Coke drums undergo cyclic operations typically in the temperature range from room temperature to about 500 °C (930 °F). During quenching, the coke drum is inevitably subjected to a rapid drop in temperature because cooling water is injected directly into the coke drum through the bottom inlet nozzle. The temperature profile on the shell surface is uneven during quenching, and can vary in each cycle of the quenching operation. Such a complicated thermal profile induces large strains in the shell portion of the coke drum, and eventually causes damage like bulging and/or cracking. The authors have investigated the bulging behavior of the coke drum by the thermal elastic-plastic finite element (FE)-analysis, considering the existence of the overmatch welds and uneven temperature field during quenching (Ohata et al., 2011, “Investigation of Bulging Behavior of Coke Drum—Feasible Study on Causes of Bulging,” ASME PVP2011-57276, Baltimore). In this paper, a practical FE-analysis is developed to estimate the complex strain that leads to bulging under uneven temperature fields during quenching. The actual temperature and strain data during operation are collected by thermocouples and high temperature strain gauges. A thermal analysis model, including an evaluation of boiling heat transfer on the shell's inner surface, is established to simulate the measured shell behavior of the coke drum. By utilizing this FE-analysis model, several parameters thought of as causal factors in bulging can be examined under the uneven temperature profile that is likely to occur during actual operation. This analytical approach can also provide effective technique for improvements in shell durability.
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December 2014
Research-Article
Investigation of Bulging Behavior of Coke Drum—A Practical Analysis of Bulging Under Complex Quench Conditions
Toshiya Yamamoto,
Toshiya Yamamoto
Sumitomo Heavy Industries Process
Ehime 799-1393,
Equipment Co., Ltd.
,1501 Imazaike, Saijo-city
,Ehime 799-1393,
Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Kazuaki Arii,
Kazuaki Arii
Sumitomo Heavy Industries Process
Ehime 799-1393,
Equipment Co., Ltd.
,1501 Imazaike, Saijo-city
,Ehime 799-1393,
Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Shinta Niimoto,
Shinta Niimoto
Sumitomo Heavy Industries
Ehime 799-1393,
Process Equipment Co., Ltd.
,1501 Imazaike, Saijo-city
,Ehime 799-1393,
Japan
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Mitsuru Ohata,
Osaka 565-0871,
Mitsuru Ohata
Osaka University
,2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita
,Osaka 565-0871,
Japan
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Tetsuya Tagawa,
Osaka 565-0871,
Tetsuya Tagawa
Osaka University
,2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita
,Osaka 565-0871,
Japan
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Fumiyoshi Minami
Osaka 565-0871,
Fumiyoshi Minami
Osaka University
,2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita
,Osaka 565-0871,
Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Toshiya Yamamoto
Sumitomo Heavy Industries Process
Ehime 799-1393,
Equipment Co., Ltd.
,1501 Imazaike, Saijo-city
,Ehime 799-1393,
Japan
Kazuaki Arii
Sumitomo Heavy Industries Process
Ehime 799-1393,
Equipment Co., Ltd.
,1501 Imazaike, Saijo-city
,Ehime 799-1393,
Japan
Shinta Niimoto
Sumitomo Heavy Industries
Ehime 799-1393,
Process Equipment Co., Ltd.
,1501 Imazaike, Saijo-city
,Ehime 799-1393,
Japan
Mitsuru Ohata
Osaka University
,2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita
,Osaka 565-0871,
Japan
Tetsuya Tagawa
Osaka University
,2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita
,Osaka 565-0871,
Japan
Fumiyoshi Minami
Osaka University
,2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita
,Osaka 565-0871,
Japan
Contributed by the Pressure Vessel and Piping Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF PRESSURE VESSEL TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received January 26, 2012; final manuscript received April 30, 2014; published online September 4, 2014. Assoc. Editor: Hardayal S. Mehta.
J. Pressure Vessel Technol. Dec 2014, 136(6): 061401 (8 pages)
Published Online: September 4, 2014
Article history
Received:
January 26, 2012
Revision Received:
April 30, 2014
Citation
Yamamoto, T., Arii, K., Niimoto, S., Ohata, M., Tagawa, T., and Minami, F. (September 4, 2014). "Investigation of Bulging Behavior of Coke Drum—A Practical Analysis of Bulging Under Complex Quench Conditions." ASME. J. Pressure Vessel Technol. December 2014; 136(6): 061401. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4027591
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