 hrs per pass hence can be done every quarter as per
convenience for extended heater lengths.

DISADVANTAGES
May not remove the coke completely and eventually decoking would be
necessary
Highly risky operation as feed out and feed in are done with VR and not by
conventional method of FLO and then VR
Potential tube damage due to sudden expansion and contraction
Potential permanent coking of the tube if temperatures are not controlled
properly
Can be performed on a 3 or 4 pass heater(supplying one reactor) without
any problem, if it is a 2 pass heater supplying one reactor this is not
recommended
Huge shot coke formation might be there because of high vapor velocities