USOO5824194A

United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,824,194

Kruse (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 20, 1998
54) FRACTIONATOR SYSTEM FOR DELAYED 4,626,320 12/1986 Alworth et al. ............................ 201/2
COKING PROCESS 4,686,027 8/1987 Bonilla et al. ...... ... 208/39
4,894,144 1/1990 Newman et al. 208/131
75 Inventor: Charles J. Kruse, Cypress, Tex. 4,994,169 2/1991 Godino et al... ... 208/50
5,092,982 3/1992 Becraft .................................... 208/131
5,158,668 10/1992 Charhar et al. ........................... 208/50
73 Assignee: Bechtel Corporation, Houston, Tex. 5,160,602 11/1992 Becraft et al. .. 208/131
5,174,891 12/1992 Becraft .................................... 208/131
21 Appl. No.: 779,396 5,350,503 9/1994 Freymeyer et al. .................... 208/131
22 Filed: Jan. 7, 1997 Primary Examiner Nina Bhat
51 Int. CI. C10B 21/18: B01D3/14; Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Pravel, Hewitt & Kimball
C10G 9/14 57 ABSTRACT
52 U.S. Cl. .............................. 2O1129: 2O1/30: 2O2/198:
52) 202/261; 196/134: i.e. i. s' An improved coker fractionator System which permits
58) Field of Search s s 196/134, 139 withdrawing, from Selected ports in the fractionator, Streams
in 56 inin no in s of Selected boiling point ranges for recovery of thermal
196/141; 201/29, 30; 202/198, 261; 208/131 energy and for altering the liquid vapor loading within the
56) References Cited column for more efficient fractionation within the column.
The System includes the provision of one or more ports in a
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS fractionation column between the light coker gas oil draw
and the heavy coker gas oil draw connected to either a
isi go S. al. .......................... 3: thermal energy recovery pump-around System or a recycle
4,543,061 9/1985 Edwards. ... 432/15 System for returning a Stream to the coker furnace feed
4,549,934 10/1985 Graf et al. ................................ 196/98 Stream.
4,618,051 10/1986 Skraba ......... ... 196/139
4,621,724 11/1986 Godino et al. .......................... 196/139 11 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet

- 40
" C)
U.S. Patent Oct. 20, 1998 5,824,194
 5,824,194
1 2
FRACTIONATOR SYSTEM FOR DELAYED the fractionator column and include a pump and a heat
COKING PROCESS eXchanger to provide heat to another proceSS Stream or to
generate Steam. When the pump-around System is connected
SPECIFICATION to the heavy coker gas oil draw, thermal energy is removed
1. Field of the Invention from the lower part of the fractionation system. The removal
of heat at this point in the column reduces fractionation
This invention relates to delayed coking of hydrocarbons. efficiency and results in a heavy coker gas oil product Stream
More Specifically, the invention provides an improved which contains light end hydrocarbons. These light end
method and apparatus for fractionating volatile vapors gen hydrocarbons are removed by further processing to meet the
erated during the delayed coking process. heavy coker gas oil products commercial Specification
2. Background of the Invention requirements. Typically, this is done by providing an addi
Delayed coking processes have been used in the prior art tional Steam Stripping System which includes a Stripping
to thermally decompose heavy liquid hydrocarbons into column, multiple product pumps, and a heat eXchanger for
gases, liquid Streams of various boiling ranges, and coke. recovering heat from the Stripping column.
The delayed coking proceSS involves heating hydrocarbon 15 Additionally, portions of the light coker gas oil Stream
liquids in a coking furnace and transferring the heated have been added to the coker feedstock instead of natural
liquids to a coking drum where the liquids decompose into recycle material thereby improving the liquid yields of the
coke and Volatile components. coking and fractionation Systems, as disclosed for example
In order to practically use the delayed coking process, a in U.S. Pat. No. 4,455.219 issued to Janssen et al entitled
coker fractionation System is needed along with the coking “Method of Reducing Coke Yield”, U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,934
furnace and coking drums. The coker fractionating System issued to Graf et al entitled “Flash Zone Draw Tray For
Separates the Volatile components generated in the coking Coker Fractionator,” and U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,487 issued to
drum into various hydrocarbon Streams. Graf et al entitled “Process for Improving Product Yields
In the basic delayed coking process, a liquid hydrocarbon from Delayed Coking.”
