Coke fines accumulations can reduce the capacity and reliability of coker units, harming the overall economics of the refinery. USA DeBusk offers advanced technologies for removing fines, including the ability to clean while on line, avoiding stoppages. Using automated processes and wirelessly controlled machinery, these processes offer higher levels of safety and productivity for removing fines from cutting and quench water tanks, clarifiers, maze pits and sluiceways, clear water basins and sumps, as well as general clean-up. A recent project highlights some of the advantages of USA DeBusk's coke fines removal.
A Midwest refiner needed to perform routine maintenance on a delayed coker, including removing fines from clear water return sumps, cutting water return sumps and the coker fines maze system.
The unit had lost all four of its clear water return pumps due to coke fines erosion of the internal impeller of each pump. Large mounds of fines had formed throughout the entire sump area, preventing access for reinstallation of repaired clear water pumps.
The challenge was to remove all fines from the clear water sump area, despite being located 70 feet below grade. According to plant personnel, no one had successfully moved this type of material vertically more than 25 to 30 feet. Another obstacle was the tight work area around the clear water pump housings.
Multiple contractors had previously tried different approaches for cleaning the sump, including vacuum trucks, temporary submersible pumps and submersible tank-cleaning robotics -- all without success.
USA DeBusk offers a proprietary method of removing high volumes of coker fines using technology proven in many previous projects.
These services are performed using automation, with computer-assisted remote control and video surveillance of the process. Customer savings are achieved by reducing safety risks, eliminating downtime, improving productivity and decreasing total cleaning time. After learning about the service, the customer called in USA DeBusk for an upcoming turnaround.
Whereas previous contractors had unsuccessfully worked on the project for weeks, the USA DeBusk team completed the job in three eight-hour shifts, ahead of schedule and under budget. The customer was able to reinstall its repaired clear water return pumps and return the unit to service efficiently.
A key to success was USA DeBusk's computerized high-volume coker pumping equipment, capable of pumping coker fines vertically up to 100 feet at 600 to 800 gallons per minute.
The project presented a number of safety risks, including working at heights, high noise levels, overhead lifting and more. Following USA DeBusk's standard operating procedures, the highly trained crew completed the project without any safety issues or incidents. The customer was 100-percent satisfied with the results, awarding the company three more projects and making USA DeBusk's services a part of its routine cleaning procedures for both coker units.
Coke fines removal is part of the full suite of USA DeBusk's coker services, including coker jet pump replacement, furnace pigging and decoking, specialty line cleaning, automated frac tower decoking, unit clearing and chemical cleaning.
For more information, visit www.USADeBusk.com, call (844) 243-5557 or email sales@USADeBusk.com.
