US 5,876,568 AGranted

Safe and semi-automatic removal of heavy drum closures

OwnerPeter Kindersleyinventor

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Abstract

In a coke drum an outlet arrangement is provided which allows removal of the coke from the drum without endangering the health or safety of workers heading or unheading the coke drum. Instead of using a manually removable bottom flange for the drum, a semiautomatic bottom flange removal system is provided. A spool is attached to the conventional, pre-existing, about 6 feet in diameter drum stationary bottom flange. The spool includes a tapered clamping surface. A new style removable bottom flange also includes a tapered clamping surface. The tapered clamping surfaces cooperate with clamp ring sectors movable by externally mounted hydraulic cylinders into contact with the spool and the flange, and other hydraulic cylinders mounted directly on the ring sectors move male locking surfaces into locking engagement with cooperating female locking surfaces formed on adjacent clamp ring sectors.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of modifying an existing substantially vertical coke drum to semi-automate heading and unheading, the coke drum having a bottom stationary flange having a plurality of substantially vertical openings through which bolts pass, and a bottom removable flange at least forty inches in diameter and having a plurality of substantially vertical openings therein to receive the bolts which pass through the stationary flange openings and having a hydrocarbon fluid conduit therein, the method utilizing a spool piece having a generally upwardly facing annular tapered clamping surface, a plurality of clamp ring sectors each having spaced first locking surfaces and generally downwardly and upwardly annular sector tapered clamping surfaces, a plurality of second locking surfaces;

a plurality of first powered actuators for moving the second locking surfaces, and a plurality of second powered actuators for moving the clamp ring sectors;
said method comprising the steps of:
(a) detaching the bottom removable flange from the coke drum bottom stationary flange;
(b) forming a generally downwardly facing annular tapered clamping surface on the bottom removable flange, to produce a revised removable flange having a hydrocarbon fluid conduit therein, or replacing the bottom removable flange with a new flange having a generally downwardly facing annular tapered clamping surface and having a hydrocarbon fluid conduit therein;
(c) attaching the spool piece to the drum stationary flange;
(d) attaching the plurality of second actuators to the drum;
(e) moving the revised or new movable flange into sealing engagement with the spool piece;
(f) using the second powered actuators, moving the tapered clamping surfaces of the clamp ring sectors into contact with the tapered clamping surfaces of the spool piece and the revised or new removable flange;
and
(g) using the first powered actuators, moving the first locking surfaces into locking engagement with the second locking surfaces.

7 more elements

A coke drum assembly, comprising:

a substantially vertical coke drum having a top with a removable top flange, a bottom with a stationary first sealing structure, and a movable second sealing structure larger than said removable top flange that is adapted to be moved from a first position sealingly connected to the first sealing structure, and a second position detached from the first sealing structure;
said first and second sealing structures having, respectively, first and second tapered annular clamping surfaces;
a plurality of clamp ring sectors, each sector having third and fourth tapered annular sector clamping surfaces for respectively engaging said first and second tapered annular clamping surfaces;
a plurality of first locking structures each having first locking surfaces;
second locking surfaces formed in each of said clamp ring sectors, said second locking surfaces for cooperation with said first locking surfaces to hold said clamp ring sectors to each other so that said clamp ring sectors hold said second sealing structure with respect to said first sealing structure in said first position;
a plurality of first powered actuators mounted to said ring sectors and said first locking structure for moving said first locking structures with respect to said second locking surfaces between a first position in which said clamp ring sectors are clamped together, and a second position in which said clamp ring sectors are movable apart from each other;
and
a plurality of second powered actuators distinct from said first actuators and connected to said clamp ring sectors to move said clamp ring sectors away from said first and second sealing structures when said first locking structure is in said second position.

5 more elements

A semi-automatic clamping assembly comprising:

a stationary first sealing structure;
a movable second sealing structure that is adapted to be moved between a first position sealingly connected to the first sealing structure, and a second position detached from the first sealing structure, said second sealing structure having a diameter of over about forty inches;
said first and second sealing structures having, respectively, first and second tapered annular clamping surfaces;
a plurality of clamp ring sectors, each sector having third and fourth tapered annular sector clamping surfaces for respectively engaging said first and second tapered annular clamping surfaces;
a plurality of first locking structures each having first locking surfaces;
second locking surfaces formed in each of said clamp ring sectors, said second locking surfaces for cooperation with said first locking surfaces to hold said clamp ring sectors to each other so that said clamp ring sectors hold said second sealing structure with respect to said first sealing structure in said first position;
a plurality of first powered actuators mounted to said ring sectors and said first locking structure for moving said first locking structures with respect to said second locking surfaces between a first position in which said clamp ring sectors are clamped together, and a second position in which said clamp ring sectors are movable apart from each other;
and
a plurality of second powered actuators distinct from said first actuators and connected to said clamp ring sectors to move said clamp ring sectors away from said first and second sealing structures when said first locking structure is in said second position.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.