25
feedstock is initially added to the bottom of a coker frac SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
tionator column where it mixes with the column bottoms
liquid which is referred to as “natural recycle material.” This The present invention provides an improved coker frac
mixture of feedstock and natural recycle material is taken tionation System which permits withdrawing, from Selected
from the column bottom and then pumped through furnace ports in the fractionator column located between the light
tubes of the coking furnace where it is heated to about 1000 coker gas oil draw and the heavy coker gas oil draw, Streams
F. The heated stream is then transferred to the coking drum of Selected boiling point ranges for recovery of thermal
where the temperature and preSSure are maintained at coking energy and for altering the liquid/vapor loading within the
conditions Such that the Stream decomposes into coke and column for more efficient fractionation within the column.
Volatile components. The Volatile components, called “coke 35 The invention further includes the provision of one or more
drum vapors', are then returned to the coker fractionating ports in the fractionator column between the light coker gas
System for Separation into various components. When the oil draw and the heavy coker gas oil draw which are for
coke drum becomes full of Solid coke, the heated Stream connection to a recycle System for returning a stream to the
from the coker furnace is diverted to another coke drum and coker furnace feed Stream.
the full coke drum is cooled and emptied. 40
The coker fractionating System used in the delayed coking BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
process generally includes a fractionator column which A better understanding of the invention can be obtained
includes a reservoir for the heavy recycle material and when the detailed description set forth below is reviewed in
feedstock mixture at the bottom of the column. Above the
conjunction with the accompanying Drawing, in which:
reservoir is a flash Zone, an open area within the column, 45
FIG. 1 is a Schematic diagram of a delayed coking process
into which the coke drum vapors are introduced. The heavi
est components of the coke drum vapors are condensed in utilizing a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
the flash Zone and the remaining vapors are fractionated by DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
multiple trays above the flash Zone. At the top of the coker EMBODIMENT
fractionator column is a vapor reflux System in which at least 50
a portion of the Overhead vapor Stream being discharged FIG. 1 illustrates a delayed coking process plant incor
from the column is condensed and returned to the top porating features of the present invention. AS illustrated, the
fractionator tray. The remainder of the condensed overhead process plant includes a coking furnace 80, a coking drum
Vapor Stream is withdrawn as an unstabilized naphtha prod 90, and coker fractionating system 10, which functions to
uct. 55 separate coke drum vapors received from the coke drum 90
Traditionally, two liquid Streams are removed from the into various hydrocarbon Streams.
coker fractionating System at different points in the fraction AS illustrated, the coker fractionating System 10 includes
ating column. A light coker gas oil Stream is removed from a vessel or column 12 having multiple Separation trayS 20,
a tray near the top of the fractionator to provide one end a light coker gas oil draw 34, a heavy coker gas oil draw 36,
product of the System. This is known as the light coker gas 60 and a vapor outlet 32. The illustrated column 12 includes
oil draw. The Second stream is a heavy coker gas oil Stream sidewalls 14, bottom end 16 and upper end 18, with the
removed near the bottom fractionation tray to provide a separation trays 20 located within the sidewalls 14 and
Second end product of the System. This is known as the between the two ends 16 and 18. The bottom end 16 of the
heavy coker gas oil draw. column 12 and column sidewalls 14 define a bottom reser
Generally, a portion of this Second stream is returned to 65 voir 22. Flash Zone 24 is located between the bottom
the column as part of a pump-around System. Pump-around reservoir 22 and the Separation trays 20. A coke drum vapor
Systems are generally used to recover thermal energy from inlet 26 is located in the sidewalls 14 adjacent to the flash
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3 4
Zone 24 for introducing coke drum vapors into the flash Zone present invention may eliminate the need for a heavy coker
24 of the column 12. The column 12 operates to convert the gas oil pump-around System. Additionally, the need for a
coke drum vapors into useful end products by the fraction heavy coker gas oil Stripper System is eliminated by pro
ation proceSS performed by the Separation trays 20. AS will Viding enough liquid refluxing within column 12 to improve
be appreciated in light of the following discussion, the the quality of the heavy coker gas oil Stream removed from
invention is not limited to any particular type of fractionator the draw 36, i.e., Sufficiently reducing lower boiling hydro
column or fractionation process and can be practiced with a carbon components to provide an acceptable end product.
