Apparatus and method for controlling the rate of feeding a petroleum product to a coking drum system
AssigneeMarathon Oil Company
InventorsCharles R. Bruce, Irvin D. Johnson, Lawrence H. McGrievy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A coking drum system is provided in combination with a process control unit wherein the rate of material delivered to a coking drum during a coking process timing cycle is monitored and the quantity of material received by the coking drum is continuously derived therefrom. Based on this derived quantity of delivered material, the quantity of feed material required to fill the drum to a preestablished level with coke, at the completion of the timing cycle, can be predicted. The flow rate of feed material to the coking drum is accordingly adjusted so that the amount of coke produced in the drum during one timing cycle is optimized.
Claims13
A system for producing a coke product from a petroleum product in combination with a process control unit for automatically predicting an optimal flow rate of petroleum into the system, said combination comprising:
- a coking drum for forming a coke product from the petroleum and having a preestablished coking drum level;
- measuring means for producing a first signal representative of measuring the flow rate of the petroleum product as it flows into said coking drum;
- analog-to-digital converter means for producing binary signal information corresponding to said first signal;
- integrating means for computing an incremental quantity of petroleum delivered to said coking drum from said binary signal information representing said flow rate;
- accumulator means for receiving each incremental quantity of petroleum delivered and storing a totalized quantity thereof;
- storage means for receiving predetermined coking system parameters;
- means for predicting an optimal flow rate of petroleum using said totalized quantity stored in said accumulator means and said predetermined coking system parameters so that an optimal quantity of coke is produced in said coking drum;
- first output means responsive to said predicting means to produce a data output signal representing said optimal flow rate of petroleum;
- digital-to-analog converter means for producing a first analog signal corresponding to said optimal flow rate;
- and
- flow rate control means responsive to said digital-to-analog converter means for adjusting the flow rate of petroleum so that the petroleum is delivered to said coking drum at said optimal flow rate.
A method for automatically predicting an optimal flow rate of petroleum to a coking drum during a coking cycle using a digital processing unit, comprising the steps of:
- establishing a reference level in the coking drum;
- inputting petroleum to the coking drum;
- monitoring the rate of flow of petroleum into the coking drum;
- integrating the rate of flow of petroleum to the coking drum to determine the quantity of petroleum inputted;
- detecting the presence of coke at said established reference level;
- deriving automatically the total quantity of petroleum inputted to the coking drum at said established reference level;
- and
- predicting automatically a petroleum flow rate capable of filling the coking drum to a desired capacity at the completion of the coking cycle.
A method for automatically predicting an optimal flow rate of petroleum to a coking drum during a coking cycle using a digital processing unit, comprising the steps of:
- a. establishing a reference level and a capacity level in the coking drum;
- b. assigning at the beginning of the coking cycle a quantity of petroleum to be inputted to the coking drum so that coke produced therefrom will be at said reference level;
- c. inputting petroleum to the coking drum;
- d. monitoring the rate of flow of petroleum into the coking drum;
- e. integrating the rate of flow of petroleum to the coking drum to determine the incremental quantity of petroleum delivered;
- f. determining the time remaining in the coking cycle;
- g. making a first prediction of an optimal petroleum flow rate that will fill the coking drum to said capacity level at the completion of the coking cycle;
- h. altering the flow rate of petroleum to reflect said first predicted flow rate;
- i. repeating steps d through h until said established reference level is reached;
- j. updating the quantity of petroleum to be inputted to the coking drum so that coke produced therefrom will be at said reference level;
- and
- k. making a second prediction of an optimal petroleum flow rate that will fill the coking drum to said capacity level at the completion of the coking cycle.
A method for predicting an optimal flow rate of petroleum into a coking drum during a coking cycle using a digital processing unit, comprising the steps of:
- establishing a reference level in the coking drum;
- inputting petroleum to the coking drum;
- detecting the presence of coke at said established reference level;
- deriving automatically the total quantity of petroleum inputted to the coking drum at said established reference level;
- and
- predicting automatically a petroleum flow rate for filling the coking drum to a desired capacity at the end of the coking cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.