Q & A > Question Details
Coking Drum Switch Handling:
Delayed coking unit, in a strict sense, is not a continuous process. Coke drums are operated in batches and downs stream fractionators and strippers are operated continuously. Each of the events during coking cycle , such as preheating, drum switch over , drum filling cause big disturbance to the downstream process.
Advance Process Control may not be applicable for this operation.
Can automating the SOP of Drum Switching improve the coking cycle?
 
Answers
21/05/2019 A: Prabhakar Reddy, Suncor Energy, Inc., preddy@suncor.com
With APC (DMC) you can mitigate the impact of drum switches on the fractionator. The DMC adjust the pumparounds duties when the switch occur without significantly impact the product specs.
03/09/2018 A: Ralph Ragsdale, Ragsdale Refining Courses, ralph.ragsdale@att.net
Due to the cyclic nature of the operation, it was thought that APC could not improve the operation. For that reason, the coker was probably the last process to be considered for such optimization. However, the suppliers of multivariable APC claim to have mastered that challenge. You may benefit from hearing their proposals. Automating the drum switching may be unnecessary.