packed fractionator column using any type of column pack In addition to recovering heat and providing improved
ing materials as well as with various types of trayed columns fractionation between the light coker gas oil draw 34 and the
having any number of trayS. heavy coker gas oil draw 36, the utilization of an upper
The illustrated column 12 further includes a vapor outlet middle port 52 and the middle pump-around system 50 can
32 connected to a vapor reflux System 40 for condensing decrease can the size and initial investment requirements for
Some portion of vapor removed from the column and the column 12 itself. The removal of heat through the middle
returning it to the top fractionation tray 42. A light coker gas pump-around System 50, as opposed to the removal of heat
oil draw 34 is provided near one of the top trays of the 15 through a heavy coker gas oil pump-around System, results
column 12 for withdrawing a light end product, i.e. light in a better balancing of the liquid and vapor loading within
coker gas oil, from the column. A heavy coker gas oil draw the column. Better balancing of the liquid and vapor loading
36 is provided near one of the bottom trays of the column 12 in turn allows the use of fractionator tray designs which can
for withdrawing a heavy end product, i.e. heavy coker gas reduce the column diameter requirements and the vertical
oil. AS shown a heavy coker gas oil pump-around System 46 height required for transitions between the trayS.
is connected to the draw 34 to remove heat from the column Alternatively, or in addition to the upper middle port and
12 by way of a heat eXchanger. middle pump around system 50, improved fractionation
Turning now to particular features of the present efficiency can be gained by way of the lower middle outlet
invention, as shown in the Drawing, fractionator column 12 25
port 60. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower middle
is provided with an upper middle outlet port 52 which outlet port 60 is located below the upper middle outlet port
functions to enable heat to be extracted from the column 12 52 and above the heavy coker gas oil draw 36 and is
at a Selected point below the light coker gas oil draw 34. An connected to a recycle System to permit withdrawal of a
additional port, e.g. lower middle outlet port 60, can be middle distillate recycle stream. The middle distillate
provided to enable distillate recycle to be extracted at a recycle Stream can be pumped or gravity fed into a mixing
selected point above the heavy coker gas oil draw 36. Either point 62 where it is mixed with fresh coker feedstock to
of the outlet ports 52 or 60 can be connected to a pump favorably impact coker yield distribution.
around System for heat recovery or to a recycle System for The exact location of the middle distillate recycle port 60
use of liquid drawn from the port as a feedstock additive. depends upon the desired content of the middle distillate
The ability to remove heat from the column 12 at a point 35
recycle Stream. Generally, the middle distillate recycle
between the heavy coker gas oil draw 36 or the light coker Stream desired will contain material within a boiling point
oil draw 34 enables control of internal liquid refluxing range of about 350° F and about 850 F. When used with a
within the column 12 to enhance product quality, as will be middle pump-around System Such as the above described
better appreciated in light of the example below. system 50, the middle distillate recycle stream will have a
Returning to the illustrated embodiment, the upper middle 40
more narrow range of boiling points which will facilitate
outlet port 52 is shown connected to a middle pump-around choosing the appropriate location between the heavy coker
system 50 which includes a pump 54, heat exchanger 56 and gas oil draw 36 and the light coker gas oil draw 34 to
return port 58. In operation, a middle stream is removed maximize production efficiency.
from the column 12 at the upper middle port 52, is pumped The following example is to illustrate the present inven
by the middle System pump 54 through the heat eXchanger 45 tion and is not intended to limit the Scope of the present
56, and returned to the column at the return port 58, which invention in any way.
