Investigation of temperature distributions and deformations

for coke drums

Sunyi Chen
a,b,
*
, Zhengdong Wang
b

a
Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical Machine Plant, Maoming,Guangdong 525024, China
b
East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China


Abstract
A model is established in this paper to describe the temperature field along the wall of the coke drum with a steady me-
dium fluid inside. Temperature distributions are given by finite element analysis (FEA) for the drum shell in both radial
and axial directions. A varied physical property is considered in the calculation of deformation for the the drum shell with
different temperatures. The results show that the temperature differences in either radial or axial direction are mainly
caused by the cooling water rather than by the hot oil. The temperature difference along the thickness of the wall (from
inside to outside of the wall) is about 40 at the height of 30 mm below the medium level of the hot oil or about 60 at
the height of 25 mm below the cooling water. The circumferential temperature field and local deformation of concave or
convex of body are surveyed and analyzed, and the flat-circle deformation in the transverse section is also discussed.
Keywords: Coke drum; Deformation; Transient temperature field; Finite element method; Thermal stress.


1. Introduction

A typical coke drum is made with diameter of
5400mm, height of 23000mm, thickness of 26 or
28 mm for up or down shell, and no clad inside.
Except the pressure and weight of, It is subjected
to not only the weight of body itself and medium
inside but also the pressure of operation, the re-
sidual stress from welding, peak stress induced
by discontinuous connection, and the thermal
stress induced by temperature difference in each
cycle operation [1]. It is well known that the coke
drum suffers from six kinds of deformation,
which are bulging deformation, bottle gourd de-
formation, local concave and convex deformation
of shell, incline or bend of body, and flat-circle
deformation of transverse section. Total stresses
around the circular weld must be put into account
and the thermal stress should be analyzed with
the changing properties of material for a certain
temperature at the same time. It has been found in
both measurement and calculation that the
three-dimensional temperature field is not only
inconsistent, but also unsteady in each cycle op-
eration [2]. The results from measurement are

*
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: sunyi_chen@sohu.com (Sunyi Chen).
usually not agreed completely with that from the
theoretical analysis because of the flow of kinetic
medium [3-5].
In fact, deformation and failure of the coke
drum is a very difficult subject to be solved easily
using a theoretical calculation. The deformation
companied with cracking in weld has existed in
the petroleum industry and been studied by many
researchers for many years [6-9].

2. A simplified model for two-dimensional
temperature field

The temperature field is changing in the drum
shell with the corresponding flow of liquid me-
dium. Suppose circular temperature difference
does not exist, it becomes an axisymmetrical
problem. Set up a coordinate system whose origin
is located at the point where liquid surface reach-
es. The system is at standstill state relatively to
the rising liquid. The temperature field is also at
standstill state with the coordinate system. But
there is a fourth dimension, time-dimension, and
the system origin can be changed with the mov-
ing level of the liquid medium at a certain speed.
So the temperature field is unsteady. The
two-dimensional model with a unsteady temper-
ature field T
0
D
1
D
3
T
3
[3-4], shown in Fig. 1.
S.Y. Chen & Z.D. Wang / Investigation of temperature distributions and deformations for coke drums

216

Fig. 1. Coordinate system of the temperature field.

In order to model the raising of the medium
surface, the result from each calculation should
be input as the initial data for next calculation
with a new height that the medium surface is go-
ing to reach. The calculation work is so much for
each operation cycle by running NISA II written
by MAC. In order to reduce the calculating work,
a special computer software used for data trans-
formation was compiled using FORTRAN lan-
guage.
With analyses of temperature field and its
stress-strain filed, the structure of the model has
been set up so that the model can meet the spe-
cific need of calculation of thermal stress. First,
the bottom of cylinder can only be moved in the
radial direction. Second, a spherical close end fit
to the cylinder top can only be moved along the Z
axis. So the displacement induced by the heat
expanding can be considered accurately. Third,
the local stress would not produce a harmful ef-
fect on the weld between two cylinders, which
may be caused by the domino effect around the
weld between the cylinder and the spherical end,
if a likely subjoin (height 700 mm) is linked to
the cylinder with the end [10].
Each of the time steps is on the level of 0.01 s
to meet the calculation precision with raise of
speed of medium. The temperature filed would be
stable when all of the temperatures at T
0
, D
1
, D
3

and T
3
four points are at standstill state.

