Rotary coke drum un-heading valve

Abstract

A rotary coke drum un-heading valve adapted for engagement to an extremity of a coke drum having an orifice therein. The rotary coke drum un-heading valve includes a valve body, having a passage which extends therethrough along a mass flow axis and at least two valve seats that circumscribe the passage. The passage is aligned for mass flow communication with the orifice. A rotatable flow obstructing member defines a bore therein and is rotatable within the valve body between an open position, wherein the bore is in communication with the passage permitting mass flow through the un-heading valve, and a closed position, wherein mass flow through the un-heading valve is prevented by the flow obstructing member. In one embodiment, the flow obstructing member is a gate pivotable in a plane perpendicular to the mass flow axis by a valve stem rotatable about its central axis which intersects the plane.

1 . A rotary coke drum un-heading valve adapted for engagement to an extremity of a coke drum having an orifice therein, the coke drum un-heading valve comprising: 
 a valve body having a passage extending therethrough along a mass flow axis and at least two valve seats circumscribing said passage, said passage being aligned for mass flow communication with said orifice; and    a rotatable flow obstructing member defining a bore therein, said flow obstructing member being rotatable within said valve body in contact with said valve seats between an open position, wherein said bore is in communication with said passage permitting mass flow through said un-heading valve, and a closed position, wherein mass flow through said un-heading valve is prevented by said flow obstructing member.    
   
   
       2 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said flow obstructing member is a gate.  
   
   
       3 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said gate is rotatable within said valve body in a plane.  
   
   
       4 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said plane is substantially perpendicular to said mass flow axis.  
   
   
       5 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 4 , wherein a valve stem is engaged to said gate, said valve stem being rotatable about a central axis thereof which intersects said plane.  
   
   
       6 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said valve seats provide guiding surfaces thereon for guiding said flow obstructing member during opening and closing strokes thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said central axis is substantially parallel to said mass flow axis and substantially perpendicular to said plane.  
   
   
       8 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said valve seats is biased against said flow obstructing member by a biasing device.  
   
   
       9 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said biasing device provides a load force which is constant about said at least one valve seat.  
   
   
       10 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said biasing device has fixed spring properties which define said load force.  
   
   
       11 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said biasing device includes at least one of bellows, springs, Belleville washers and graphite stacks.  
   
   
       12 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 5 , wherein a double packing box seals said valve stem with said valve body, said double packing box having packing seals about said valve stem on opposed sides of said gate.  
   
   
       13 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said double packing box includes bearings disposed about said valve stem on opposed sides of said gate.  
   
   
       14 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said valve body includes a lower wall surface fastenable to a coke chute.  
   
   
       15 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said flow obstructing member is hardness treated.  
   
   
       16 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising an actuating system operable to rotate said flow obstructing member between said open and closed positions.  
   
   
       17 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said actuating system is remotely actuable.  
   
   
       18 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said actuating system includes at least one linear actuator operable to rotate said flow obstructing member about a pivot axis and thereby to open and close said rotary un-heading valve.  
   
   
       19 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said actuating system comprises two linear actuators.  
   
   
       20 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 19 , wherein a torque arm is engaged with said flow obstructing member, said linear actuators being pivotably linked to said torque arm for pivoting said torque arm about said pivot axis.  
   
   
       21 . The rotary coke drum un-heading valve as defined in  claim 2 , wherein a total rotary stroke of said gate between said open position and said closed position is about 70 degrees.  
   
   
       22 . A coke drum un-heading system comprising: 
 a coke drum having an orifice in at least one extremity thereof;    a rotary un-heading valve fastened to said extremity in mass flow communication with said orifice and being selectively operable to seal and open said orifice such that one of mass flow into and out of said coke drum is possible; and    said rotary un-heading valve comprising: 
 a valve body having a passage extending therethrough along a mass flow axis and valve seats circumscribing said passage, said passage being in mass flow communication with said orifice;  
 a rotatable flow obstructing member defining a bore therein, said flow obstructing member being rotatable within said valve body in contact with said valve seats between an open position, wherein said bore is in communication with said passage permitting mass flow through said rotary un-heading valve, and a closed position, wherein mass flow through said rotary un-heading valve is prevented.  
   
   
   
       23 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said rotary un-heading valve is fastened to a bottom end of said coke drum.  
   
   
       24 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 22 , wherein a coke chute is fastened to said rotary un-heading valve in fluid flow communication with an exit aperture of said passage.  
   
   
       25 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said flow obstructing member is a gate.  
   
   
       26 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 25 , wherein said gate is rotatable within said valve body in a plane.  
   
   
       27 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 26 , wherein said plane is substantially perpendicular to said mass flow axis.  
   
   
       28 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 27 , wherein a valve stem is engaged to said gate, said valve stem being rotatable about a central axis thereof which intersects said plane.  
   
   
       29 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said valve seats have guiding surfaces thereon for guiding said flow obstructing member during opening and closing strokes of said gate.  
   
   
       30 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 29 , wherein said central axis is substantially parallel to said mass flow axis and substantially perpendicular to said plane.  
   
   
       31 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 22 , wherein at least one of said valve seats is biased against said flow obstructing member by a biasing device.  
   
   
       32 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 31 , wherein said biasing device provides a load force which is constant about said at least one valve seat.  
   
   
       33 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 31 , wherein said biasing device has fixed spring properties which define said load force.  
   
   
       34 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 33 , wherein said biasing device includes at least one of bellows, springs, Belleville washers and graphite stacks.  
   
   
       35 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 28 , wherein a double packing box seals said valve stem with said valve body, said double packing box having packing seals about said valve stem on opposed sides of said gate.  
   
   
       36 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 35 , wherein said double packing box includes bearings disposed about said valve stem on opposed sides of said gate.  
   
   
       37 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said rotary un-heading valve is sized to fit at least within a perimeter defined by an outer wall of said coke drum.  
   
   
       38 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 22 , further comprising an actuating system operable to rotate said flow obstructing member between said open and closed positions.  
   
   
       39 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 38 , wherein said actuating system is remotely actuable.  
   
   
       40 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 38 , wherein said actuating system includes at least one linear actuator operable to rotate said flow obstructing member about a pivot axis and thereby top open and close said rotary un-heading valve.  
   
   
       41 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 40 , wherein said actuating system comprises two linear actuators.  
   
   
       42 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 40 , wherein a torque arm is engaged with said flow obstructing member, said linear actuators being pivotably linked to said torque arm for pivoting said torque arm about said pivot axis.  
   
   
       43 . The coke drum un-heading system as defined in  claim 25 , wherein a total rotary stroke of said gate between said open position and said closed position is about 70 degrees.  
   
   
       44 . A method of un-heading a coke drum having an orifice in at least one extremity thereof, the method comprising: 
 providing a rotary un-heading valve fastened to said extremity in mass flow communication with said orifice; and    rotating a flow obstructing member within said rotary un-heading valve about a pivot axis between a closed position, wherein mass flow through said rotary un-heading valve is prevented by said flow obstructing member, and an open position, wherein mass flow through said rotary un-heading valve is permitted.    
   
   
       45 . The method as defined in  claim 44 , further comprising rotating said flow obstructing member by rotating a valve stem engaged thereto, said valve stem having a central longitudinal axis coaxial with said pivot axis.  
   
   
       46 . The method as defined in  claim 45 , further comprising remotely actuating rotation of said flow obstructing member using an actuating system.