is located above the upper middle outlet port 52. EXAMPLE
AS can be appreciated, the heat eXchanger 56 can be of
any type which provides an appropriate heat eXchange A design for an improved coker fractionation System
balance for the particular fractionating System. The tempera 50 according to the present invention is compared to a conven
ture of the middle Stream is generally high enough to use in tional fractionation system in Table 1 for a 40,000 BPSD
croSS-exchanger Services where heavy coker gas oil pump coker feed.
around Systems were traditionally used. Further, the tem In the improved coker fractionation System, leSS heat is
perature of the middle Stream is generally much higher than removed in the heavy coker gas oil pump-around, as com
temperatures associated with light coker gas oil pump 55 pared to the conventional System, allowing more liquid
around Systems and this can result in a more efficient heat refluxing between the light and heavy coker gas oil product
removal System. draws which provides better fractionating. A heavy coker
When used in addition to a heavy gas oil pump-around gas oil pump-around Scheme is used to heat coker feed and
System Such as the illustrated System 46, the middle pump to generate Steam prior to Separating the heavy coker gas oil
around system 50 reduces the amount of heat that must be 60 product Stream. Heat is also recovered from a middle
removed by the system 46 and thereby results in more pump-around System and used to reboil coker gas plant
internal liquid refluxing within the column 12 between the debutanizer and Stripper columns. Both Systems utilize light
heavy coker gas oil draw 36 and the light coker gas oil draw coker gas oil for distillate recycle.
34. The increased internal liquid refluxing provides better The conventional fractionation System uses a light coker
fractionation and therefore a cleaner Separation of the Vari 65 gas oil pump-around System in conjunction with a heavy
ous product Streams produced by them. Depending upon the coker gas oil pump-around System to recover heat from the
thermal requirements of the particular fractionator, the fractionator. The heavy coker gas oil pump-around is used to
 5,824,194
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heat coker feed, reboil a coker gas plant debutanizer, and to
generate Steam. A heavy coker gas oil product is drawn with TABLE 2-continued
the pump-around draw, but Separated and Stripped, before
being used to heat coker feed. The light coker gas oil Major Fractionation Conventional Present
Parameters Scheme Invention
pump-around is used to reboil a coker gas plant Stripper
column. A light coker gas oil product is drawn with the light (ft)/Length (ft)
coker gas oil pump-around draw, but is Separated and
Stripped, before being cooled for Storage. The net reduction in the estimated total installed costs
AS can be seen, there are Significant differences in pump using the improved fractionation System can be Substantial.
around heat duties, draw temperatures, and circulation flow The net effect on utility costs is Small, as electrical con
rates. Both Systems have similar product and fractionation Sumption is reduced slightly and net Steam consumption
Specifications. The Separation of heavy coker gas oil product differences are insignificant.
is comparable to the conventional System without employ In a Second comparison, the improved fractionation Sys
ing a stripper system with a 10 F. ASTM D86 overlap tem of the present invention facilitates making a heavy
15 distillate draw between the light coker gas oil and the heavy
between the LCGO and HCGO products.
coker gas oil draws for use as distillate recycle. Increased
TABLE 1. internal reflux helps to narrow the boiling range of the
recycle stream (to approximately 600-800F. TBP) without
Conventional Improved requiring additional fractionating trays. If a heavy coker gas
Main Fractionation Parameters System System oil Stripper System is used in conjunction with the middle
Overhead Duty, MM Btu?hr 78 88 pump-around Scheme, even better Separation between the
Reflux Rate, gpm 550 712 light coker gas oil and heavy coker gas oil products is
LCGO PA Duty, MM Btu?hr 21 attainable.
LCGO PA Draw Temp., F. 403 AS can now be appreciated, the above description illus
LCGO PA Flow, gpm 997
Mid PA Duty, MM Btu?hr 49
25 trates the invention in the context of a particular delayed
Mid PA Draw Temp., F. 550 coker proceSS System but is not limited to use with any
Mid PA Flow, gpm 1314 particular System or any particular type of fractionator
LCGO Strip. Steam Rate, Lb?hr 5900 67OO column. Various modifications in the location of middle
HCGO Strip. Steam Rate, lb?hr 3900
HCGO PA Duty, MM Btu?hr 83 3O ports, as well as types of thermal energy recovery Systems
HCGO PA Flow, gpm 1699 498 and recycle Systems can be used without departing from the
Ovhd. Naph. ASTM D86 95% Pt.