3. Calculation procedures

3.1. Calculating parameters
There are many different/changing calculating
parameters which are concerned with coke opera-
tions. The change of physical property has been
considered for a material at different temperatures.
For example, during the quenching working, the
thermal conductivity coefficient is

K
Shell
=51.068-0.0098T-310
-5
T
2
(W/(mK)),

and the specific heat is

C
Shell
=470.84-0.0823T+510
-4
T
2
(J /(kgK)).

The difference of thermal conductivity coefficient
between weld and base material would not be
reckoned. As the heat capacity in the shell is
small and the oil temperature change lightly in a
short time, the change of oil temperature would
not be taken into account. But, the temperature of
water would vary largely in a short time during
water rising because the drum is filled with hot
coke during the feed water working procedure.
Then the change of water temperature must be
calculated. The highest temperature of cooling
water can reach 133 , a boiling point under the
designed pressure.

3.2. Results of Calculation
The Temperature distribution described by
constant temperature lines is shown in Fig. 2,
which is obtained at the condition of cooling wa-
ter 133 and liquid height 600 mm. The von
Mises equivalent stress with 133 water at the
round weld is shown in Figure 3.




Fig. 2. Isothermal line along drum wall.

U
D
1

D
3

Unsteady
temperature
field
T
3

T
0

V
Outside
wall
O
Liquid
surface
Inside
wall
Y
Z
Drumwall
Temperature () Liquid surface
G.C. Sih, S.T. Tu & Z.D. Wang (Eds.) / FM2005 - Multiscale Damage Related to Environment Assisted Cracking / 215-220


217


Fig. 3. von Mises equivalent stress for the weldment.


3.3. Analysis of temperature field
(1) The temperature difference between in-
side-wall and outside-wall is about 45 at the
point located under the liquid surface 30 mm af-
ter 15 seconds oil feed operation. The tempera-
ture difference is lower at the height under the
iquid surface 350 mm, which is about 15 after
175 seconds.
(2) The temperature difference between in-
side-wall and outside-wall is already 90 under
the water surface 20 mm after having fed 70
water. It is still 60 under the water surface 100
mm. It is clear that both of the axial temperature
difference and the radial temperature difference
caused by water are larger than those caused by
oil.
(3) While water temperature is raised from
70 to 85 , the change of temperature in
drum shell is lightly. But, both of the axial tem-
perature difference and the radial temperature
difference are decently obvious as the water tem-
perature rise to 133 . The radial temperature
difference is 60 and located under the water
surface 25 mm.

3.4. Analysis of stress and strain
(1) Hot oil has higher temperature but lower
heat-transfer-coefficient. Thermal stress of wall
around oil surface cannot make drum shell de-
formation. Water has higher heat transfer coeffi-
cient. It can produce stronger thermal stress to
make drum shell bent deformation under water.
Outside wall would have plastic deformation
while water temperature is lower.
(2) The most equal stress which is induced by
hot oil or 70 water is laid on outside wall
above liquid surface about 10 or 15 mm, and the
liquid surface is far away from weld. As the equal
stress is 160 MPa with feeding water, the plastic
deformation is developing to one fourth of the
shell thickness and the equal plastic strain is 160
. For 85 water, they would reduce to one
sixth of thickness and 90 . The plastic defor-
mation spreads up as medium surface rises. The
maximum stress is showed at weld toe while the
medium surface is rising through weld.
(3) The physical property of the weld is better
than that of the basic material, so that circle weld
has some restrain to bugle deformation. The cyl-
inder may still bulge deformation though the
space high on the weld has been deleted. If the
welds space height has not been given away, the
deformation should not be same too, although
their physical property is same.
(4) It is showed that the residual strain of two
cycles loading slightly increase compared with
that of only one cycle. The circle weld can be
weakened by the deformation of the shell and
bulge deformation change. Then, it is good for
preventing bugle deformation to eliminate the
additional thickness of the weld and make a heat
treatment after welding.
(5) The model and its method can also be used
to optimize the weldment design and to control
flow quantity of cooling water, because both of
the factors, weld thickness and the water surface
raising speed, can make different results of stress
and strain in the wall.

4. The location concave or convex

4.1. Circular temperature field
The four survey points to coke drum of
Maoming refinery are chosen at two transverse
sections which 1500 mm and 2000 mm to the
bottom of skirt separately, near by the weld be-
tween skirt and the below head. Their circumfer-
ential orientations are separately at the four points
of southeast, southwest, northeast and northwest.
The results are show in Fig. 4.
The six survey points to coke drum of Nanjing
refinery are even fix at third course below the
body. It has found that the circumferential tem-
perature difference is increasing at the beginning
of cooling coke. One of the six points has been
showed the most temperature all the time. The
S.Y. Chen & Z.D. Wang / Investigation of temperature distributions and deformations for coke drums

218
most circumferential temperature difference is
110 which between that point and its next
point at 60, temperature gradient is
0.039 /mm.
One coke drum in Russia had clearly displayed
that the circumferential temperature differences
are much different on the upper, the middle and
the dower of the body separately. The highest
was 130 on the middle. The circumferential
temperature differences on the upper and the
dower are smaller, and they were 80-120 [20].
On the upper, there were two points showed the
temperature difference of 40 at the beginning
of coke cooling. But, it was 150 after 3.6
minutes. The biggest temperature difference was
250 as reported by [21].

4.2. Uneven axial stress
Both the FEM and the analytical calculation
have proved that axial stress induced by the cir-
cumferential uneven temperature field shows that
the tensile stress and compress stress replace with
each other. It is tensile stress on the shell of south
and north that both on the fed bend section during
fed oil process, and it is compress stress on other
surface of the shell. But, it is compress stress on
the southand it is tend stress on the north during
fed water.
During those two processes, there are always
tensile stress on the north and compress stress
besides the north. In the same time, there is ten-
sile stress or compress stress respectively for ei-
ther the fed oil process or the cooling coke pro-
cess.


0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Operating time[hours]
Southeast
Northeast
Northwest
Southwest
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e


[

]
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Operating time[hours]
Southeast
Northeast
Northwest
Southwest
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e


[

]


Fig. 4. Temperature distribution of drum 2.

4.3. Survey of coke drum
Vibrating and swing of drum are easy found in
Maoming refinery during the process of daily.
Incline/bend of body may be calculated according
to the level degree of seal face of flange with
DN700, which on the top of upper head. It could
be survey by vertical hanging line when the suit
is shut down for maintenance. The results are
showed in Table 1. The locations of the slack nuts
have been checked and described as the black
points in Figure 5.
In 1991, J ingmen refinery had been inspected
and found that the height difference of two drums
might be 138 mm and the level difference of head
top might be 105 mm as the change of tempera-
ture [22].
In 1986, Daqing refinery had been surveyed
the incline/bend of body by transit on two direc-
tions of east and south separately. There was not
any incline/bend on west-east direction but had
inclined 15 mm on south north.
In China, another coke drum had inclined 7
toward the east and 15 toward the south [21].
There was reported that one coke drum had went
down 0.8 m and inclined 3 because the weld was
creaked [23].
In American, there was one kinds of coke
drums as long and thin, which had a diameter of
Dg3810 mm and a clad of 12Cr steel. The top of
the drum had a displacement of 305-610 mm as
the bad operating condition. Every drum was be-
come a permanent bend deformation likes a ba-
nana when excused its used life, and the convex
face was the bend certain[24].
N. A. Weil point out, two drums had incline
obviously toward to this side of an open line be
used to feed medium in horizontal direction. One
of them had its top displaced 410 mm as incline
in half past six years [25]. H.T. Bohuojinke etc.
had though the location were changed, which the
medium flow touch the inside wall. Coke drum
was inclined to one side of the vertical axial line
as hot and could not came back to its original
place, so it would swung 20-150 mm in different
direction and induce deformation [20].