OH Naph./LCGO Gap, F.
343
50
343
50
spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the
LCGO Prod. ASTM D86 95% Pt. 650 650
following claims.
LCGO/HCGO Overlap, F. 1O 1O What is claimed is:
1. A method of Separating coker drum vapors, comprising:
35 introducing coker drum vapors into a flash Zone of a coker
A comparison of the Same embodiment of a coker frac fractionating column having multiple separation trayS
tionation System of the present invention and the conven above the flash Zone;
tional fractionation System in terms of total installed costs removing a light coker gas oil Stream from the coker
and utility costs is shown in Table 2. Table 2 shows fractionating column at a first draw near an upper
Significant differences in major equipment Sizing between 40 Separation tray;
the two fractionation Systems. removing a heavy coker gas oil stream from the coker
In the present invention, the heavy coker gas oil Stripper fractionating column at a Second draw near a lower
System, including the Stripper, two product pumps, and the Separation tray;
product/coker feed exchanger are not necessary. 45 removing a middle liquid Stream from the coker fraction
Additionally, the required capacity of the heavy coker gas oil ating column at a middle port between the first and
pump-around pumps is reduced Substantially. The Size and Second draws;
cost of the fractionator column is reduced Somewhat. The cooling the middle liquid Stream; and
Size of the fractionator overheads condenser and the capacity reintroducing the cooled middle liquid Stream to the coker
of the reflux pumps increases. 50 fractionator column above the middle port.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of
TABLE 2 removing a Second middle Stream from the coker fraction
ation column.
Major Fractionation Conventional Present 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second
Parameters Scheme Invention
55 middle Streams are removed from the same location in the
OH Trim Condenser Area, ft 14OOO 15324 fractionator column.
Stripper Reboiler Area, ft? 498O 2663 4. In a coker fractionator column having a heavy coker
HCGO Product?Coker Feed 3377 not reqd
Exchanger Area, ft' gas oil draw and a light coker gas oil draw, the improvement
HCGO PA/Coker Feed Exchanger 2O368 22536 comprising:
Area, ft 60 a middle outlet port in the fractionation column between
HCGO Product Air Cooler Bare 6747 5995
Tube Area, ft the heavy coker gas oil draw and the light coker gas oil
Reflux Pump Capacity, gpm 835 1027 draw for removing a middle Stream from the column;
LCGO PA Pump Capacity, gpm 1197 not reqd a heat eXchanger in fluid connection with the middle port
Mid PA Pump Capacity, gpm not reqd 1577 for removing thermal energy from the middle Stream;
HCGO Prod Pump Capacity, gpm 493 not reqd and
HCGO PA Pump Capacity, gpm 2532 1626 65
HCGO Stripper, Diameter 5/23.5 not reqd a middle return port above the middle outlet port for
reintroducing the cooled middle Stream to the column.
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5. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising a 9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein the middle
middle System pump for pumping the middle Stream through distillate recycle port is positioned to allow removal of a
the heat eXchanger. middle distillate recycle Stream having a boiling point range
6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the coker frac between about 350 F. and about 850 F.
tionator column is connected to a heavy coker gas oil 10. The improvement of claim 8, wherein the middle
pump-around System. outlet port and the middle distillate recycle port are both
7. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the coker frac connected to a single outlet port in the fractionator column.
11. In a coker fractionator column having a heavy coker
tionator column is connected to a light coker gas oil pump gas oil draw and a light coker gas oil draw, the improvement
around System. comprising a middle distillate recycle port positioned on the
8. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising a column between the heavy coker gas oil draw and the light
middle distillate recycle port positioned on the column coker gas oil draw for removing a middle distillate recycle
between the heavy coker gas oil draw and the light coker gas Stream for mixing with coker feedstock.
oil draw for removing a middle distillate recycle Stream for
mixing with coker feedstock. k k k k k