4.4. Discussion
The survey results have showed the basic dis-
tribution of circumferential temperature.
(1) Every operate processes have induced cir-
G.C. Sih, S.T. Tu & Z.D. Wang (Eds.) / FM2005 - Multiscale Damage Related to Environment Assisted Cracking / 215-220


219
cumferential temperature difference. It is about
40-70 on the shell of coke drum of in
Maoming refinery. It is correct that the medium is
flow in the drum, but its regulation is some weak.
(2) According to the survey, processes of
stream per-heat, oil gas per-heat, feed in oil &
feed in cooling water would made the tempera-
ture change sharply. It is identical with the nu-
merical analysis of two-dimensional temperature
field of shell by FEM.
It has showed the uneven and steady of distri-
bution of circumferential temperature that there is
interval and do not intersect each other of the
temperature lines of feed in oil and feed in water.
The circumferential temperature difference
during feed water is the largest.
(3) The intersection of temperature lines during
coking is the mostly. It has showed the uneven
and unsteady of distribution of circumferential
temperature.
(4) The value about the circumferential tem-
perature stress with the membrane stress of pres-
sure is in a same class and the difference is small.
Although the axial stress that inducing by cir-
cumferential temperature difference is little small,
but the combination stress by three- dimensional
temperature difference is much large to make
some uneven plastic strain. The strain accumu-
lating in every operate cycles and make the body
incline or bend. So that, circumferential tempera-
ture difference that inducing by the uneven flow
is the main cause.




Fig. 5. Location mark of slack nuts.

Table 1. Results of the coke drum Incline of Maoming
refinery.
Drum
Incline
direction
Verticality
(mm/m)
Out-of-
center
(mm)
Date
1
West 4 108 94.12
Southwest 2.6 69 99.1
2 Northeast 2.5 67 99.1
3
Northwest 6 162 94.12
Southeast 0.7 18 99.1
4 Southwest 0.8 21 99.1

Table 2. Flat-circle deformation of transverse section.
Situa-
tion
defor-
mation
Most
diameter
differ-
ence in
the same
section
Loca-
tion
con-
vex of
lowest
course
Diameter
difference
on circle
weld of
skirt to
nominal
diameter
Diameter
differ-
ence on
lowest
course to
nominal
diameter
No. 1 40
(mm)
19
(mm)
/ /
No. 2 10
(mm)
26.5
(mm)
/ /
No. 3 / / 6.02
(mm)
34.03
(mm)
No. 4 / / 10.16
(mm)
30.85
(mm)

5. Flat-circle deformation of transverse section

5.1. Survey
In 1999, the situation about the flat-circle de-
formation of transverse section of Maoming re-
finery had been checked as Table 2.
In 1984, one of the drums of Nanjing refinery
had a convex of one quarter of shell in circum-
ferential deformation much obvious as its radius
had enlarged 55-60 mm.
In 1994, one of the drums of Shengli refinery
that was run in 1976 had been found the most
diameter difference to its original diameter are 71
mm on the east-west and 45 mm on the
south-north.

5.2. Discussion
The nature of axial force of shell that on the
inside of the bend is contrary to what on the out-
side of the bend. The combine of the force make
the shell compress in radium direction as it is
No.1 No.2 No.3
Starting
Stream
per-heat
Oil feed in
Coking

Water
feed in
S.Y. Chen & Z.D. Wang / Investigation of temperature distributions and deformations for coke drums

220
compress on inside wall and it is tend force on
outside wall. That compress would let the circle
of the transverse section change into flat-circle.
The short radium is identical with the bend radi-
um. Others reason are the force of piping and the
residual stress of shell.
The subsidiary stress of bend by the flat-circle
would not take place unstable because not only
the membrane stress is small and the heat stress is
limit itself, but also the drum is fit fully with hard
coke while the shell get the most stress.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank for the advice from
Professor Wu Dongdi and Professor Liu
Cengdian, East China University of Science and
Technology.

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